(NaturalHealth365) We’ve heard a lot about COVID-19 and its respiratory effects. Most people are aware of the respiratory symptoms that some individuals experience when they are infected with the coronavirus, such as shortness of breath and respiratory distress severe enough to require intubation and being on a ventilator, in some cases.

However, the coronavirus is so new that scientists haven’t fully grasped the full scope of health problems it may cause. In fact, recent news shed light on the fact that infection disease experts and doctors now believe that COVID-19 isn’t just a respiratory virus – coronavirus complications may affect multiple organ systems.

Viral infections can attack more than just the respiratory system

According to Scripps Research Translational Institute directory and cardiologist, Dr. Eric Topol, originally physicians and researchers believe this was just a respiratory virus. However, scientists are now learning that the virus goes after other organ systems as well, such as the brain, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. And in some cases, the virus can cause catastrophic damage to one or more organ systems.

Coronavirus complications may also go beyond respiratory distress to cause blood clotting disorders that may result in strokes, as well as extreme levels of inflammation that attack the organs. Neurological complications such loss of smell or taste, headache, seizures, confusion, and dizziness may also occur.

With the surprising new information showing that COVID-19 is more than a respiratory virus and comes with the potential for a broad range of complications outside of the lungs, there’s the potential for a huge healthcare expenditure burden in the future.

Coronavirus complications come with unwanted long-term effects

The ever-growing list of potential coronavirus complications also comes with the potential for long-term health and financial effects. For those who required time in intensive care or being on a ventilator for multiple days or weeks, extensive rehabilitation time is needed to regain strength and mobility.

Doctors say that for every day that you’re hospitalized, it can take seven days to begin recovering your strength. And for older patients, it’s possible they never return to their former level of function.

Beyond those who require hospitalization, there’s also the patients who may not have been sick enough to end up in the hospital and continue to suffer months after their infection with COVID-19.  We’re just now beginning to see studies that are working to understand the long-term effects of being infected with coronavirus.

Anecdotal reports show that many people continue to have persistent shortness of breath and significant fatigue, and it’s difficult to know how long those symptoms will continue.  This obviously depends greatly on the strength of one’s immune system and other (underlying) health issues.

As scientists begin to learn more about COVID-19 and the accompanying coronavirus complications, the best defense is to follow basic precautionary measures and focus on taking steps to boost your immune system.

First, and foremost, minimize your exposure to environmental toxins.  Eat organic food (as much as possible), take high quality nutritional supplements (to correct any deficiencies), use only natural substances for household and personal care products, purify your drinking/shower water and keep your indoor air space as clean as possible with plants, open windows or a purification system.

Of course, staying well hydrated and physically active can go a long way to maintaining great health.  Bottom line: follow your intuition and do what you know is right.

Sources for this article include:

AOL.com
NaturalHealth365.com