The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has said that they believe the actual total of people in the country who had COVID-19 is anywhere from two to 10 times greater than the number that’s been reported. That equates to millions of undiagnosed cases where those who had the novel coronavirus were likely either asymptomatic or had such mild symptoms that it was confused for a cold or allergies.
But it’s important to know if you had COVID-19, especially as hospitals are using plasma from donors who had already been infected as a way to treat people who are suffering from severe complications of the virus.
Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing brings you four signs that you may have already had coronavirus.
- COVID Toes
You may have heard of this symptom that’s been rare but found in those who tested positive for COVID-19. The phenomenon that’s been called “COVID toes” is when rashes or lesions appear on the toes, which doctors say is not uncommon in people who have viral infections.
- Phantom Smells
You’ve probably heard that a loss of smell and taste are symptoms of COVID-19, but people have reported phantom smells as well—when they smell things that aren’t present. This condition is often brought on by upper respiratory infections.
- Constant Thirst
If your body is fighting a bug, it’s going to use up more energy than usual, which will dehydrate you quickly, causing an unusual amount of thirst even if you’ve been drinking as much water as you normall do.
- Diarrhea
Maybe there was something behind everyone hoarding toilet paper! What you may have thought was a stomach bug may have been COVID-19, as around 25% of people in one study had gastrointestinal issues for 14 days that was associated with the virus.
How to Tell if You’ve Had COVID-19
A simple way to see if you’ve had the virus is to give blood. In addition to the usual diagnostic tests that are run on your blood, a COVID antibody test is also administered.
To learn more about Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit https://carthage-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org/.
