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JUNE 4, 2021
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who already had a medical or health condition before contracting COVID-19: They are elderly, ugusta’s Dr. Jeremy Hertza was reviewhave vascular or heart problems, are diabetic ing his daily patients at a morning or obese, have kidney or liver disease, suffer staff meeting when the talk turned to from asthma or other pulmonary conditions, COVID-19. That’s not so unusual— are immunocompromised, or have lung issues but what was surprising was when a or are long-time smokers. staff member mentioned their own problems Brain scans of COVID patients are also unfocusing at work, weeks after recovering from covering small, but significant, signs of changthe disease. es. Hertza points to one international study It’s been widely reported that patients that highlighted a 27-year-old COVID patient who’ve had COVID-19 can experience lingering whose scans found signs of a mini stroke that symptoms and deficits. Many of those patients was ultimately tied to his lingering symptoms. do nothing about them, believing that, as they With other reports circulating about sympdid with COVID, they will recover eventually. toms such as loss of taste or smell that still However, that’s not necessarily the case, have not returned, the big question is what said Hertza, who is a neuropsychologist and patient and families should do if they think director of NeuroBehavioral Associates in they’re having lasting problems post-COVID. Augusta and a staff neuropsychologist at East “My concern,” said Hertza, who has treated Georgia Regional Hospital. He also provides hundreds of post-COVID patients to date, “is comprehensive mental health services for inpathat patients will think, ‘Oh, I’m just having a tients at Augusta’s Doctors Hospital and Select post-COVID problem, it’ll probably go away.’ Specialty Hospital, as well as for a hospital in Then five years from now, we find out we had Miami through Inpatient Psych Solutions. a year to intervene and to make it better.” “When you look at post-COVID syndrome, He points to other neurological conditions the most common symptom is fatigue, then such as stroke and traumatic brain injury, Do you have it post-COVID? Get help now, not later. muscle aches, then dysexecutive syndrome, where—with treatment such as physical, ocwhich is the feeling that you can’t keep your cupational or speech therapy—the most rapid by Danielle Wong Moores thoughts organized,” he said. “It’s brain fog— recovery happens within the first few months you can’t quite focus, the words don’t come after an injury. as easily, your thoughts aren’t as organized, your attention wanders.” “The best thing if someone is having problems is to get some type of treat Research is discovering that this type of central nervous system issue can ment now, because for all we know, there is a critical window,” said Hertza. happen in as many as 53% of post-COVID patients, with symptoms lasting “As with many other medical conditions, the sooner you intervene, likely the at least six months. But that number is just a shot in the dark. Experts worbetter the outcome.” + ry that it’s possible patients could continue to have problems further down the road, since COVID is still such a new disease. “It’s really not been long EXPERIENCING POST-COVID SYMPTOMS? enough to know long-term outcomes,” said Hertza. • Talk to your doctor Researchers are, however, taking a look at other neurological disorders to • Consider a referral to a neuropsychologist help provide clues as to how these COVID symptoms might manifest. One • Consider referrals to physical, occupational or speech such condition is concussion. Most patients who get a concussion recover therapy without any problems, but a small percentage, 10% or less, go on to have • Make lifestyle changes, such as exercise, a healthier what Hertza describes as “truly lifelong lasting” problems. “We suspect, aldiet, and quitting smoking to ensure your body is getting though we don’t know for sure, that it’s similar with COVID,” he said. enough oxygen and the right nutrients + Research is also finding that post-COVID syndrome tends to affect people
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