The COVID-19 virus has created a global major health crisis. Sadly, an extraordinary number of people have died from complications associated with COVID virus infections. But what is perhaps less known, is the number of survivors suffering from persistent post-COVID symptoms. This post-COVID syndrome can include fatigue, myalgia, fever, or inability to concentrate. If this describes you, you may be a candidate for post-COVID rehabilitation at High Definition Physical Therapy, here, in Englewood, CO.
According to wsj.com, some of the medical community has adopted the terms “long-haulers” or “long COVID” to describe patients experiencing long-term coronavirus effects. For some, the symptoms appear immediately. For others, the symptoms might surface months after recovering from Covid-19. In some cases, the symptoms eventually went away on their own. For others, the symptoms are chronic and debilitating.
‘Long-Hauler’: When Covid-19’s Symptoms Last and Last
Fortunately, at HDPT, we have developed ground-breaking vestibular rehabilitation programs to help with these impairments. We’re confident our programs can also be effective in aiding post-COVID recovery. This gives long-haulers a chance to return to full, optimal health.
Have you had coronavirus and continue to suffer from post-COVID symptoms? Contact us at HDPT to schedule a free consultation. During your consultation, we can assess your symptoms and recommend a vestibular rehabilitation plan to help you get symptom-free.
The Role of Physical Therapy for Post-COVID Syndrome Recovery
More and more COVID survivors are experiencing post-COVID symptoms. These symptoms are largely similar to brain injuries. Watch the video below to learn the role of PT in treating post-COVID symptoms:
Keep reading about how COVID affects the brain and how brain rehab might help …
Symptoms
Even though the COVID virus is still fairly new, the medical community has been able to collect a fair amount of data on COVID’s effect on the brain. Reported neurological impairments associated with COVID include:
- brain fog
- memory loss
- anxiety
- depression
- inattention
Notably, these symptoms are affecting patients of all ages, not just the elderly. For many of the patients, they’ve never experienced such symptoms prior to their COVID infection. This is similar to symptom reports of prior viral outbreaks such as MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, H1N1, Spanish Flu, and Ebola.
How COVID Affects the Brain
Although rare, when a virus invades a patient, it can enter the brain. This stimulates the brain’s immune response causing inflammation. This is called encephalitis. But, more commonly, the coronavirus will attack neurons – cells throughout the body responsible for cognitive function. When your immune system is triggered, it can cause inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can lead to the development of blood clots in the circulatory system. In turn, the clots can restrict the flow of oxygen to vital organs. In worst case scenarios, clots can lead to strokes.
Next, in addition to restricted oxygen supply, inflammation caused by COVID can also harm the ‘blood-brain barrier.’ This is a protective coating around the brain. It keeps toxins and pathogens from reaching the brain. When this coating is compromised, the brain is vulnerable and the patient begins to experience adverse neurological symptoms.
Finally, COVID can attack the olfactory system – your sense of taste and smell. This further compounds the neurological symptoms long-haul patients are experiencing.
The Science Behind How the Coronavirus Affects the Brain (Video)
How Vestibular Rehab Works
If you are suffering from chronic neurological symptoms as a result of a prior COVID infection, it’s possible part of your brain is not working as it should. And if the symptoms are not going away or getting worse, we need to do more than self-care and rest to heal the brain. We can achieve this with vestibular rehabilitation, or brain rehabilitation.
The aim of rehabilitation at HDPT is to stimulate the vestibular system. By stimulating the vestibular system, we are able to help the brain heal itself. We call this neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity gives us an opportunity to treat patients with neural deficiencies without the need for medications or surgery. The recovery time frame for this is weeks to months, not years.
Learn more about MARS/Gyrostim: our ground-breaking brain rehabilitation program at High Definition Physical Therapy:
Schedule a Free Post-COVID Rehabilitation Consultation
If you think you are suffering from post-COVID syndrome, contact HDPT to schedule a free consultation. Please contact your insurance provider for coverage details. If you don’t have insurance, contact our office and we can guide you through patient payment options. But most importantly, don’t delay getting help. Talking with one of our vestibular rehabilitation specialists at HDPT is the first step to your post-COVID recovery.