The deadly coronavirus can affect our bodies in several ways. Most people who suffered from this virus experienced mild or moderate illness and were able to recover from it without much medical treatment. However, 14% of people who suffered from this illness have been reported to develop severe other complications that last for weeks or even months.
There are numerous cognitive, physical, and pulmonary effects of covid-19. Even after recovering from Covid-19, many people continue to suffer from its long-term effect. People who belong to the above-mentioned group might need Covid-19 rehabilitation to completely recover from the virus
A variety of conditions can emerge after recovering from covid19. Survivors may need help from various specialists including rehabilitation psychologists, physical therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists in most cases.
Some of the After Effects of Covid-19
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the following difficulties may emerge due to Covid19:
- Lung damage
- Muscle and joint pain
- Heart damage or inflammation
- Pulmonary embolism
- Depression, anxiety, and trauma
- Chronic Fatigue
- Blood clotting
In this article, we will further discuss various types of rehabilitation that can help people to recover from Covid-19 and its long-term effects.
People who suffer serious symptoms may need the support of the following rehabilitation to recover. This may include the following.
- Physical Therapy
- Cognitive rehabilitation
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- Mental Health support
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy for Covid-19 patients emphasizes improving respiratory function by optimizing oxygenation and reducing respiratory efforts. The most common symptoms in people who were hospitalized for Covid-19 include cough, fever, muscle aches, shortness of breath, headaches, chest pain, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea.
A physical therapist can help you teach techniques to improve your respiratory problems. They also play a crucial role for hospitalized patients in the early stages of illness. They will also help minimize the negative effects of immobility during hospitalization.
Physical therapists will teach them exercises to increase their muscle strength and promote physical movement to keep the patient active. These types of exercises will also minimize musculoskeletal complications.
Some objectives of physiotherapy for rapid recovery of covid 19 patients are listed below.
- Balance improvement
- Improvement in physical condition
- Increasing muscle strength
- Increase energy level
- Improvement of focus capacity etc.
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Cognitive dysfunction in Covid-19 patients includes problems with immediate memory, processing speed, executive functioning difficulties, and attention. Even patients who have mild or moderate diseases were found to have some of the above-mentioned cognitive deficits.
Cognitive rehabilitation therapy can help patients practice certain thinking patterns and behaviors to strengthen their cognitive abilities. These practices can involve the following:
- Speech therapy
- Memory training
- Mental exercises
- Psychological support for patients who feel disoriented
Cognitive rehabilitation helps to improve and restore the cognitive functioning of the patient. The objective of cognitive rehabilitation for Covid-19 patients is to regain their earlier brain capacity. Also, to maximize the degree of independence and autonomy of the person, spaced recovery, and visualization. All these objectives will help them to get back to their normal life.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Post-Covid-19 functional impairments can affect the ability of an individual to perform activities in daily life, alter professional performance, reduce functionality, and hinder social interaction.
Along with the disease, prolonged hospitalization can cause deleterious effects. Along with other organs, our lungs can be seriously affected by Covid19. These effects can be severe in people with existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The main objective of pulmonary rehabilitation is to:
- Improve lungs capacity
- Reduce shortness of breath
- Lowering the effect of respiratory symptoms on mental health
- Regulating any respiratory complications.
Pulmonary rehabilitation also helps in strengthening muscles and their endurance. And help patients to be more active in their daily life without any breathing trouble.
Mental Health Support
Several people who have experienced Covid-19 have reported experiencing mental struggles. Just like physical issues, Covid-19 has also caused serious damage to the mental health of millions of people.
Major mental health issues that have been reported in various people during covid19 were anxiety, stress, depression, anger issues, insomnia, and fear.
If not treated timely these can turn into much more serious mental issues in the future. Providing proper mental health support to those who suffer from these problems can help them recover gradually.
There are various treatments and therapies available for depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, and other mental health conditions that may arise due to covid19.
People who suffer from these conditions can attend therapy sessions, and also they can attend support groups for particular conditions. They can even engage in activities that ease stress and anxiety such as yoga and mindfulness. Engaging in these activities will certainly help them to a great extent to survive these mental health issues.
Wrapping Up
It is important to understand that Covid-19 affects everyone differently. There are various problems this virus leaves behind and complete recovery from Covid-19 can be a complex process. This is where our Covid-19 rehabilitation program can help you.
The experienced and skilled respiratory physiotherapists, Physical therapists, and psychologists at Entrust Care could all help people who have survived Covid-19 to regain function and improve their quality of life.