Los 10 síntomas más comunes de COVID

Si te sientes mal, es posible que hayas buscado información sobre algunos de los síntomas para encontrar la causa.

Una ilustración de una persona atravesando las diversas etapas de los síntomas de la COVID-19

En estos días, puede ser difícil saber si tienes un resfriado, una gripe o COVID, ya que muchos de los síntomas se superponen. Entonces, ¿cómo puedes saber si tienes COVID-19? Saber con qué afección están relacionados tus síntomas te permitirá obtener el tratamiento que necesitas rápidamente, lo que te ayudará a recuperarte. Como siempre, habla con tu médico si tienes preguntas o inquietudes sobre tu afección.

La COVID-19 es una infección de las vías respiratorias superiores causada por el virus SARS-CoV-2. La mayoría de los síntomas afectan los pulmones, la nariz y la garganta. These are 10 common COVID symptoms you may experience according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1:

  1. Fever or chills: Over the course of a COVID-19 infection, you may have a fever or chills. La fiebre es la forma en que el cuerpo trata de matar el virus que causa la infección. They also help activate the immune system to fight against the virus, making it harder for it to survive.2 You may also experience chills with higher fevers.3
  2. Shortness of breath: COVID-19 attacks the lungs, specifically the cells that line the airways. This causes fluid and debris to build up in them, making it difficult to breathe.4 You may experience shortness of breath or tightness in the chest.
  3. Cough: Similar to shortness of breath, cough is also a common symptom of COVID-19. Since the virus mainly affects the airways in the lungs, you may find yourself coughing more than normal to clear out any fluid or debris.4
  4. New loss of taste or smell: Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 can infect and damage the specialized cells that help us smell and taste. Some people lose taste and/or smell briefly with a COVID infection, and they typically return within 60 days of recovering.5
  5. Congestion or runny nose: COVID-19 causes inflammation in the nasal passages and sinuses, and your body responds by making clear mucus. The virus becomes trapped in this mucus and is flushed out of the nose.6,7
  6. Fatigue: Fatigue is common when you’re sick, and it’s one of the most reported symptoms during and after COVID-19 infections. While researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes it, they believe it’s due to a mix of inflammation, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns.8
  7. Headache: Studies show that around half of people with COVID-19 develop headaches or migraines. They usually begin early in infection and can be a sign that you’re becoming sick.9
  8. Sore throat: Sore throat is another COVID-19 symptom that appears early on with infection.10 The SARS-CoV-2 virus is spread by breathing in viral particles, which can replicate in the throat. This causes inflammation, leading to a sore throat.11
  9. Muscle or body aches: If you’ve been lying in bed for a few days with COVID-19, you may have achy muscles or joints. Trata de levantarte y estirarte con frecuencia para evitarlos. Heat and ice can also be applied to painful areas.12
  10. Nausea/vomiting: While most COVID-19 symptoms affect the lungs and head, studies show that nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common as well. Researchers aren’t quite sure why this is, but they believe that cells in the GI tract may also become infected with SARS-CoV-2, causing symptoms.13

Si bien los síntomas anteriores se describen con más frecuencia que otros, es importante tener en cuenta que la COVID-19 puede afectar a diferentes personas de distintas maneras. Se ha informado una amplia variedad de síntomas, de leves a graves. Si tienes dudas sobre tus síntomas, debes hablar con tu médico.

Muchos de estos síntomas también pueden estar relacionados con el virus de la gripe o el resfriado. Hacer una prueba de detección es la única forma de confirmar un diagnóstico de COVID-19.

Si experimentas estos síntomas, habla con tu médico sobre las opciones de tratamiento. La COVID-19 es causada por un virus, por lo que no se puede tratar con antibióticos. Sin embargo, existen terapias antivirales y de anticuerpos disponibles. These medications work best when started earlier rather than later, so be sure to make an appointment if you notice these COVID symptoms.14

For treating more mild symptoms with over-the-counter medications, the CDC recommends using acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help.14

Productos relacionados

TYLENOL® Cold + Flu Severe Caplets (Comprimidos)
Children's Tylenol® Cold + Flu liquid (jarabe), medicamento con acetaminofén, sabor uva

Contenido relacionado

Una persona adulta controlándose la temperatura con un termómetro
CONOCE MÁS
Madre controlando la temperatura de su hija enferma
CONOCE MÁS

Referencias

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms. 22 de marzo de 2022. Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

2. MedlinePlus. Fever. December 15, 2016. Accessed from: https://medlineplus.gov/fever.html

3. MedlinePlus. Chills. January 16, 2021. Accessed from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003091.htm

4. American Lung Association. Learn About COVID-19. June 9, 2022. Accessed from: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/covid-19/about-covid-19

5. Cleveland Clinic. Loss of Taste and Smell. March 9, 2022. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/16708-loss-of-taste-and-smell

6. Cleveland Clinic. Runny Nose. April 19, 2021. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/17660-runny-nose

7. Straburynski M, et al. COVID-19 -related headache and sinonasal inflammation: A longitudinal study analysing the role of acute rhinosinusitis and ICHD-3 classification difficulties in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cephalagia. 2022. 42(3):218-228.

8. Azzolino D, Cesari M. Fatigue in the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Healthy Longev. 2022. 3(3):e128-e129.

9. Rocha-Filho, P. Headache associated with COVID-19: Epidemiology, characteristics, pathophysiology, and management. Headache. 2022. 62(6):650-656.

10. Savtale S, et al. Prevalence of Otorhinolaryngological Symptoms in Covid 19 Patients. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021. 1-7.

11. Mount Sinai. Pharyngitis – viral. January 29, 2022. Accessed from: https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/diseases-conditions/pharyngitis-viral

12. MyHealth.Alberta.ca. Symptoms: Joint and muscle pain. March 23, 2021. Accessed from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7434017/

13. Zhang T, et al. The roles of nausea and vomiting in COVID-19: did we miss something? J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2021. 54(4):541-546.

14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Treatments and Medications. April 29, 2022. Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/treatments-for-severe-illness.html