Reports of Long COVID started appearing quite early in the pandemic. According to this organization, Long COVID “occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, usually three months from the onset of COVID-19, with symptoms that last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis.” (In this blog we will continue to use Long COVID as a synonym for this condition.) Using the term “post-COVID-19 condition”, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its official definition of what constitutes Long COVID. This is such a new condition that, up until now, there was no formal definition. They experience a wide range of symptoms for much longer than expected, especially if they only had a mild case of COVID-19 in the first place. A considerable number of patients, however, struggle to fully recover from this infectious disease. How Prevalent is Long COVID?įor most patients, COVID-19 infections are mild or even asymptomatic, and whatever symptoms are present completely resolve within a few weeks. Results are interpreted and reported differently for Gen 2 than for Gen 1 reports will not look the same if you come into the clinic for treatment. Our clinic is now rolling out second-generation fNCI which looks both at the activation of individual brain regions and at the connections between brain regions. Gen 1 scans compared activation in various regions of the brain with a control database of healthy brains. Note: Any data relating to brain function mentioned in this post is from our first generation fNCI scans. To discuss your specific symptoms of COVID-19 and determine whether you’re eligible for treatment at our clinic, schedule a consultation. Thus far, we’ve seen similar results with Long COVID patients who pass our current screening criteria. After just one week of treatment, 95% of our patients show statistically verified improvement in brain function. Our treatment is designed to help post-concussion patients recover from persistent symptoms. Activities to do at home to help with recovery.You can read more about our treatment later in the article. The treatment process includes a few adjustments to ensure we can cover COVID patients’ (who may also call themselves “Long Haulers”) specific needs. It’s still too early to say for sure, but based on our initial research, both post-concussion syndrome and Long COVID affect the brain in a similar manner.īecause we see the same type of brain dysfunction in Long COVID patients and post-concussion syndrome (PCS) patients, we’ve adapted our treatment for post-concussion syndrome to help patients suffering from Long COVID. This contrast underlies the need for objective testing of brain dynamics, as symptoms are unique to each individual. Other Long COVID patients, however, may express that “brain fog” doesn’t entirely fit their experience. In fact, we’ve had a few patients who have completed our treatment both for a concussion and Long COVID, and they say the brain fog feels exactly the same for both conditions. At Cognitive FX, we’re used to hearing patients with a mild traumatic brain injury describe the same problems. Some patients live with this symptom for months after contracting the coronavirus, and it inevitably affects their ability to carry out daily activities and results in a lower quality of life.īrain fog is not a new symptom for our treatment team. Many describe it as walking through a fog, unable to see where they’re going.īrain fog is not a medical term, but the name pops up frequently in medical literature to refer to cognitive difficulties that patients with various conditions sometimes experience, including those with chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer patients experiencing side effects from chemotherapy, brain injury patients, and women who are either pregnant or transitioning into menopause.Īnd now, there’s one more condition to add to the list: Long COVID. Even months after the disease, some patients still can’t shake the feeling that their brain is lost in a maze. If you’ve been feeling fuzzy-headed and have been struggling to concentrate since you’ve had COVID-19, you’re not alone.
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