COVID is similar to other respiratory illnesses as it can negatively impact your lungs. Unlike the regular cold and flu, COVID is still relatively new in terms of its long-term impact on your health. Scientists and health professionals are learning new information about how it can impact patient health every day. You may wonder the COVID lung damage duration, in addition to the other effects on your lung health. Below you will find helpful information about COVID and its impact on your lungs.
Duration of COVID Lung Damage
The time it takes to heal from COVID-related lung damage varies based on a variety of factors. This includes the treatment, other health conditions, and the severity of the disease. The short answer is that the lung damage associated with COVID takes a significant amount of time to heal due to the damage it can cause. In most cases, the damage is reversible.
However, it can take between three months to one year for a person’s full lung function to get back to the level it was before contracting COVID. This varies from patient to patient and can take longer for some people. This is because the lungs have to respond to the initial injury, in addition to scarring. The healing process can come with its own ups and downs and most patients don’t immediately bounce back so it’s important to be patient.
Factors That Impact Treatment Time
Medical professionals have found multiple factors that can impact your lung damage recovery.
- Severity: COVID impacts people in different ways. The severity of COVID is a major factor in your recovery time. Mild cases are much easier to recover from as they cause less scarring in your lungs.
- Prior Health Conditions: Prior conditions can impact your recovery. Heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other respiratory conditions can impact your risk of more severe complications.
- Treatment: The type of treatment is integral to patient recovery. How quickly they got treatment can also impact recovery. Timely and quality treatment is integral to reduce the long-term impact of lung damage caused by COVID.
- Age: Older people are more vulnerable to severe cases of COVID. This is because their lung function is more vulnerable due to their age. Lung tissue may also be less elastic, which can impact the recovery process.
- Obesity: Heavier patients prove more negatively impacted compared to their average-weight counterparts. Obesity is linked with low lung function and raises the risk of contracting COVID, in addition to successfully recovering from it.
COVID and the Impact on Your Lungs
It has been determined that COVID is a significant pro-inflammatory condition. This can cause a number of other critical lung issues. Below are some of the common lung complications associated with COVID that can impact your recovery time.
- COVID Pneumonia: Pneumonia associated with COVID is more severe which can result in long-lasting lung damage. This is because it often impacts both lungs. The air sacs in your lungs fill with fluid and can cause shortness of breath and coughing.
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: This condition occurs as pneumonia progresses and is a form of lung failure. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (“ARDS”) can be fatal. Those who survive and recover from ARDS have long-term scarring and respiratory issues.
- Sepsis: This condition occurs when an infection spreads to the rest of your body. This can cause tissue damage and severely impact your lung function. Just like ARDS, sepsis can cause lifelong damage to your lungs.
Asthma Doctor in NYC
If you have lung damage or other respiratory issues, it’s important to consult with a pulmonologist. They are skilled in diagnosing and treating a variety of conditions, including asthma treatment in New York City. Dr. Shukla is New York’s top pulmonologist and asthma doctor in NYC. Contact his office today for an appointment!
