Covid survivors may develop this nerve complication 90 days post recovery; check out symptoms

Long Covid is one of the many reasons people dread getting infected with Covid-19 as the symptoms could be unpredictable, life-threatening, or may linger for a long time. The symptoms for post-Covid syndrome range from hair loss, heart disease, brain fog to nerve disorders. Now, a recent long Covid study published in the Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain finds out that the Covid survivors could develop peripheral neuropathy – damage to the nerves that connect brain and spinal cord 90 days post recovery. (Also read: Which patients are more at risk of developing long Covid? Scientists find)

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy

In peripheral neuropathy, the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord which are also called peripheral nerves are damaged and the person suffering from it may cause numbness, weakness and pain, usually in the hands and feet, according to mayo clinic. The condition may also cause digestion, urination and circulation issues.

Peripheral nervous system has an important role to play as it sends information from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.

Causes of peripheral neuropathy

There can be many causes for this condition and some of them include traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, genetic causes, exposure to toxins and even diabetes.

“The reasons for prolonged symptoms of Omicron include a persistent inflammatory response in some patients and in other patients an autoimmune process which gets triggered by the Coronavirus which builds up after recovery from Covid. Each person is different with a variable immune response, hence the chances of getting prolonged symptoms after Covid differ from person to person. Post recovery from Covid, approximately 50-60 % of patients have persistent symptoms for 3 weeks or longer,” says Dr Ashutosh Shukla Senior Director – Internal Medicine & Medical Advisor – Max Hospital, Gurgaon had earlier told HT Digital.

Here are some of the common post covid symptoms:

* Lingering fatigue and weakness

* Shortness of breath such as difficulty with breathing

* Lapses of memory, poor concentration and mental fog

* Sleep difficulty

* Muscle pains and Body aches

* Headaches

* Low moods and rapid heart beat

* Post-Covid bronchitis, which can lead to irritating cough