Scientists from Washington University found many people who got COVID-19 in the early months of the pandemic experienced peripheral neuropathy—pain, tingling, and numbness in the hands and feet—during and following their infection.
The finding adds to a growing body of evidence that, for many, problems related to COVID-19 linger longer than the initial infection.
The research is published in Pain and was conducted by Simon Haroutounian et al.
Previous research found that several viral infections—such as HIV and shingles—are associated with peripheral neuropathy because viruses can damage nerves.
In the study, the team examined more than 1,500 people who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 during the first year of the pandemic.
They 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.
Nearly 30% of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 also reported neuropathy problems at the time of their diagnosis, and for 6% to 7% of them, the symptoms persisted for at least two weeks, and up to three months.
There is no established diagnosis of neuropathy related to COVID-19, but the team explains that, 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.
The team says there is a high likelihood doctors could still help these patients, even though at the moment there are no clear diagnostic criteria or even a recognized syndrome known as COVID peripheral neuropathy.
Because the study took place at a single center, the team says more research will be needed to replicate the findings.
In addition, much of the data was gathered when outpatient clinical research had been halted due to the pandemic, meaning that study patients were evaluated according to their responses to a survey rather than via in-person interviews and physical exams.
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If you care about COVID, please read studies about a new way to prevent many COVID-19 variants, and why some people are symptom free, while other are critically ill in COVID-19.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies about drug that can save damaged lungs in COVID-19, and results showing previous COVID-19 infection, but not vaccination, improves antibodies.
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