- According to the WHO, 601 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported worldwide.
- Although most infected people have recovered, it is quite common for survivors to develop sequelae.
- One of the unexplained problems that has occurred is brain fog in Covid-19 survivors.
More than two years have passed since the start of the most serious pandemic in the last century and there are still many unanswered questions. One of the main ones is about the consequences that survivors of the disease develop. The list of problems is getting longer and has even led to the appearance of new terms. In that sense, the brain fog is a problem that has been associated with Covid-19But do you really know what it is?
Impaired mental activity
On this subject, the Dr Greg Vanichkachorn, director of the Post-Covid Activity Rehabilitation Program at Mayo Clinic, said it’s a problem that has been reported with multiple patients. The main annoyance is that they do not find the right words to speak easily.
“Patients often describe it as a feeling of having the word on the tip of their tongue, but being unable to say it. That makes communication very difficult and it is very frustrating, especially when you are sick.”
On the other hand, the next problem of the Mental fog associated with Covid-19 is seen in short-term memory. Survivors develop discomfort that they did not have before infection.
“What we always hear from patients is that they enter a room to look for something, but they no longer remember what they wanted. Similarly, they hear some new information, like directions to a place, but they can’t retain the details.”
In addition to the above, patients also have trouble doing several things at once. Performing even the simplest activities at the same time is much more difficult than in the past. A common example is not being able to shop while having a conversation with someone.
The pattern of difficulty with thinking is surprisingly consistent in cases of Prolonged Covid-19. In fact, 45% of the patients in the Activity Rehabilitation Program after having Covid-19 they report suffering from brain fog.
“Sadly, of all the aftermath, thought problems are often among the most stressful because they cause inconvenience both at work and in personal relationships.”
Fortunately, more and more information is being obtained to identify the source of the problem. There are now studies showing that after infection there may be changes in brain structures that explain the observed dysfunction.
Analyze the source of the problem
For example, a Mayo Clinic study is currently testing a new virtual test for brain fog. The test lasts 25 minutes and allows the Mayo team to identify the specific areas of problems with thinking in those who suffer from post-Covid-19 syndrome.
This is important because once you know what the problems are, you can help patients develop specific strategies to overcome them. People who think they have difficulty with thinking after infection should eat, hydrate and sleep well, but when that does not help, seek medical help.
Also read:
Memory loss and “brain fog”, main consequences of Covid-19
