HomeAnswersCardiologycovid-19I have had chest pressure and breathing issues since I had COVID.

How to manage my persisting chest pressure, muscle pain, difficulty breathing, and weakness post-COVID?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. K. Shobana

Published At July 2, 2022
Reviewed AtDecember 18, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I have suffered from some weakness attacks for many months. One week can be quite normal, but another one terrible. My symptoms are chest pressure almost all the time, the pain in muscles and spine (mainly upper side like arms and between blade bones), difficulty breathing (but spO2 is usually above 95), pressure in the head and sometimes in temples (not a headache but pressure like it can explode), sometimes dizziness and lightheaded feeling (have to lie because it is hard to walk or sit), time to time weak legs (generally whole body, and lack of sensations in limbs, and problems with walking. Six months ago, I had COVID-19 infection, and the last days of the illness were hard, with pain in the lungs and dizziness. After three months, I was in the hospital because I almost lost consciousness and felt pain in the chest and heart, but my electrocardiogram was normal. Since then, I have had these attacks of weakness and cannot work or often even take a walk. Instead, it is not anxiety. There is no correlation between attacks and stress. The pain passes through sleep time and welcomes me in the morning. Unfortunately, my health sometimes worsens in relaxing and calm moments. I must mention that a few years ago, I probably had a stroke, but I never consulted or checked it with doctors. Nightmare pain in my head broke my dream, and I felt like dying, but I just took pills and tried to sleep again. In the following weeks, something was moving in my head. I could not stand for a long time because I was so weak that even making a standing pose was a challenge. I think COVID-19 reactivated my old problems or destroyed something in my body, or maybe it is an entirely other cause. I hope you will understand my question and give me some hope or the right direction. When will I be more stable, or should I take MRI for the head and maybe another (heart) diagnosis? Now I can barely lie in bed with all this pain and stress. Thank you for your time and answers.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thanks for the query and description of your symptoms. It does appear like post-COVID myalgia or post-COVID fatigue syndrome. Also, the dizziness and lightheadedness could be part of the dysautonomia in post-COVID patients. The best treatment is to increase your fluid intake and add salt to the diet. In addition, you could wear compression stockings on both legs, which will also help decrease dizziness and lightheadedness.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Vivek S Narayan Pillai
Dr. Vivek S Narayan Pillai

Cardiology

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Read answers about:

covid-19breathing problems

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Cardiology

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy