Two years into this pandemic, COVID-19 has proven its resiliency and adaptability with evolving variants and impacts on society. One seemingly constant piece of this puzzle is symptoms in those who have tested positive. A lot of information is available about what symptoms to monitor, how to know if you have Covid, isolation recommendations, and the difference between a rapid or PCR test, but the “what happens next” conversation does not seem to share center stage on the topic of COVID-19. Let’s shed some light on what types of symptoms can persist and how to work towards better health after testing positive for COVID-19. 

In most cases, people diagnosed with COVID-19 get better within a few weeks, but some people may experience post-COVID-19 conditions. This is known as “long-hauler” or long COVID-19 symptoms. According to the CDC, there is a “wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience four or more weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Even people who did not have COVID-19 symptoms in the days or weeks after they were infected can have post-COVID-19 conditions or long COVID-19 symptoms. These conditions can present as different types and combinations of health problems for different lengths of time.” 

We are continuing to learn more about long COVID-19 and will keep up to date with the latest findings and approaches. 

Per the CDC, people commonly report experiencing different combinations of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities 
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating (“brain fog”)
• Dry cough
• Chest or stomach pain
• Headache
• Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)
• Joint or muscle pain
• Pins-and-needles feeling
• Diarrhea
• Sleep problems
• Fever
• Dizziness on standing (lightheadedness)
• Rash
• Mood changes
• Change in smell or taste
• Changes in menstrual period cycles

What do I do now? 

Experiencing COVID-19 can be a scary, unpredictable process, especially with guidelines continuously changing and adapting. It can be overwhelming trying to navigate through this process, even with all the information we have.  By being a member of Crossover Health, our goal is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date guidelines specific to your needs. Starting by reaching out to your local Crossover care team, you can meet with a primary care provider (either in-person or virtually) to discuss your individual case and receive the best advice specific to you in your state, county, or district. From there, your primary care provider can guide you towards the available resources you have by being a Crossover member. 

Based on your symptom presentation, your care team could include your primary care provider, a mental health provider, health coach, and physical medicine services like physical therapy to assist with management of your symptoms and the goal of guiding you back to health. Here at Crossover, we take a multi-disciplinary approach towards your care, based on your individualized needs. 

If you have any questions regarding your health, we are here for you. Reach out to your local Crossover care team so we can provide you healthcare as it should be, with you at the center.