17.01.2026
Why recovery feels unstable rather than linear
For many individuals recovering from COVID-19, symptoms do not follow a predictable or steadily improving course. Instead of gradually resolving, they may diminish temporarily, reappear unexpectedly, or shift in character altogether. Fatigue may be replaced by neurological symptoms; respiratory discomfort may give way to cardiovascular or gastrointestinal issues.
This instability often causes confusion and distress, particularly when periods of apparent improvement raise expectations of recovery, only for symptoms to return. Importantly, this pattern is not typically a sign of reinfection or new disease. Rather, it reflects an underlying difficulty in the body’s ability to re-establish and maintain physiological balance.
Instead of smoothly returning to a stable baseline, the body appears to move between partial compensation and renewed stress, resulting in fluctuating symptoms that vary in intensity, duration, and system involvement.
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