In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast Dr. Brian Joves is joined by a very special guest, Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, to discuss Long COVID, otherwise known as Post Acute Sequalae of SARS CoV2 (PASC).Long COVID is defined as a condition in which a patient continues with symptoms of COVID-19 more than 2 months after being infected by the virus. Longitudinal studies quote anywhere from a 15-80% prevalence of long COVID. Although every patient presents with a different compilation of symptoms, the most common symptoms of Long COVID are fatigue, impaired respiratory function, “brain fog”, headache, attention disorder, hair loss and pain. Though the risk factors for developing Long COVID are not fully known, studies suggest anosmia and ageusia, GI symptoms, and more severe acute infection may contribute to long term symptoms. There are many proposed mechanisms for these symptoms including inflammation, peripheral organ dysfunction, and virus shedding from the gut emphasizing the gut-brain connection that still needs to be researched further.Listen as Dr. Gutierrez educates on her experience in helping these patients and provides us with practical considerations when patient's present to the clinic. Most importantly, Dr. Gutierrez recommends one simple way to optimize outcomes for patient's suffering from Long COVID, and all patients for that matter.This podcast is for information and educational purposes only, it is not meant to be medical or career advice. If anything discussed may pertain to you, please seek counsel with your healthcare provider. The views expressed are those of the individuals expressing them, they may not represent the views of Spine & Nerve.References: Herrera, JE, Niehaus, WN, Whiteson, J, et al. Multidisciplinary collaborative consensus guidance statement on the assessment and treatment of fatigue in postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) patients. PM&R. 2021; 13( 9): 1027- 1043. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmrj.12684 You can find Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez:twitter.com/MVGutierrezMinstagram.com/monicavgutierrezhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-verduzco-gutierrez-m-d-74aab370/