More than 120 symptoms have been reported by COVID long haulers, making the diagnosis a unique experience for every patient. It’s a challenging condition to diagnose and treat, explains Dr. Lucy Horton, director of UC San Diego Health Long COVID Clinic.

Some of these symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of Breath
• Elevations in Heart Rate 
• Inability to Control Blood Pressure
• Brain Fog
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Memory Loss

Dr. Horton explains that they consider someone a long hauler after they have experienced symptoms for more than four weeks after initial COVID-19 diagnosis, and she has found this could happen in people who have mild or severe cases.

Additionally, it seems that more women than men are coming forward with these symptoms. More research is needed to explore whether or not hormones or genetics play a role in likelihood of diagnosis. 

What Treatments Might be Prescribed to Patients?

Getting the vaccine has no also not been a panacea for long haulers either, explains Dr. Horton. Some patients have found that they felt worse for a few weeks after vaccination. 

Dr. Horton’s clinic is treating patients individually and targeting treatments to the specific symptoms. Some treatments may consist of:

• Heart rate and blood pressure irregularity medications
• Structured rehab like breathing rehab or physical rehab
• Breathwork (i.e., heart rate, chest pain, shortness of breath)
• Behavioral support to help with psychological symptoms

Patients should see their primary care doctor if they are experiencing bothersome symptoms for many weeks past their COVID-19 diagnosis. Depending on where you’re located, there may be a long COVID clinic near you. Visit www.survivorcorps.com/pccc to locate the clinic closest to you.

*CBS8. (2021, May 17). Ways to help COVID-19 long haulers [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.cbs8.com/video/news/local/morning-extra/ways-to-help-covid-19-long-haulers/509-66189315-3aa5-45de-8a23-94cf07b8374b 

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions.