Covid sufferers often complain of severe headaches. A research team is now reporting that this need not be a cause for concern. The symptom could even indicate a good chance of recovery.
Cough, fever, runny nose: The symptoms after an infection with the corona virus are diverse. Covid patients often complain of severe headaches. However, that doesn’t have to mean anything bad, as a US research team is now finding out. On the contrary: The scientists even see the symptom as a positive sign that could provide information about the chances of recovery for those affected. The study appeared in The Journal of Head and Face Pain.
For their study, the team led by Victor J. Gallardo and Robert E. Shapiro evaluated 48 studies involving more than 43,000 inpatients. Around 81 percent of them recovered, and almost 19 percent died. About one in ten suffered from headaches. It was noticeable that the chances of survival of these patients were about twice as high as those of the patients who did not have headaches.
Even after taking age into account, the value remained about the same. The researchers also noticed other symptoms that were associated with higher survival rates. These included loss of smell, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. However, if hospitalized patients developed shortness of breath, the study found that their chances of recovery decreased.
However, the research team also points out the limitations of their study. No studies were considered after a corona vaccination or the appearance of new, more virulent variants. Therefore, the results may not be generalizable for all variants, the authors write. In addition, the analysis could be biased because it included those who were unable to report symptoms, for example, because they were intubated at the time of hospital admission.
Nevertheless, the study authors write: “Our findings indicate that headaches that occur as a result of an infection are not a ‘non-specific’ symptom, but can be an indicator of a higher probability of survival.” Further studies would now have to clarify which processes can be identified in patients with and without headaches that are responsible for the survival advantage in Covid-19 headaches.