Once you begin looking for psychosocial causes of pain or illness (Neuroplastic Symptoms) in patients, you find it repeatedly. The same is true for research scientists.
A study from the University of Michigan looked at the electronic health records of over 2 million people in three groups: people with Covid, people with influenza, and people with no infection during a routine health appointment. They determined which of these people had a “chronic overlapping pain condition” (COPC) causing widespread pain often associated with fatigue or problems with sleep, memory, or mood. Next, they assessed whether having a COPC predicted a person’s subsequent development of Long Covid.
The results showed a striking 50% increased risk for Long Covid in people with a previous COPC compared to people without a COPC. This was observed in all three groups as you can see in the graph.
The authors’ concluded that these results reinforce the likelihood that a neuroplastic process plays a key role in Long Covid. Recognizing this will help avoid the pitfall of viewing Long Covid as exclusively a postinfectious disease.
Ref: Bergmans RS, Clauw DJ, et. al. (2024). Chronic overlapping pain conditions increase the risk of long COVID features, regardless of acute COVID status. PAIN, 2024, 165:1112-1120. DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003110
