Findings Are Consistent With Long
Contact: Sam Roth, [email protected],
WASHINGTON
Many long-haul COVID-19 patients have chronic fatigue syndrome and other breathing issues months after their initial COVID-19 diagnosis, according to study in JACC: Heart Failure, which is the first of its kind to identify a correlation between long-haul COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a medical condition that can often occur after a viral infection and cause fever, aching, and prolonged tiredness and depression. Many COVID-19 patients, some who were never hospitalized, have reported persistent symptoms after they recover from their initial COVID-19 diagnosis. These patients have PASC but are more commonly referred to as long-haulers. Severe fatigue, cognitive difficulty, unrefreshing sleep and myalgia have all been considered major symptoms for PASC patients, which is similar to what researchers saw after the 2005 SARS-CoV-1 epidemic, where 27% of patients fulfilled criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome after four years.
Patients while connected to an electrocardiogram, pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff, were seated on a stationary bicycle and used a disposable mouthpiece for measurement of expired gases and other ventilatory parameters. After a brief rest period, the patients began exercises which increased in difficulty by 25 watts every three minutes. Peak oxygen consumption , CO2 production and ventilatory rate, and volume were measured.
Easy Tips To Relieve Stress
Stress affects the body in a variety of ways,from mood swings and headaches to weight fluctuations. However, an often overlookedside effect of stress is neck and back pain. Over time, repetitive bouts ofstress can cause musculoskeletal issues in these regions of the body.
When we get stressed out, the body naturally releases certainhormones. Adrenaline is associated with the ancient fight or flight phenomenonthat heightens our blood pressure, increases our blood supply, and causes themuscles around our spine to tense and spasm in case we need to flee the sourceof the stress. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone it interferes with avariety of functions. Elevations in cortisol can lead to loss of muscle massand increases in fat accumulation.
“Stress affects the body in a variety of ways, from mood swings and headaches to weight fluctuations. However, an often-overlooked side effect of stress is neck and back pain. Over time, repetitive bouts of stress can cause musculoskeletal issues in these regions of the body.”
Kavita Trivedi, D.O.
Data suggest that adults know stress affects their spines. Online survey participants ranked the No. 1 perceived cause of their neck and back pain as follows:
- Stress: 29 percent
- Spinal disc herniation: 21 percent
- Sitting at a desk at work: 20 percent
Food Tastes Like Metal
Why this happens:
A build-up of wastes in the blood can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just dont feel like eating.
What patients said:
Foul taste in your mouth. Almost like youre drinking iron.
I dont have the appetite I had before I started dialysis, I must have lost about 10 pounds.
Also Check: How To Combat Fibromyalgia Fatigue
You May Like: Sudden Extreme Fatigue In Elderly
A Lot Of Diagnoses A Lot Of Misunderstanding Cardiovascular
One of the main concerns we hear from people when they contact our center is that they have a lot of diagnoses, a lot of re-diagnosis, and revised diagnosis. They have a mysterious heart condition that no one can figure out. This inability to figure out what is the main culprit in the patients health challenges is seen in the medical research.
A June 2020 paper in the Journal of Atrial Fibrillation , describes the difficulty in understanding lesser-known diagnoses of a racing heart and the problem of heart rate messaging miscommunication in the autonomic nervous system.
The cardiovascular branch of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, and maintaining homeostasis during physiological stress such as exercise and standing upright. The autonomic nervous system constantly controls the rate and force of heart contractions and the vascular tone with the aim to maintain the sufficient tissue perfusion with oxygenated blood and secure venous return to the heart. .
Now the authors discuss Dysautonomia problems of or dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.
Moreover, heart diseases may evoke autonomic imbalance by themselves cardiac pump failure is usually associated with sympathetic hyperactivity , neuroendocrine vasopressor activation , higher heart rate, reduced heart rate variability and baroreflex hyposensitivity , all of which are predictors of adverse outcomes.
A Woman With Neck Pain And Shortness Of Breath
An 86 year old white woman with a history of angina, hypertension, and recurrent urinary tract infections presented after two days of worsening shortness of breath but no cough or fever. The previous week she had been a patient in a rehabilitation ward after a two week admission with a urinary tract infection and acute confusion. Her regular drugs comprised bisoprolol, simvastatin, and lansoprazole.
On examination, her temperature was normal, her heart rate was 144 beats/min and irregular, her blood pressure was 132/76 mm Hg, and she was mildly tachypnoeic, with an oxygen saturation of 93% on air. Her jugular venous pressure was raised and she had bilateral crepitations on auscultation.
Palpation of the neck identified a tender diffusely enlarged thyroid gland with no discrete nodules. Other signs of thyroid disease, including eye signs, were absent. The rest of the examination was unremarkable.
