SEATTLE — Long COVID can be a challenging diagnosis for people who contract COVID-19.
Still, little is known about why some people who contract COVID-19 have a more difficult time recovering than others.
A new University of Washington study suggests that a history of trauma could play a role in why some people develop long COVID.
Long COVID can be a challenging diagnosis for people who contract COVID-19, and researchers say there is still much to learn about why some patients have a harder time recovering than others.
The study was part of the Seattle RECOVER study, managed by UW Medicine, which examines persistent symptoms following COVID-19 infection.
Researchers say they began to notice a pattern among some long COVID patients who had experienced traumatic stress in the past. Those patients often reported problems with automatic body functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
Dr. Hendrickson and Dr. Oakley examined the cases of more than 400 people through an online survey.
The researchers found that many participants experienced significant changes in their stress-threat response systems. They believe COVID-19 infections may intensify those responses in people with a history of traumatic stress.
However, Hendrickson emphasized that not everyone with long COVID has a history of trauma, and recovery is still possible.
She says the findings could help guide future research and treatment approaches.
“We should be able to think about how stressful events can impact the autonomic nervous system and physical health, and also how they can impact cognition, mood and anxiety — and hold both of these effects as real at the same time,“Hendericks said.
Researchers hope to expand the study to further examine how traumatic stress and infections may affect the body’s stress-response systems.
They hope it will help not only with treating long COVID but also with other post-viral syndromes.
©2026 Cox Media Group
