Some clinics have shown that up to 30% of COVID-19 patients experience brain fog weeks to months after their infection has subsided.
Why is it taking place after COVID-19? What is it exactly?
The term “brain fog” is often used by patients to describe their symptoms but is not a recognized medical diagnosis. Cognitive impairment is what medical professionals call “brain fog”. This refers to issues with activities that are closely related to one another, such as language comprehension, information processing, memory, thinking, and reasoning.
The impression of being enveloped in a dense fog, not quite being able to grasp concepts, feeling lost or bewildered, and having problems focusing or recalling memories are all symptoms of brain fog.
Some say they “placed food on the gas stove and walked away for almost an hour, only recognizing when they were burning.” Others say they have memory and attention problems as a result of brain fog.
People with long COVID were asked about their experiences with brain fog in a recent study. Particularly in light of how their ability to resume their jobs and their relationships had been hampered by their brain fog, they admitted to feeling guilty and ashamed.
Brain fog can afflict people of any age, despite the fact that its symptoms can resemble those of Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders linked to ageing. It is uncommon for brain fog to get worse over time or stay indefinitely.
Connection with COVID-19?
One of the most prevalent symptoms during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic was brain fog.
According to recent findings, three months after infection, 20–30% of persons report having cognitive fog. Up to 85% of those with severe COVID also have brain fog.
Although it is frequently associated with COVID-19, it is a symptom that many other illnesses and disorders share.
How does it occur?
Brain fog itself has not been connected to changes in brain volume on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, despite the fact that COVID may cause the shrinking of some brain regions.
A recent case study of two individuals revealed that, although having normal clinical MRI results, they also experienced deficits in oxygen consumption in the cingulate cortex, a particular region of the brain. It is believed that this region of the limbic system is important in memory and attention.
It can be challenging to detect brain fog because there isn’t a single test for it. Formal testing may not always be beneficial because symptoms can differ for each person and some days may be worse than others, even if there are various combinations of tests that can be utilized.
How you can check?
According to research, patients with COVID have more issues with executive function and attention. The severity of cognitive impairments associated with brain fog has also been observed to increase with COVID infection severity.
However, some researchers have discovered that conventional cognitive screening exams don’t have adequate specificity for brain fog (that is, they might miss the presence of the illness and result in false negatives) and may not be able to assess how severe it is.
The diagnosis of brain fog is most likely to be determined based on the symptoms and experiences people report outside of scientific examinations until other causes, such as insufficient sleep, stress, or hormone changes, have been ruled out.
If you suspect that you could have brain fog, it might be wise to write down your symptoms and keep track of them for a few weeks, along with any alterations in stress, nutrition, or sleep. By knowing this information, your doctor will be better able to diagnose and treat your problems.
How to reduce it?
Doctors advise adopting the same habits that have been demonstrated to safeguard memory and thinking in order to reduce brain fog.
- Exercising – aim to engage in 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Anything that makes your heart race is of moderate intensity. If 150 minutes are too much, take action in any way you can.
- Eating healthy – put nutrient-dense meals on your plates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and dairy products that are low in fat or fat-free. Limit sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar.
- Getting enough sleep – at least seven hours a night.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs –stop drinking if you haven’t already. If you choose to drink, keep your daily intake to one to two drinks.
- Socializing – virtually or physically. Staying in touch can sometimes be as easy as sending a text or making a phone call.
- Engage in brain-stimulating activities like games and puzzles, listening to music, reading, and practising mindfulness.
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