While not all resolved COVID cases merit a visit to an ENT, individuals who were already experiencing issues with their ears, nose, throat, and soft mouth tissues may benefit from a check-up after they have recovered. Individuals who continue to experience symptoms in these areas four weeks after they test negative should also see an ENT to definitively rule out long COVID.

Thankfully, cases of long COVID are relatively rare in Singapore. This is partly attributed to the country’s high vaccination rates, which have helped reduce the number of severe COVID-19 infections associated with long COVID. However, long COVID does sometimes happen to fully vaccinated and boosted individuals as well as to those who had not shown symptoms during their initial COVID infection.

If you recently had COVID and have preexisting ears, throat, nose, and mouth conditions or continue to have COVID symptoms four weeks after testing negative, it may be time to visit your regular ENT. If you don’t have a Singaporean ENT yet, be sure to book an ENT specialist Singapore locals rely on.

What Is Long COVID?

“Long COVID” is a term commonly used to describe post-COVID conditions, a range of health issues some people experience after being infected by the COVID-19 virus. Some of the other terms used to describe post-COVID conditions include long-haul COVID, chronic COVID, post-acute COVID, and post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC), just to name a few.

In the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, long COVID has proven to be a complex phenomenon. It only affects a minority of people who have been infected by the COVID-19 virus and it does not have the same effects on all affected individuals.

Most individuals who contract a COVID-19 infection recover within a few days or weeks. Individuals are generally considered to have post-COVID conditions if they manifest symptoms after four weeks. Some long COVID cases have resolved after a few months while some individuals continue to experience symptoms years after their initial infection.

Long COVID symptoms are broadly similar to symptoms of a COVID-19 infection, albeit milder. However, the symptoms an affected individual experiences in their initial COVID infection may not necessarily be the same as their long COVID symptoms. Additionally, post-COVID conditions can also appear in individuals who did not show any COVID-19 symptoms in their initial infection.

What Are the Symptoms of Long COVID?

Long COVID symptoms are broadly similar to those of a regular COVID infection. People with long COVID may experience the following:

• Persistent shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Memory problems
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain
• Sleep issues
• Hearing impairment
• Loss of taste (ageusia)
• Loss of smell (anosmia)
• Sore throat

Symptoms associated with long COVID may be consistent or they can come and go.

What Causes Long COVID?

While the cause of long COVID is not yet definitively known, the symptoms may be a result of lingering COVID-related damage to various vital organs. Potentially affected organs include the lungs, brain, liver, kidneys, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. COVID infections could also severely affect skeletal muscles as well.

Notably, COVID infections may also damage nerve tissues, leading to some of COVID’s signature symptoms including the dulling, distortion, or loss of taste, smell, and hearing. Affected individuals who may already have issues related to the ears, nose, and throat may also experience a worsening of their condition. These conditions may be alleviated by seeking advice from a qualified ENT.

When Should You Seek Medical Attention for Post-COVID Symptoms?

Recovery from a COVID-19 infection usually takes anywhere from a few days to around two weeks. Individuals that continue to experience symptoms four weeks after testing negative should check in with their GP to rule out the possibility of long COVID.

If the affected individual experiences shortness of breath, hearing loss, ageusia, anosmia, or a sore throat that persists after COVID, seeing a qualified ENT may be a better option.

How Can Seeing an ENT Help Post-COVID Symptoms?

The first benefit of seeing an ENT is they can help confirm or rule out long COVID. Some ENT conditions may not be noticeable to affected individuals until they contract some other infection, such as COVID-19. Seeing an ENT after contracting COVID may help get to the root causes of symptoms a patient may be experiencing.

ENTs should also be able to prescribe medication or recommend therapy that alleviates long COVID symptoms related to the throat, mouth, eyes, and ears. They should also be able to recommend other specialists who may be able to help improve the affected individual’s quality of life.

Find Help for Post-COVID Conditions in Singapore

Singapore’s excellent healthcare system offers a range of options for those needing care for post-COVID conditions, including persistent issues related to the ears, throat, nose, nasal passages, and mouth. If you have long COVID symptoms related to these areas, see a qualified otolaryngologist or ENT specialist in Singapore today.

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