Long COVID

What is long COVID, really?

Long COVID (also known as post-COVID illness) is a condition in which people experience persistent symptoms—months to years after infection. There are more than 200 reported symptoms, ranging from extreme fatigue and brain fog to palpitations and muscle aches.

The cause of long COVID is complex and multifaceted. Scientists believe several mechanisms exist, such as:
• Damage to organs and blood vessels
• Microclots
• Problems with the nervous system
• Reactivation of latent viruses (such as Epstein-Barr virus)
• Dysregulation of the immune system
• Autoimmune reactions

How common is long COVID?

• In adults: Between 10% and 26% develop long COVID, depending on definitions and data types; in children, this is between 4% and 10%.
• Global prevalence remains a concern: recent research emphasizes that long COVID is an ongoing global challenge.

At-Risk Groups & Demographics

• Vaccination helps: full vaccination before infection significantly reduces the risk.
• Women (especially those in their forties) are up to 45% more at risk than men.
• Other risk factors: older age, obesity, asthma, severity of the initial infection, and comorbidities such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Why it's really serious

• Disease burden and economy: In many cases, the consequences are comparable to those of a stroke or Parkinson's: you simply can no longer function as before.
• Financial impact: In India, 16.5% of discharged COVID patients still experience long-term symptoms after a year, with a major impact on work ability and income.
• Mental health: Physical recovery takes an average of three months, mental recovery sometimes nine months or longer—and for 20% it even takes a year or more.
• New discoveries: An Australian study shows that damaged red blood cells can block microvessels—which could explain organ failure—and may open up new treatment avenues.

Research & Hope for Treatment

• Biomarkers and Diagnostics: Scientists are searching for blood characteristics and immune patterns that can more accurately identify long COVID.
• Classification: An international survey has formulated 187 recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and research of various long COVID subgroups.
• RECOVER Initiative: This research coalition analyzes electronic health record data and has already resulted in hundreds of publications. They are mapping various symptoms and risk groups, such as children, adults, and pregnant women.
• Treatments in Research: Clinical trials such as REVERSE LC and ADDRESS LC are testing immunomodulators (such as baricitinib) that target the immune system, rather than the virus itself.
• Diet as a Potential Aid: The Mediterranean diet—rich in vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and fish—may be beneficial. This diet reduces risk factors such as high BMI and bad cholesterol in people with long COVID. • Antiviral treatment: Extended use of Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) appears to offer some relief for some, but results remain variable.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT)

One treatment we use for patients with Long-COVID-19 is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). The oxygen you normally breathe is sufficient for a healthy body to function normally. A body experiencing trauma and working hard to recover needs more oxygen. You can receive that extra dose of 100% oxygen in our hyperbaric oxygen tent. Sessions in our oxygen tent offer the affected tissue a chance to recover faster.

Conclusion:

Long-COVID is a real and multifaceted problem that continues long after infection. It bridges physical, cognitive, and emotional barriers—in young and old alike. Fortunately, there is light at the end of the tunnel: better understanding of the causes, diagnostics, lifestyle recommendations, and experimental treatments offer hope. Vaccination remains the best prevention measure, but for those who already have the virus, support and knowledge are slowly but steadily becoming available.