Also Check: How To Treat Adrenal Fatigue At Home
Left Arm Pain: Symptoms Causes And Treatment
Pain in the arms is a common complaint. We use our arms a great deal in everyday life, and the muscles, joints and tendons inside them can all be the cause of this pain. However, arm pain is not always caused by a problem with the arm itself, and may come from elsewhere in the body. In this case, it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. If you feel pain in your left arm in particular, it is important to be vigilant because this can be one of the symptoms of a heart attack. It is therefore important to learn to recognise the symptoms in order to tell if a pain in your arm is a cause for concern, and to know when you should seek urgent medical assistance.
When To Seek Medical Attention For Chest And Neck Pain
Experiencing pain in your chest and neck may require immediate medical attention. In fact, many symptoms of the above conditions are similar to those of a heart attack.
It is best to be cautious and seek medical attention for chest pain, especially if symptoms worsen or persist or you are at risk for a heart attack due to related conditions, age, or family history.
Don’t Miss: Can Low Hdl Cause Fatigue
In This Video Ross Hauser Md Highlights Some Of The Most Common Reasons Why Cervical Instability Or Cervical Dysstructure Can Be The Underlying Structural Cause Of Low Vagal Tone And Associated Poor Heart Function Leading To Pots Or Dysautonomia
- POTS symptoms may range from mild and occasional complaints to severely incapacitating disease. Sufferers are commonly misdiagnosed as having chronic anxiety or panic disorder or chronic fatigue syndrome.
- There is a multitude of other symptoms that often accompany this syndrome including pre-syncope, syncope, dizziness, palpitations, headache, fatigue, bladder, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Despite Recovering From Covid
Advanced testing of the heart and lungs may reveal why some people who have recovered from COVID-19 still have shortness of breath. This testing is highly specialized and available only at a few sites nationwide, including at Yale.
Many patients continue to have ongoing symptoms well after their initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptoms are not limited to those who required hospitalization or ICU admission and commonly occur in those with a history of mild COVID-19. Patients often have normal findings on tests such as lung function testing, chest X rays or CT scans. Physicians at the Winchester Center for Lung Disease have been exploring additional ways to evaluate patients with post-COVID-19 conditions, who are also known as Long Haulers.
Singh and colleagues, including PVDP Associate Director Phillip Joseph, MD, recently published original research in CHEST Journal in which they discussed how patients who have recovered from mild cases of COVID-19 without cardiopulmonary disease have a marked reduction in their peak oxygen consumption. Singh said this is because of impaired oxygen extraction by the muscles.
The team is planning more studies. Were drawing blood when the patients are at rest and at the peak of exercise to see if theres any circulating biomarker that could explain our findings, said Singh.
You May Like: Why Does Cancer Cause Fatigue
I Was Not Surprised That My Blood Pressure Was Elevated And That I Had Rapid Heart Rate But My Doctor Was
Here is another story:
I started having strange and unexplainable heart attack-like, panic attack-like symptoms. These included chest pains, a rapid heartbeat, and breathing difficulties. Of course, this frightened me, I am young, late 20s, how could I have a heart condition?
I did have the classic heart attack warning signs, pain in my chest, pain going down my left arm, breathing difficulties. One particularly bad day I went to Urgent Care because of chest pain and panic. I was assured that I was not having a heart attack but I should visit my primary care doctor as soon as I could. This visit to the doctor reassured me a little, but not a lot. I had an EKG which was fine. I was not surprised that my blood pressure was elevated and that I had a rapid heart rate. I could tell that on my own.
At my primary care doctor, these elevated cardio symptoms were attributed to panic attacks and white coat syndrome, the anxiety of being in the doctors office and my anxiety about taking the tests. I had had these symptoms before, I did not feel they were strong enough to see a doctor because I was convincing myself they were panic attacks. I was just not sure what caused them.
Lets stop here to explain some points. You may have already performed your own research as we find that people who suffer from symptoms like those above have done extensive reading on the internet. We will do a short summary and a video presentation with Ross Hauser, MD.
Activities That May Cause Neck Pain
Neck pain is often caused by a strain or spasm of the neck muscles or inflammation of the neck joints. Examples of common activities that may cause this type of minor injury include:
- Holding your head in a forward posture or odd position while you work, watch TV, or read.
- Sleeping on a pillow that’s too high or too flat or that doesn’t support your head, or sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted or bent.
- Spending long periods of time resting your forehead on your upright fist or arm .
- Stress. Tension may make the muscles that run from the back of the head across the back of the shoulder feel tight and painful.
- Work or exercise that uses your upper body and arms.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Number One Cause Of Daytime Fatigue
What Are We Seeing In This Image
This is a chart that reveals autonomic testing results in a patient we saw in our office.
When hooked up and being monitored we can see that:
- When the person had a stressful memory, just one stressful memory, the sympathetic system went way up . This person with one stressful memory became super sympathetic dominant and then eventually when we got the person to laugh the sympathetic system and the parasympathetic system became balanced again.
A heart rate variability test can give us a picture to show us how the person is doing as a relates to thoughts, memory, relationships. We can also test based on neck motions.
The motion of the neck and heart rate variability
In the above image, we can see that the second most stressful event for this person, besides the stressful memory, was a certain neck motion. In certain people, when they move their neck to a certain position, they can feel their overall body becoming more stressful and this is a real physiologic event that happens to them and the way that we document is with HRV testing.
