Corona: Not just cough and fever - these unusual symptoms are also known
Created: 01/19/2022 05:38
By: Patrick Huljina
Anyone showing corona symptoms should be tested.
(Archive image) © Christian Charisius/dpa
Cough, fever, loss of smell and taste - common symptoms of a corona infection that almost everyone is now familiar with.
But there are also unusual signs.
Munich – For around two years, the corona virus has determined the everyday life of many people in Germany and worldwide.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has recorded more than 8 million corona cases in Germany.
Omikron has frequently reported new record values in the past few days.
But how do you recognize a corona infection?
In addition to the usual symptoms, there are also unusual signs that can indicate an infection.
Corona infection: RKI names the most common symptoms
The RKI records the symptoms of Covid 19 cases in Germany in a reporting system.
The most frequently mentioned signs of a corona infection are cough, fever, runny nose and loss of smell and taste.
The RKI lists a few more, including sore throat, shortness of breath, headache and body aches.
Also on the list of possible corona symptoms: diarrhea.
According to the British Zoe Covid Study, it is one of the early signs of infection.
The study draws on data from millions of app users who shared their symptoms with the researchers.
The diarrhea increases in intensity within the first week and lasts an average of two to three, sometimes even up to seven days.
Unusual corona symptoms: diarrhea, belching, conjunctivitis
Overall, around 30 percent of those over 35 said they had diarrhea as a side effect of their corona infection. In the age group between 16 and 35 years it was 21 percent, among children only ten percent. Other gastrointestinal symptoms that can indicate an infection are: general abdominal pain, vomiting and also more frequent belching.
The RKI also mentions conjunctivitis – i.e. conjunctivitis – as a possible symptom of a corona infection.
A meta-analysis by Iranian researchers, published in the
Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research
, included 38 studies with a total of 3800 corona patients examined on the topic.
Around eleven percent of people had symptoms in their eyes during the corona infection, most commonly conjunctivitis.
As early as March 2020, Chinese researchers had reported in a case report on red eyes in people infected with corona.
Long Covid: incontinence and erectile dysfunction
Even months after their corona disease, many people continue to suffer from symptoms. Heart and concentration problems, chronic fatigue, shortness of breath and anxiety disorders can indicate Long Covid, among other things. Urinary incontinence is also observed in some cases. According to a study by researchers at King's College in London, around 14 percent said they had "bladder control problems" after their corona infection.
Another long-Covid symptom that seems rather unusual at first glance is erectile dysfunction in men.
As early as 2020, researchers from Italy and the USA found out that some men can experience long-lasting erection problems after their corona infection.
In rare cases it can even lead to infertility.
Researchers see damage to the blood vessels by corona as a possible reason.
This could disrupt blood flow.
In addition, men after a Covid 19 disease have lower testosterone levels than usual.
Omicron infection may have different symptoms than previous variants.
The RKI has published a list of the most common omicron symptoms.
(ph)