“I have heard of people having symptoms past six months. These are the COVID long-haulers.”
Dr. Subramani Seetharama, medical director of the Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network, helps us define and understand the a relatively new moniker in this COVID era – long-haulers.
What’s a long-hauler?
Dr. Seetharama says, while the definition is still evolving, it generally refers to people who have had COVID, but are still experiencing symptoms one month or more post-infection. These symptoms could linger three months, six months, or longer. Only time will tell.
What are some common long-hauler symptoms?
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest pain.
- Psychological effects.
- PTSD.
- Depression.
- Sleep dysfunction.
- Brain fog.
“Brain fog is a common thing that we are hearing,” says Dr. Seetharama. “People have decreased concentration, decreased focus.”
Listen to the full podcast with Dr. Subramani Seetharama:
Dr. Seetharama says most long-haulers report symptoms being mild to moderate – but these symptoms can often interfere with returning work and life as they knew it before COVID.
When should you seek help?
Dr. Seetharama’s recommendation: If you’re one month post-COVID, still experiencing symptoms, and it’s interfering with your quality of life — something is wrong. You need medical support.
Hartford HealthCare’s COVID Recovery Center is here to help. If you or a loved one needs help after recovering from COVID-19, call 860.827.3200 to schedule a virtual or in person appointment. Learn more at HartfordHealthCare.org/CovidRecovery
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