We are unpacking the numbing effect of enduring COVID fatigue in this short series, with input from BBC Future. Today we turn to exploring the inner dynamics of this debilitating condition, and discover to our surprise there are two distinct types. These versions depend on the treatment available during the infection, which has a bearing in turn on the severity of the symptoms.
The Coronavirus Is Capable of Causing Lingering Fatigue
When the pandemic began, we thought COVID-19 was a respiratory disease infecting our airways and lungs. A year later, and we now know the most universal symptom is fatigue. However, there is more to this than feeling drowsy or sleepy. In the context of COVID, fatigue means having no motivation and no energy, according to Health Line.
The general scientific consensus is one-in-ten Covid-19 patients will still have fatigue symptoms twelve weeks later. However, to fully understand this complex situation, we need to distinguish between two groups of patients.
Two Causes of the Numbing Effect of Enduring COVID Fatigue
These two classes of COVID patients include those admitted to hospital, and those who were not. And each of these types has different underlying causes for their fatigue.
1… People who went to hospital with COVID-19 may have severe damage to their lungs from either the acute viral infection. Alternatively, the resulting cytokine storm if this followed. Melissa Heightman finds the majority of these are recovering from treatment or are on their way.
2… However, people with long term fatigue who did not go to hospital, perplex medical specialists like Melissa Heightman. That’s because they have a wide range of lingering symptoms, and half them are still unwell after a year.
We’ll be examining the data on the numbing effect of enduring COVID fatigue in our next post on this blog. Until then please take care, and remember to maintain your COVID-19 precautions.
Related
Persistent Symptoms of the COVID Long Tail
Half COVID Recoveries Show Lingering Fatigue
Preview Image: A Man Presenting with Fatigue
