What is Long COVID?
COVID-19 can cause health problems that may last for many months or years. Long COVID is an umbrella term encompassing the diverse range of persistent health issues people develop following a COVID-19 infection.
Known health effects
Some manifestations of Long COVID fall within established medical diagnoses. Getting infected with COVID-19 significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes for years afterward. Some individuals develop diabetes following infection, while others experience clinical depression or neurological conditions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Beyond traditional diagnoses
Other forms of Long COVID remain poorly understood by conventional medicine. Throughout the pandemic, some have dismissed these manifestations as nonexistent or psychosomatic. But this is false—thousands of studies have documented the biological nature of Long COVID, and blood tests can confirm if someone has it.
This less-understood form of Long COVID is challenging for patients and their care providers. Typically, a patient will receive this diagnosis only after everything else has been ruled out, and treatment—if any is given at all—is just to help manage symptoms. There is no cure for this form of Long COVID.
Often, people with Long COVID experience:
- Debilitating fatigue
- Cognitive dysfunction ("brain fog")
- Altered smell and taste
- Sleep disturbances
- Memory impairment
- Unusual spikes in heart rate
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
But almost no two people will have the same experience. Even when symptoms overlap, their severity can differ dramatically. Recovery varies widely—some patients improve, others reach plateaus, and still others deteriorate over time. Reinfection often worsens Long COVID symptoms.
What's going on in the body?
By definition, Long COVID is caused by a COVID-19 infection. But there's no consensus regarding the underlying mechanisms. A few of the most prominent hypotheses include:
- Viral persistence: The SARS-CoV-2 virus remains present in the body beyond the acute infection phase, continuing to cause symptoms.
- Viral remnants: Fragments of the virus—particularly the spike protein—persist and trigger ongoing inflammation.
- Viral reactivation: Dormant viruses like Epstein-Barr become reactivated following COVID-19 infection.
- Autoimmune response: The body develops inappropriate immune reactions against its own tissues.
- Organ damage: Direct tissue injury from the initial infection leads to lasting dysfunction.
- Microclots: Tiny blood clots form throughout the body's small blood vessels, restricting blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues and organs.
- Endothelial dysfunction: Damage to the cells lining blood vessels (endothelium) disrupts normal vascular function, affecting blood pressure regulation, inflammation control, and tissue perfusion.
Where the science stands today
Scientific investigation into Long COVID continues, though funding remains disproportionately low compared to its substantial economic and public health impact. As research advances, better diagnostic tools and treatment options may emerge for those affected by this complex condition. For the time being, most patients are left to suffer, with little support from the traditional medical community.
Learn more
You can learn more about this condition below: