How COVID-19 affects your nervous system

Fredy Revilla, MD

Neurology

The COVID-19 virus affects everyone a little differently – both during and after the infection. Neurologist Fredy J. Revilla, MD, discussed how COVID-19 may affect your neurological system well after the virus is gone from your body.

“The virus doesn’t just come with symptoms while you are infected. We have seen many cases where COVID-19 causes neurological symptoms after the infection is gone, even among younger patients,” said Dr. Revilla.

Some of these neurological complications that may be experienced during and after having COVID-19, include:

• Stroke
• Blood clots
• Seizures
• Balance problems
• Dizziness
• Intermittent confusion
• Headaches
• Impaired smell or taste
• Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
• Weakness, numbness and pain in hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy)
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), which causes weakness in the body
• Muscle function disorders (myopathy)

“We’ve seen patients with lingering symptoms for many weeks and months and there’s not enough information yet to know how long these symptoms may last,” said Dr. Revilla.

He said preventing the virus is the best way to protect yourself from devastating neurological complications.

“The best way to protect yourself and others from experiencing the virus is to practice safety precautions. We all need to wear masks, social distance, wash our hands and get the vaccine when our opportunity comes,” said Dr. Revilla.