Scientists have revealed for the first time the cause of fatigue and pain seen in long-term new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) patients.
Researchers from Northwestern University in the USA have combined MRI and ultrasound techniques, proving the damage caused by Covid-19, which cannot be detected by conventional methods, in the nervous system. It was stated that the new technology developed can save lives by enabling doctors to determine the appropriate treatment method for their patients.
According to the news reported by NTV, "long-term Covid" emerges, with symptoms caused by the new type of corona virus (Covid-19) lasting eight weeks or longer. Previous studies; Covid-19 revealed that one out of every seven people caught struggled with long-term Covid-19 for at least four weeks, one in 20 for at least eight weeks, and one out of every 45 people for at least 12 weeks. However, the effects of long-term Covid-19 differ between individuals. However, the most common symptoms include fatigue and body pain.
Doctors; He stated that Covid-19 patients who were previously treated in the hospital may have chronic pain in their arms, legs or hands because they were hospitalized face down, but Covid-19 patients who were not hospitalized could not identify the source of the pain for weeks.
Doctor Swati Deshmukh, the lead author of the study published in the journal Radiology, made a statement on the subject; “The pain may be caused by problems in your neck, elbow or wrist, and the best way to find out is an MRI or ultrasound. With our work, we offer advanced imaging that shows even very small nerves. This helps us identify where the problem is, assess its severity and suggest what might cause it ”.
However, Doctor Deshmukh; He said that because the corona virus triggers an excessive immune response, antibodies produced by the body cause severe symptoms by forcing them to attack not only infected cells but also healthy tissues. The scientist explained that after the event, severe inflammation may also be seen in the nervous system.
"Similar to how the body's immune response attacks the lungs in severe cases of Covid-19, the immune response of some patients can affect the nervous system," said Dr. Deshmukh. On the other hand, the authors of the study stated that advanced ultrasound technology is easy to carry and cheap, and is better than tomography at detecting nerve damage. The researchers cited that the scans would help doctors decide whether to refer patients to a rehabilitation specialist or, in more severe cases, to a surgeon, “If the imaging finds nerve damage due to an inflammatory response, the patient can be better served by seeing a neurologist. If imaging reveals nerve damage from the hematoma, blood thinners need to be adjusted immediately, and the patient may even need to see a surgeon, ”he explained.