In addition to a dry cough, runny and stuffy nose, and sore throat, one symptom that many patients with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 complain about is a headache. So, can headaches due to infection with the Omicron variant be distinguished from other headaches?
According to a study from the ZOE COVID App, headache was the most reported symptom of Omicron patients, accompanied by sore throat, body aches, and fatigue. In contrast to the symptoms of the previous variant of COVID-19, Omicron patients do not often complain of fever and loss of the ability to smell (anosmia).
“The general view is that your body has an inflammatory reaction when it fights a virus,” says William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, regarding the causes of headaches in Omicron patients. /2/2022).
“Headaches coupled with fatigue, fever and other signs are part of the inflammatory symptom complex.”
Not always because of Omicron, headaches are a condition that many people complain about every day. In contrast, headaches due to infection with the Omicron variant tend to be persistent, often accompanied by a runny nose, sore throat, and fatigue.
So, what are the characteristics of a headache due to the Omicron variant? Here’s the explanation quoted from the Times of India:
1. Tend to be moderate to severe
The intensity of the headache depends on the trigger. Mild headaches are usually caused by work pressure and can be severe if triggered by migraine conditions.
In cases of infection with the Omicron variant, the headaches are mostly moderate to severe. It feels like a throbbing, pressing or stabbing, which is rare in cases of generalized headaches.
2. Can last for days
In addition, headaches due to infection with the Omicron variant can last as long as three days even if the patient has been taking painkillers regularly.
3. Feels all over the head area, not just one right or left side
In many cases, the headache is only felt on the right or left side, or in the center of the head. The headache area is caused by the triggers and causes of the headache.
However, in cases of infection with the Omicron variant, the headache is felt on both sides of the head. The entire head may feel tense and sore.
4. It gets worse in people with sinus infections
According to experts, headaches due to infection with the Omicron variant can be an inflammatory reaction of the body when it fights the virus. As the virus multiplies in the respiratory system, it also affects the sinuses causing inflammation.
The same thing happened to the Omicron variant. Headaches usually occur with inflammation of the sinuses. If the patient is suffering from sinus infection problems, the headache may be more severe.
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