What is long-term COVID-19? What are the effects of brain fog?

As more and more people recover from COVID-19, we often hear the terms "brain fog" and "long-term COVID-19 infection." What exactly are these two terms? What kind of sequelae do recovered patients still face? Let's take a closer look at the long-term impact of this virus.

Long-term COVID-19 symptoms and effects

Long-term COVID-19 refers to the sequelae after infection with the novel coronavirus, including general fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, palpitations, and muscle weakness. These symptoms can last for a period of time, from weeks to months.

Anyone infected with COVID-19 can develop long-term effects, including children, teenagers, and the elderly. According to the New York Times, research indicates that COVID-19 long-term effects can affect many different organs, including the heart, lungs, and kidneys, and can also impact the circulatory, musculoskeletal, endocrine, digestive, nervous, and even mental health systems. Furthermore, regardless of age, the most common long-term effects are respiratory problems and musculoskeletal pain. Among the many symptoms, mental health issues—specifically, brain fog —are frequently discussed.

What is brain fog? How can its symptoms be improved?

Brain fog refers to a persistent state of mental confusion that may occur in recovered COVID-19 patients. It's not actually a medical term, but rather a description of various mental states, including: attention problems, inability to concentrate, confusion, forgetfulness, slower and more unclear thinking, difficulty finding appropriate words when speaking, and mental fatigue, among others.

The sensation of brain fog is similar to the effects of sleep deprivation and excessive stress; symptoms of brain fog may also occur when one is depressed, anxious, stressed, in a low mood, or tired.

To recover from brain fog, you should try to gradually return to your normal sleep schedule and live a healthy lifestyle, such as drinking enough water and getting enough sleep, exercising more, keeping your brain active, or playing brain-training board games with friends. These activities can help improve symptoms. Additionally, you can use apps or calendars to help plan your schedule and reduce the impact of brain fog.

Even after overcoming COVID-19, it's still important to be vigilant about recurring COVID-19 symptoms. While there's currently no specific medication to treat recurring symptoms, a healthy lifestyle will definitely help you recover from it more quickly. Regularly monitoring your health is crucial. Compared to those who haven't been infected with COVID-19, people who have been infected are 55% more likely to experience major adverse cardiovascular events (including heart attacks, strokes, and death). Therefore, regular checkups are essential for early and appropriate treatment.