Long-COVID Chest Pain: Main Causes, Ways to Relieve
Long COVID, or post-COVID conditions, are evolving terms, and as time passes, we’re learning more about the aftereffects of COVID-19 infection. The most common symptoms are chest pain. This can be as severe as a heart attack. 22 percent of patients two months after acute infection.
“It’s very common with patients that experienced significant cough during their COVID infection, but can also be a sign of something more troubling,” The Epoch Times spoke with Dr. Thomas Gut, the medical director of Staten Island University Hospital’s Post-COVID Recovery Center. He is part of Northwell Health.
While this can be frightening for COVID survivors, it doesn’t always mean you’re experiencing a life-threatening condition.
Post-COVID chest pain Cause 1: Heart Disease or Blood Clotting
“COVID has been associated with heart disease and also abnormal blood clots,” You can also observe Gut.
These can be cause chest pain.
A large study found COVID-19 was associated with a significantly higher risk of blood-clot-related problems immediately after diagnosis than people who were never infected. This includes stroke or heart attack. Researchers found that the risk of developing heart attack or stroke was higher up to 49 weeks. However, it dropped sharply in the second week.
Study results show that COVID-19 can cause COVID-19 symptoms. “then they should be talking with their physicians about managing their cardiovascular risk, which is likely to be increased for some level of time,” study senior author Jonathan Sterne, a professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at England’s University of Bristol, Statement.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Report that COVID-19 survivors have been identified You are twice as likely to develop pulmonary embolism (blood in the lungs), or other respiratory conditions.
According to Dr. Luis OstroskyZeichner (division chief of Infectious Diseases & Epidemiology at UTHealth Houston Memorial Hermann), chest pain following COVID-19 may also be due to pericarditis (inflammation in the lining) or coronary artery disease.
Pericarditis usually goes away by itself. Some cases, however, can become serious if they are not treated. Although it may take several weeks or even months to heal, complete recovery is possible. Continued care and restThis can reduce your chances of getting it again.
Two Causes of Post-COVID Chest Pain: Inflammation in the Lung
COVID-19 may cause lung complications, such as pneumonia or, in severe cases (ARDS), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Some newer coronavirus varieties may also cause airway diseases, such as bronchitis. This could be severe enough to warrant hospitalization.
These conditions can cause inflammation in the chest, which can be severe enough to cause pain.
Patients with COVID pneumonia may also be affected. “the chest pain can come from direct inflammation of the lung lining, called the pleura,” Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum is a board-certified internist who is nationally recognized as an expert in the areas of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. “[The pain will] tend to get worse with deep breaths.”
This type of chest discomfort can be treated with anti-inflammatory treatment such as ibuprofen or curcumin, which are highly absorbable.
It can be benign muscle pain.
The chest pain is still there “usually will be benign,” said Teitelbaum.
Those younger than the typical age for increased heart attack risk can look for specific signs that the pain isn’t life-threatening.
For people under 50 years of age, where the pain: is worse upon taking a deep breath, changing position or pushing over the area; does not trigger sweats or left arm pain; isn’t worse with exertion; isn’t associated with coughing up blood or yellow mucus; and doesn’t go away with an antacid, it’s most often just going to be benign muscle pain in your chest-wall area, said Teitelbaum.
If chest pain goes away with an antacid, especially if the pain is worse while lying down or with burping, it’s most often going to be indigestion and acid reflux.
“Do not use PPI acid blockers, as these are toxic and can worsen COVID in general,” Teitelbaum advised. “Instead, use famotidine, which helps the body heal from COVID by improving immunity, or [use] chewable antacids.”
There is a simple way to check whether it’s just pain in your chest muscles.
Apply pressure with your fingertips to the area in pain. It should take about five pounds to cause your fingernail bed to become white.
If you can “reproduce the pain” by pressing over a bony area, like the ribs, Teitelbaum said, it is most likely a benign muscle pain. The rib cage acts as a protective shield around our internal organs. Pushing on the outside of the rib cage will not cause pain to the heart or lungs underneath.
But after having chest pain post-COVID, the first thing you should do is see your doctor immediately to make sure it’s not anything dangerous.
“With chest pain, better safe than sorry,” Teitelbaum said. Your doctor will rule out an acute heart attack, severe lung disease, or angina. “Heart attacks can kill if treatment is delayed.”
Teitelbaum said that as long your symptoms have not been deemed to be serious, then you can just use a heating pad and topical Comfrey (topical aspirin or menthol) as needed.
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