Did the vaccine cause myocarditis? What can happen that could retire Alphonso Davies

Canadian footballer Alphonso Davies is currently recovering from a coronavirus infection, but all has not gone as well as expected as he will be sidelined indefinitely from Bayern Munich due to myocardial inflammation.

This was announced Friday by Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann during a press conference prior to the match against Cologne, which was won by Bayern Munich 4-0.

"In the examination, we do on every player who has gone through a coronavirus infection we have detected a slight inflammation of the myocardium. He will not be available for the next few weeks because the inflammation has to heal completely," said Nagelsmann.

"The myocarditis is not dramatic but it has to heal and that lasts. We won't be able to count on him for a long time," the coach added. "The fact is that he has it and it sucks," added the German athlete.

The case of Alphonso Davies is not an isolated event; myocarditis is a condition that can affect people of any age, including children.

What is myocarditis?

As described by the specialized medical website Mayoclinic, myocarditis is "inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). The inflammation can reduce the heart's pumping ability and cause rapid or irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)".

Generally, myocarditis is caused by some infection derived from a virus that enters the heart (in Davies' case, it could have been the COVID-19 virus).

"When you have an infection, the body's immune system produces special cells to fight the disease. If the infection affects the heart, the disease-fighting cells enter the heart. However, the chemicals produced by these cells can also damage the heart muscle. As a result, the heart becomes thick, swollen, and weak," explains the MedlinePlus site.

If myocarditis becomes severe, it can weaken the heart, resulting in reduced blood pumping, and the body would not receive proper blood distribution as a result. In other cases, clots may form in the heart and lead to a stroke or heart attack.

Complications that can develop myocarditis

In mild and even moderate cases, the symptoms and repercussions of myocarditis usually disappear without any subsequent complications. However, when it is a severe condition, the heart may be permanently damaged, resulting in conditions such as:

Heart failure

Heart attack or stroke

Rapid or irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

Cardiac arrest

Alphonso Davies presented with Covid-19 myocarditis, or so it is thought, but lately, studies related to the coronavirus vaccine said that the vaccines can also cause myocarditis. As coach Nagelman said, the player will be treated to find everything related to the cardiac problem. The player will have to follow everything the doctors tell him to avoid something more serious that could lead to the aforementioned complications that could lead to his retirement or worse.