Three weeks ago, I felt like I was coming down with the flu. I went out without a jacket and convinced myself that the mildly sore throat and almost non-existent cough were just the flu. After four days of a burning nose and mild headaches, I decided to test for COVID-19 before I meet my family and I turned out to be positive.
After a lot of medications, oxygen-measuring devices, anxiety, and insomnia, I joined a Facebook community group called فاقدي حاسة الشم والتذوق (translated as those who have lost their sense of smell and taste). I promise you the group is not as morbid as you would think. It’s mainly COVID-19 people sharing symptoms, tips that helped, and hilarious memes.
One thing that couldn’t go unnoticed is the weird list of symptoms that everyone is reporting. Apparently, they’re not new or uncommon, we’ve just never heard of them. There are commonly reported symptoms like fever, headache, diarrhea, sore throat, cough, nausea, short breath, fatigue, and body aches, and then there is a whole different list reported by actual patients this wave.
Via: Sanford Health – COVID-19 symptoms
Here is a list of uncommon symptoms that so many Egyptians are currently reporting on social media:
- Loss of taste and smell with no other symptoms, even though blood tests are normal and PCR is negative.
- Weird odors: I experienced a subtle bad fish smell, and others report smelling something burning.
- Dental pain and sensitivity.
- Burning nose: You can easily mistake it for an early flu symptom.
- Period pain: Many women recognize this ache as menstrual cramps near the waist and kidney areas.
- Joint and shoulder pain: It reminded me of the deep knee pain you felt when you were growing taller. It’s not sharp, just consistent throughout the day.
- Occasional arm numbing.
- Blocked nasal sinus: My whole sinuses were numb and blocked for two weeks.
- Some even reported having a runny nose, which most of us thought was a clear indication that you have the flu, not COVID-19.
- Blurry vision. I felt like I couldn’t look at a screen without losing focus.
- While some report nausea, others luckily report a happy appetite and constant hunger. It’s actually an inside joke on the group.
- Back pain.
Post-coronavirus symptoms Egyptians are reporting, including myself:
- Hair loss
- Increased heartbeats especially at night
- Ear problems and dizziness
- Insomnia
- Forgetfulness
- Food tastes different or has a bad aftertaste
- Continuous loss of smell and taste
Further reading:
- How Long Does Your Immunity Last After COVID-19?
- 12 Companies to Sanitize Your Home After a COVID-19 Infection
- Foods to Avoid Eating When You Have COVID-19
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