The testing put patients in different stressor situations. This could include the stress of having to perform mathematical equations and the response to loud noise.
Hypertension Anxiety Dizziness Blurry Vision Neck Pain Heart Palpitations Irregular Heartbeats Medications Are Not Helping
It is likely that if you are reading this article you may have been prescribed medications for your hypertension and hypotension blood pressure swings and that you and your cardiologist are finding it challenging to get that correct mix of medicines to help you. A paper in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, December 2019 describes how challenging it is for cardiologists to manage this problem.
Afferent baroreflex failure is most often due to damage of the carotid sinus nerve because of neck surgery or radiation. . The clinical picture is characterized by extreme blood pressure lability with severe hypertensive crises, hypotensive episodes, and orthostatic hypotension, making it the most difficult form of hypertension to manage. There is little evidence-based data to guide treatment. Recommendations rely on understanding the underlying pathophysiology, relevant clinical pharmacology, and anecdotal experience. The goal of treatment should be improving quality of life rather than normalization of blood pressure, which is rarely achievable.
Also Check: Remedy For Fatigue And Stress
The Ache Wont Go Away
Youve tried the DIY treatments, gotten massages, and maybe even bought a new mattress. If your upper back is persistently hurting, it mayvery rarelybe a sign of a lung tumor. The American Cancer Society points out that advanced lung cancer may contribute to bone pain. Weight loss, chest pain, and weakness are also signs of lung cancer.
Symptoms Of Anxiety And Shortness Of Breath
Anxiety is your bodys natural fear response. This is known as the the fight-or-flight response. Your body reacts in physical and mental ways to prepare you to either fight or run from the situation.
Shortness of breath is one of those responses. You may feel like you cant catch your breath, tightness in your chest, or like youre suffocating or hungry for air.
Studies have shown a strong association between anxiety and respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath.
Other symptoms that can occur during this response and as a result of anxiety include:
Don’t Miss: Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Syndrome
Therapies For Severe Cases
A person with severe COVID-19 may need supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation. The latter involves inserting a tube into a persons windpipe. The tube is connected to a machine called a ventilator that helps the person breathe.
Other treatments aim to help control the infection and address problems involving the blood and the functioning of other organs.
The American Lung Association say that doing breathing exercises can help make the lungs work more efficiently. This may help a person with a mild case of COVID-19 that causes shortness of breath.
Here are a few strategies to try:
What Causes Neck Shoulder Pain Shortness Of Breath Body Ache
Symptoms: neck shoulder pain, shortness of breath, body aches, deep fatigue, foot cramps
Doctor’s Assistant: The Doctor can help. Just a couple quick questions before I transfer you. When did the cramping start? Has it been constant or does it come and go?
Come and go
Doctor’s Assistant: Has the level of cramping been constant or has it gotten worse over time?
Intermittent
Doctor’s Assistant: What are all the medications you’re currently using, either for the cramp or anything else? How old are you?
71. meds celesta, Wellbutrin, Plavix, statin, daily
Doctor’s Assistant: Anything else in your medical history you think the Doctor should know?
Also, currently for pain: aleve, hydrocone, and gabpenton
Hello there. Welcome to JustAnswer. This is Dr. Kheir. I will be glad to assist with your question
How old are you? What symptoms do you have? How long did you have them? Are they getting better worse or the same? Do you have any fever? Do you have any cough? Did you take the vaccine?
Thank you for the information.
Did you see your doctor for these symptoms? Did you get a chest x-ray? Do you have any chest pain? Do you have any heart problems from before?
That is good news
Have you been drinking enough water and fluids? Do you have any fever? Did you get tested for Covid?
Did you do any physical therapy?
I do recommend that you try physical therapy too.
Just physical therapy and time will heal it.
Read Also: Severe Brain Fog And Fatigue
An Inability To Do What You Were Able To Do Before
Defining this symptom can be somewhat difficult because its less a universal heart attack sign and more dependent on your individual experiences and baseline energy levels.
Its a significant change in your functional status, is how I would put it, says Dr. Cho. You were able to be on the treadmill 20 minutes, but now you can barely do 10 because you just feel so tired.
Shortness Of Breath Vs Normal Breathing
Shortness of breath occurs when your bodys ability to breathe doesnt match the brains orders to breathe. Ordinarily, your airway, lungs, breathing muscles, heart, and blood vessels work together with the brain to maintain sufficient oxygen levels in the body.
Sometimes theres an imbalance between the brains signals to breathe and the ability to breathe. The brain orders the breathing muscles to work harder, and you feel shortness of breath.
In a healthy person, shortness of breath can be caused by:
- Very strenuous exercise
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Allergic reaction
If you have unexplained shortness of breath, especially if it comes on suddenly and is severe, see a doctor as soon as possible. Breathlessness may be more serious if its accompanied by:
- Chest pain or pressure
Also Check: Anti Fatigue Lenses Vs Bifocals
