I know we’re all tired of hearing about the big “C” word…who isn’t. Life changed about two years ago and, even as we struggle to pry back normalcy in our lives, we are confronted with some of the fall-out from the pandemic. Some of those most affected by the pandemic are those known as “long-haulers”, or those who are in for a “long-haul” on their road to recovery. I wrote an article about rehab & therapy treatment options for patient experiencing long-haul covid symptoms here. But, things keep changing, and research keeps getting published that changes our view and understanding of the disease and those who will experience its effects for some time to come.

I was recently interviewed for a piece by Massage Magazine about long-haul covid. In the article, I discuss some of what we do know about pain, fatigue, and other symptoms that people experience with long-haul covid.

Here’s an excerpt:

Often long-haulers’ fatigue and pain can be on par with that experienced by people with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, Rafael Salazar, MHS, OTR/L, CEO and president of ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness in Augusta, Georgia, told MASSAGE Magazine. Pain can be so intense, said Salazar, that patients can’t even tolerate being in a swimming pool or taking a shower; fatigue can leave sufferers unable to get out of bed.

…

Clinical observation suggests long-haul symptoms could even persist over a course of years, said Salazar. “One to two years post-infection, some of these people could still have decreased physical function and memory impairment,” he noted. They can also develop long-term psychological issues as a result of having had the disease, such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental conditions.

In extreme cases, such conditions can even interfere with treatment for long COVID problems. For example, Salazar has encountered patients “who’ve had debilitating anxiety, unable to make appointments, to maintain employment, to follow up with health care providers because of the anxiety that they’re having.”

You can read the full article here.

If you or a family member is experiencing some of the symptoms associated with long-haul covid-19, book an appointment with one of our team members today.