Once the initial symptoms go away and you battle the disease, perhaps the worst aspect of coronavirus is persisting symptoms. Better known as long Covid, some sufferers struggle with long-term effects for weeks or even months after the initial recovery. Here’s one specific lingering sign linked to Omicron.
The most recent data from the Office for National Statistics shares that around 1.3 million people in the UK have long Covid.
There’s still much unknown about this long-term aspect of coronavirus.
But when it comes to the new variant, we’re only beginning to see what the long-term effects of Omicron are.
Characterised by symptoms different from cough, fever and loss or change to taste and smell, the variant poses various different symptoms.
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Both researchers and patients battling the new strain have been reporting symptoms connected to Omicron.
One of these new symptoms is back pain, according to reports from South Africa.
What’s worse, a number of recovered patients are reporting this particular sign is still bothering them.
Dr Ann Mary shared: “Back pain, though common in most viral fevers, but compared to Delta, Omicron patients tend to have more back pain and less loss of smell and taste.
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“A significant number of these patients are having back breaking pain in the lower back and severe myalgia which is adding to the patient’s woes.”
In fact, myalgia could be the reason causing this long-term back problem.
Dr Harish Chafle told Livemint: “It is a possibility that due to inflammatory mediators, this variant is causing more myalgia than any other variant post-recovery.”
Myalgia is a term for muscle pain and aches, Hopkins Medicine stated.
In case you’re not familiar with the most common Omicron symptoms, here’s the full list:
- Scratchy throat
- Mild muscle aches
- Extreme tiredness
- Dry cough
- Night sweats
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Sneezing.
Data from The ZOE COVID Study app reports that only half of the patients with Omicron experience the classic three symptoms while others struggle with different signs.
If your Covid symptoms are persisting post-recovery, the NHS advises speaking to your GP.
The health service concludes: “If the symptoms are having a big impact on your life, you may be referred to a specialist rehabilitation service or a service that specialises in the specific symptoms you have.”
