6. Heart Palpitations
Although coronavirus is primarily a lung or respiratory disease, the heart can also suffer. In fact, if you were dealing with cardiovascular problems before getting infected, there’s a greater risk of temporary or lasting damage to heart tissue.
This long COVID symptom can make you feel like your heart is fluttering, pounding, or beating irregularly. You may feel this in your throat, neck, or chest. A study of 48,000 adults with long COVID found that 11% had heart palpitations. This symptom isn’t usually a warning sign of a more serious health issue, but it’s recommended to talk to your doctor if you’re worried about it or have a history of cardiovascular issues.
In some patients with long COVID, heart palpitations may be caused by an issue with their autonomic nervous system (which controls your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing). This condition is known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS).
Therapists and doctors agree that people with long-term effects of the coronavirus should try exercises that activate the core. This includes doing seated cardio or performing balance exercises. Eventually, you may feel more comfortable walking on a treadmill or trying an elliptical. Another thing that may also help is diaphragmatic breathing.
