Has your health been inconsistent since you tested positive for COVID a few months ago? Visit our clinic to help manage lingering symptoms.
A few months ago, you tested positive for COVID-19. Your symptoms were moderate and after the standard five days of self-isolation, you returned to your daily routine. But now a couple of months later, you’re still struggling with severe fatigue, and your taste and smell haven’t been the same. It doesn’t matter whether you play a round of bowling at Classic Lanes or sit in the Athens Movie Palace, everything you used to love simply exhausts you.
For many people, COVID symptoms resolve within a few days or weeks. But for others, recovery isn’t quite so straightforward. You’re not alone – it’s possible for COVID symptoms to linger. When they persist after your initial case of COVID, this condition is often referred to as long COVID, long-haul COVID or post-COVID syndrome. While there are multiple names, they all mean the same thing: ongoing health issues linked to a previous COVID infection.
Understanding what long COVID looks like, why it happens, and when to seek medical care can help you take the next step toward feeling better.
What Is Long COVID?
Although there is no single, universal definition of post-COVID syndrome, in the U.S. it is often defined as “a long-lasting, or chronic, condition triggered by the virus that causes COVID-19.”
Long COVID may describe a collection of symptoms that began during a COVID infection and never fully resolved. In other cases, it refers to new or ongoing medical conditions connected to COVID that last three months or longer after your initial symptoms began.
Importantly, long COVID can happen whether you had a mild case of COVID or a severe one. Even people who were never hospitalized can experience lingering effects. The symptoms can resemble those seen in autoimmune, lung, heart, neurological or psychological disorders, which can make the condition especially frustrating to navigate.
What Are the Signs of Post-COVID Syndrome?
Long COVID symptoms can vary widely from person to person. Some are mild, while others are completely debilitating. Symptoms may come and go, change over time or gradually worsen. Many patients report feeling like they never fully recovered from their original bout with COVID.
Common symptoms include:
- Fatigue that interferes with daily life.
- Problems with memory or concentration (often called “brain fog”).
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy.
- Changes in taste or smell.
Other possible symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath or ongoing coughing
- Sleep problems
- Headaches
- Depression or anxiety
- Digestive issues
- Joint or muscle pain
- Changes in menstrual cycle
Some individuals with long-haul COVID also develop other conditions that were caused or worsened by COVID, including migraines and autoimmune diseases. In more complex cases, people may be diagnosed with conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, mood disorders, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis–Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME-CFS).
Why Do Some COVID Symptoms Linger?
Unfortunately, medical research has not yet pinpointed a single cause of long-haul COVID. What is clear is that COVID can trigger chronic conditions in some people, known medically as an infection-associated chronic condition.
According to the Mayo Clinic, experts have several leading theories, including:
- The virus disrupts immune system communication, potentially causing autoimmune reactions.
- COVID reactivates viruses that were previously dormant in the body.
- The infection alters the gut’s ecosystem.
- The virus damages communication in the brain stem or the vagus nerve, which controls many automatic body functions.
While research is ongoing, these theories help explain why symptoms can be so varied and long-lasting.
When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
You should consider seeing a health care provider if:
- Your symptoms begin to consistently disrupt your daily life.
- Symptoms persist for three months or longer after your initial COVID infection.
Health care professionals typically cannot diagnose long-haul COVID until symptoms have been present for at least three months. That said, you don’t have to “wait it out” if something doesn’t feel right. Medical professionals can still help you find relief; you just might not have an official long-haul COVID diagnosis.
How Can AFC Athens Help?
At this time, there is no single test that can definitively diagnose post-COVID syndrome. Diagnosis begins with listening – understanding your symptoms, medical history and how COVID has affected your day-to-day life.
At AFC Athens, our providers can perform a variety of in-house tests to better understand what may be contributing to your symptoms, including:
- Blood tests
- Chest X-rays
- Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
These results help guide your next steps, which may include treatment recommendations or referrals to specialists when needed.
Moving Forward with Long COVID
If lingering COVID symptoms are affecting your quality of life, you don’t have to face them alone. AFC Athens is here to help you take the next step toward answers, support and symptom relief. Visit our clinic on 2037 Congress Pkwy S. We’re open seven days a week and offer extended hours, so you can get care on your schedule. Walk-in today or save your spot in advance!
