A new study from Washington University in St. Louis found that some people infected during the COVID-19 pandemic’s early months experienced peripheral neuropathy—pain, tingling and numbness in the hands and feet—during and following their bouts with the virus.
They tested more than 1,500 people who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 during the first year of the pandemic.
The researchers found that those who tested positive for the virus were about three times more likely to report pain, numbness or tingling in their hands and feet as those with negative tests.
The study is published in Pain and was conducted by Simon Haroutounian et al.
Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet.
It can also affect other areas and body functions including digestion, urination and circulation.
Several viral infections—such as HIV and shingles— are associated with peripheral neuropathy because viruses can damage nerves.
In the study, the team found that nearly 30% of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 also reported neuropathy problems at the time of their diagnosis.
They also found that for 6% to 7% of them, the symptoms persisted for at least two weeks, and up to three months, suggesting this virus may have lingering effects on peripheral nerves.
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The team says some patients who traced the start of their neuropathy symptoms to a COVID-19 infection have sought treatment at the Washington University Pain Center.
Most of those in the study reported problems that were rated as mild to moderate and may not have sought help from a pain specialist.
The team says it is important to understand whether a viral infection is associated with an increased risk of neuropathy.
There is no established diagnosis of neuropathy related to COVID-19, but regardless of the cause, current treatments for neuropathy are somewhat similar.
Pain specialists use the same types of medications to treat peripheral neuropathy, whether it’s caused by diabetes or HIV or the cause is unclear.
Recent studies have found why people with blood Type O less likely to get COVID-19, and scientists find a new drug that could prevent COVID-19, which are highly relevant to the current study.
Previous research has shown that COVID-19 could cause lingering symptoms including headaches.
In a study from the Geneva University Hospitals and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers found among patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19, lingering symptoms seven months after infection was common.
In the study, the team surveyed 629 persons who were a part of Geneva’s CoviCare program from 18 March to 15 May 2020.
They used semistructured telephone interviews at enrollment and 30 to 45 days and seven to nine months from diagnosis to characterize long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection.
Among the 410 patients that completed follow-up at seven to nine months after diagnosis, 39.0% reported residual symptoms.
These symptoms included fatigue (20.7%), loss of taste or smell (16.8%), shortness of breath (11.7%), and headache (10.0%).
Based on these findings and findings from similar studies, the researchers suggest that people treated on an outpatient basis for mild to moderate COVID-19 should be informed about the potential for long-term effects and physicians should continue to monitor them.
Doctors should also be aware of other causes of such symptoms as fatigue, cognitive and neurologic symptoms, and shortness of breath to avoid misinterpretation.
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For more information about COVID, please see recent studies about the cause of blood clots in people with severe COVID-19, and results showing coffee and veggies may help prevent COVID-19.
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