What is prolonged covid and how do you live with it?
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(CNN) --
Covid-19 has become a chronic disease for tens of millions of people.
Also in a very expensive disease.
By one estimate, prolonged COVID-19 -- a disease marked by lingering symptoms that can affect multiple parts of the body -- has cost a total of $386 billion in lost wages, savings, and medical expenses in the United States alone as of January this year. anus.
This Tuesday, the Biden administration announced that it was going to make prolonged covid-19 a national priority.
He presented a plan to accelerate efforts in prevention, treatment and detection of prolonged covid-19 through a national interagency research action program.
In February, the National Institutes of Health announced a $1.15 billion initiative to support research on this disease over four years.
A lot of research is needed to find answers to all the questions about prolonged covid-19.
There is no cure or specific treatment;
there isn't even a test for it.
Scientists still don't fully understand what the symptoms are, how long it lasts, or why some people get it and others don't.
In fact, they have not yet decided on a name: prolonged covid-19, post-covid-19, long covid-19, acute post-covid-19 or chronic covid-19.
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What is prolonged covid-19?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines long-term COVID-19 as health problems that last four weeks or more after a COVID-19 infection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition adds that the symptoms cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis.
It is not clear how many people have prolonged covid-19.
Estimates range from 5% to 80% of those infected with covid-19.
The disease can affect people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities.
Some may develop prolonged covid-19 after a mild infection or even after an infection without symptoms.
They may have symptoms for a short time or for years.
Scientists don't fully agree on what symptoms are considered prolonged covid-19.
The CDC's list of physical symptoms includes shortness of breath, fatigue, trouble sleeping, cough, chest and stomach pain, headache, rapid heartbeat and other heart problems, high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain, feeling like there are needles under skin, fever, dizziness, rash, diarrhea, menstrual cycle changes, type 2 diabetes, hair loss, rash, blurred or double vision, and continued loss of sense of smell or taste.
Prolonged covid-19 can also cause mental health problems.
People report unexplained mood swings, brain fog or difficulty thinking, memory problems, difficulties with language and cognition in general, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dozens of studies have also shown that patients with prolonged covid-19 report long-term depression and anxiety that they did not have before they were infected.
Others report psychosis and suicidal behaviors.
Some research has found that people with prolonged COVID-19 have opioid use disorder and problems with other drug use.
Other studies suggest that the virus is associated with physical changes in the brain and that may be what is causing some of these problems.
Symptoms can come and go over time, according to the WHO.
They can be so extreme that they are debilitating.
In July, the US government determined that prolonged covid could be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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The effects of prolonged covid-19 on health
It is not entirely clear why prolonged covid-19 develops.
As the disease can affect any organ system, the reasons can be multiple.
In some people it may be due to direct cell damage caused by covid-19.
In others, long-term problems, such as muscle weakness or cognitive problems, may develop after being hospitalized for COVID-19 for a long period of time.
Symptoms can also persist because the immune system overreacts and fails to stop the infection.
Scientists are working on drugs that could treat prolonged covid-19 and tests to diagnose it.
Clinics to treat prolonged Covid-19 have sprung up across the country, though the CDC says primary care doctors can help, too.
Patient advocates suggest that some doctors have dismissed patient concerns as psychological rather than physical in nature.
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The CDC advises medical professionals to listen and validate the patient's experience if they have long-lasting symptoms.
It encourages clinicians to be especially sensitive to people from marginalized populations who have been disproportionately affected by covid-19, as their symptoms may be underdiagnosed in the long term.
Physicians are also advised to partner with the patient to help identify achievable goals in recovery.
Patients may also be offered supportive care that may include physical or occupational therapy, mental health counseling, speech therapy, or even breathing exercises.
During treatment, patients may be asked to keep diaries and calendars to document changes in their symptoms, especially if something seems to trigger them.
A study published in January claims that one thing that could help people with prolonged covid-19 is to get vaccinated if they haven't already.
People who were vaccinated were found to be 54% less likely to experience headaches, 64% less likely to experience fatigue, and 68% less likely to experience muscle aches than the unvaccinated.
According to doctors, the best way to prevent the spread of covid-19-19 is to prevent contagion in the first place.
Some studies suggest that even in the case of infection, the risk of prolonged covid-19 is much lower for people who are fully vaccinated.
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