Key points
- Infections can sometimes leave people with symptoms that last for weeks to months or longer, even after appropriate treatment.
- Symptoms can follow many different types of infections.
- It is important to discuss your symptoms and concerns with your doctor to develop a personalized treatment or care plan.
Addressing chronic symptoms with a healthcare provider
It is important to talk to a healthcare provider if you are concerned about any symptoms that last a long time. A healthcare provider will perform a thorough evaluation that might include a physical exam and testing to help them consider or rule-out possible causes of the symptoms. Often test results are normal, and the cause of symptoms remains unexplained. It is important for you and your healthcare providers to understand that normal test results do not mean your symptoms are not real. In some cases, tests to confirm a diagnosis do not exist. It may take a long time to consider or rule out all potential causes of chronic symptoms.
A healthcare provider may also ask questions to understand your health history, including if you had a positive test for an infection, family health history, current symptoms, and how you are able to keep up with daily activities. Speaking with your healthcare provider about the symptoms you are experiencing could help identify new medical conditions. While there are no medicines or methods that work for everyone, your healthcare provider can work with you to try methods that have helped some and could improve your symptoms and quality of life. Researchers and healthcare providers are still learning about chronic symptoms following infections and how best to manage them and support patients.
Read about treatment and recovery.