Fever or chills, shortness of breath, and lack of style or scent are hallmark symptoms of COVID and telltale indicators that it’s a good suggestion to take a speedy take a look at and self-isolate. However although it’s much less talked about, experiencing complications is one other extraordinarily widespread symptom too.
“Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of a COVID viral an infection. One in 4 people contaminated with COVID will complain of a headache,” says Dr. Amy Shah, MD, creator of the upcoming e-book I’m So Effing Hungry.
This doesn’t imply that each time you get a headache it’s best to fear that you simply’ve been contaminated with the virus. It helps to know what a COVID headache appears like in comparison with different kinds of complications, although, when it’s best to see a physician, and methods to really feel higher—quick.
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Why Does COVID Trigger Complications?
COVID is a respiratory virus, so it may be stunning to study that it may additionally trigger complications for some individuals. “Most viruses, together with COVID, will be predisposed to problem the immune system and trigger irritation. That irritation may cause complications,” explains Dr. Kiran Rajneesh, MD, a ache drugs specialist and a medical affiliate professor of neurology at The Ohio State College Wexner Medical Middle.
Dr. Rajneesh explains that the masking of the mind, generally known as the meninges, has numerous nerve provide and could be very delicate to ache. “When you might have a virus that challenges your immunity and causes irritation, which COVID does, the masking of the mind is so delicate that folks can begin experiencing complications,” he explains.
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There are different causes COVID can result in complications too. Dr. Rajneesh explains that the virus can scale back blood provide to the mind, which may additionally result in a headache. “As a result of the mind has to do extra work as a result of you might have an an infection, it may trigger an imbalance in provide versus demand [in terms of blood supply],” he says.
On prime of all of this, Dr. Shah provides that if somebody is dehydrated, this could additionally contribute to a headache. And in case your COVID headache is long-lasting, she says researchers studying COVID believe it might be because of the virus irritating the trigeminal nerve within the mind, which is answerable for longer-term ache.
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What Does a COVID Headache Really feel Like and How Lengthy Does It Final?
Questioning what a COVID headache appears like? Dr. Shah says that it is sometimes a pulsing, urgent or stabbing sensation. “It happens bilaterally throughout all the head, versus a migraine, which is unilateral,” she says. Dr. Rajneesh says one thing else that differentiates COVID complications from different kinds of complications is the opposite signs it’s usually accompanied with, reminiscent of fever and runny nostril, which aren’t sometimes related to migraines or a rigidity headache.
Right here’s the true bummer: Dr. Shah says that COVID complications are typically longer lasting than different kinds of complications, usually lasting longer than three days. In reality, Dr. Rajneesh says that complications have gotten one of many signs that some individuals with “lengthy COVID” expertise. “In one study, greater than half of individuals with COVID had signs, together with complications, six months after their preliminary an infection,” Dr. Shah says of this.
“All of us are born with sure genetic predispositions to complications and there are some environmental [factors] that may both elevate or decrease that threshold,” Dr. Rajneesh says. He explains that some infections, like COVID, can decrease the edge, unlocking an in any other case masked genetic predisposition to complications. “For some individuals with a genetic predisposition to complications, COVID will decrease the edge and it stays low, which may trigger somebody to expertise mind fog, migraines or rigidity complications extra usually than they did earlier than,” Dr. Rajneesh says.
How To Deal with a COVID Headache
Whereas not each headache is brought on by COVID, if in case you have even a slight fear that you’ve the virus, Dr. Rajneesh says to take a speedy take a look at. Suppose you take a look at constructive and are typically wholesome with no underlying circumstances. In that case, he says to hydrate (Dr. Shah additionally says this step is essential), relaxation up, take acetaminophen (like Tylenol) and self-isolate so you don’t unfold the virus to others.
When you have any underlying well being circumstances and take a look at constructive for COVID, Dr. Rajneesh says to contact your healthcare supplier. He says it’s essential to take action as a result of individuals with underlying well being circumstances are at an elevated danger for extreme COVID. “You need to get your headache handled, but additionally decrease any long-term harm that COVID can typically do,” he says.
To get aid from a COVID headache, Dr. Shah reiterates the recommendation of taking acetaminophen and staying hydrated. She says that making use of a heat or chilly compress to your neck for about 15 or 20 minutes also can assist alleviate signs. If you happen to strive all of this and your headache nonetheless received’t go away, she says to succeed in out to your healthcare supplier who might be able to provide you with a prescription medicine. She says this can be a useful step in case your COVID complications are recurring and a possible signal of lengthy COVID.
COVID complications are but one more reason to take precautions to guard your self from the virus, together with getting vaccinated and boosted. Thankfully, it’s one thing medical doctors are conscious of and are persevering with to study extra about because the long-term results of COVID are studied.
One factor’s for positive: Getting COVID is an actual headache!
Subsequent up, learn the way to inform the distinction between chilly versus COVID signs.
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