Memory and cognitive health
A careful evaluation and personalized plan from a doctor trained in the Bredesen Protocol®.
Learn moreWhat long COVID can look like
The CDC describes long COVID as a chronic condition that follows a COVID-19 infection and is present for at least three months. Symptoms can come and go, change over time and last for months or longer. Commonly reported symptoms include:
- Fatigue that gets in the way of daily life
- Post-exertional malaise, when symptoms get worse after physical or mental effort
- Brain fog, or trouble thinking or concentrating
- Shortness of breath
- A fast-beating or pounding heart, also called palpitations
- Sleep problems
Other symptoms can include headaches, dizziness when standing, joint or muscle pain, changes in smell or taste, digestive problems, and anxiety or depression. If brain fog or memory is your biggest concern, our memory and cognitive health care may also help.
There is no single test or treatment
Long COVID is not one illness, and there is no approved lab test that confirms it. There are also no approved treatments for it yet. Diagnosis rests on your health history, signs of a past COVID-19 infection and a physical exam. CDC guidance for clinicians says lab or imaging results should not be the only measure of how a patient is doing. Normal results do not mean your symptoms aren't real.
How we evaluate long COVID
Patients come to our West Chester Township office from across Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, and Butler and Warren counties for a careful, whole-person look. Your evaluation includes:
- A review of your history. Your COVID-19 illness, how symptoms have changed and what makes them better or worse.
- A physical exam. Including your heart, lungs and nervous system.
- Lab work as needed. To answer specific questions about your symptoms.
- Screening for other causes. Heart and lung conditions, sleep disorders, diabetes, medication side effects, depression and other illnesses can cause similar symptoms.
Your recovery plan
The CDC recommends a personal medical management plan built with your provider. We focus on the symptoms that affect your daily life most.
- Pacing. Pushing through fatigue can trigger a crash that lasts days. We help you plan activity and rest so you stay within your limits.
- Sleep. We look at what disrupts your sleep and how to improve it.
- A gradual return to activity. Any increase is slow and adjusted to how your body responds.
- Managing specific symptoms. Headaches, palpitations, dizziness, pain and breathing problems each get attention.
- Mental health support. Long illness is hard. We offer care for anxiety and depression as part of your plan.
Recovery looks different for everyone. The CDC notes that some people's symptoms resolve within months, while others have symptoms for years. We can't promise a timeline, but we will keep adjusting your plan with you. Individual results vary.
When to seek emergency care
Call 911 for emergency warning signs such as trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure that doesn't go away, new confusion, trouble waking or staying awake, or lips, nail beds or skin that look pale, gray or blue. For new or worsening symptoms that are not an emergency, call us at (513) 860-4600 during office hours.
When to see a specialist
We coordinate with cardiology for palpitations, chest symptoms or heart rhythm concerns. We refer to pulmonology when shortness of breath or cough doesn't improve, and to neurology for ongoing headaches, numbness or problems with thinking and memory. We share your records and stay your home base between specialist visits.
