By Wendy Haaf
According to emerging evidence, the rate of a relatively unknown but serious lung disease is growing among those with long-term COVID.
In fact, in one 2022 study, nearly 45% of patients who’d previously been infected with COVID went on to develop pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The damage the disease causes isn’t reversible, but treatment can slow its progress, which means that early diagnosis is crucial.
Physicians can detect PF by using a stethoscope to listen for a telltale crackle in the lungs. Common symptoms include a cough that persists longer than three months, shortness of breath after activity that previously caused no such problem, ongoing fatigue, and weight loss. You can find more information at cpff.ca.
