Restriction of lung function, lung scarring or embolism. COVID-19 can leave all these long-term effects. In the Czech Republic, specialised clinics have already been set up in which doctors are able to objectively monitor "long covid", as postcovid syndrome is also known, thanks to modern methods.
According to experts, patients who have undergone covid most often complain of fatigue, shortness of breath, cough lasting for weeks after the illness, constantly returning temperature, insomnia, joint and muscle pain or headache. "Postcovid syndrome occurs in various types of patients, regardless of the stage or severity of acute covid," says Markéta Veverková, MD, head of the internal medicine department at the Hořovice Hospital.
At the Beroun Rehabilitation Hospital, interested persons can attend special exercises aimed at relieving patients of their health problems. "If the patient has a milder course of the disease, which is usually fatigue, reduced fitness, headaches or muscle pain, he or she can rehabilitate in an outpatient form and we try to increase fitness," explains Milena Kolářová, M.D., head of the department of medical and rehabilitation care.
The time from the onset of infection to the outbreak of post-covid syndrome is given as around twelve weeks. Sometimes the problems disappear completely, but then suddenly reappear. "In the more severe form it is more problematic because patients who have had artificial lung ventilation have complications. The worst is the polyneuropathy of the clinically ill, the significant weakening of the lower limbs, the inability to verticalize," he summarizes.
The hospital then teaches these patients to sit and stand. "The basis is individual physiotherapy, gait training, and a gradual increase in fitness," explains the head nurse. In the case of breathlessness, breathing rehabilitation helps. Hydrotherapy can also be used.
Rehabilitation also helps people after a severe course of covid
The rehabilitation facility specialises in various methods and also stages of post-covid syndrome. You can attend on an outpatient basis, but longer stays are also possible. It all depends on the severity of the patient's problems. The program is usually three weeks, the patient either goes home or continues with follow-up rehabilitation. The outpatient program can last from three weeks to three months, but there it is also about home exercise.
Doctors can get rid of problems even after patients have had a more severe course of covid. "We had a gentleman who came in practically lying down and left with almost no aids - just a cane. At the same time, he left with a strong recommendation that he must exercise daily and change his overall lifestyle, follow the exercise and nutritional recommendations," says MUDr. Kolářová.
And there are more cases like this. Pulmonologists who deal with post-covid syndrome estimate that up to 10 percent of patients may have persistent difficulties. Before entering rehab, you'll undergo a screening that will give your doctor a clue as to what condition you're in after undergoing covid-19. Once your condition has been evaluated, the actual rehabilitation can begin.
Patients are cared for by a team of qualified healthcare professionals - from rehabilitation doctors to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, clinical speech therapists and clinical psychologists. Recovery from a covid-19 often takes weeks, so it's not advisable to jump straight into a full work or training regime. Take care and if you are experiencing symptoms of post-covid syndrome, try to resolve them, not suppress them. The solution is not easy or quick, but it is effective.
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