Pins and needles, shooting pains, neuropathy, a feeling of burning or other strange sensations occur in 2% of cases 7 to 9 months after infection and in 5.4% of cases at 12 months. With the Omicron variant, reports of such sensations occur in 2% of cases 3 months after primary infection.
Some people report weakness in the upper or lower limbs, which fluctuates and has no definite cause.
How do we test for it ?
These symptoms are evaluated by means of a wide-ranging analysis of a person’s detailed medical history. There is currently no test to identify the cause of these symptoms.
Typically, electroneuromyography, which measures the electrical activity of nerves and muscles, or Doppler assessments, which examine blood vessels, produce normal results. Such tests are therefore not necessarily indicated in this situation.
How is it treated ?
There is currently no specific treatment for post-COVID neuropathy. Generally, if symptoms are frequent and other underlying causes – such as vitamin or iron deficiencies or thyroid problems – have been ruled out, neuropathy is treated with medication prescribed by your primary care physician or a neurologist. The medication is aimed at reducing or masking the neuropathy but does not tackle the underlying cause. Acupuncture may help to relieve symptoms in some cases.
