What Are Potential Long-Term Effects of COVID-19?
Angela Ferrara, SLP, reports that patients are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, difficulties with concentration, chronic headaches, and prolonged loss of smell and taste after having COVID-19. While not the norm, some individuals have struggled with chest pain, labored breathing, and joint and muscle pain.
If these physical effects weren’t challenging enough, there’s also a mental and emotional component. “People are reporting increased levels of depression or anxiety. Some are experiencing brain fog when starting to go back to doing things they did before they got sick. But, they’re really struggling with staying focused or problem-solving as quickly or as efficiently,” explains Melissa Arasz, SLP.
The degree of lingering symptoms appears to be highly variable. And, it’s not just occurring among people who were critically ill. “We’re also seeing this happen with people who have had more mild symptoms and who were able to recover at home,” adds Arasz.
A Multi-Care Approach for COVID-19 Recovery
The first step individuals can take in resolving post-COVID issues is to reach out to their primary care physician. If needed, they can then go forward and seek rehabilitation through physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Specifically, these three areas can help in different ways.
1) Physical therapy involves assessing one’s ability to safely and efficiently get around, with good balance. Therapists look at strength and endurance, as well as what might be contributing to fatigue.
2) Occupational therapy focuses on one’s daily life—such as how well you’re able to perform activities like getting dressed, making meals, cleaning, or doing laundry. “All of those things you were doing independently before, and may still be doing independently, but are experiencing some factors that are impacting your ability to do it as well as you did before,” notes Ferrara.
3) Speech therapy analyzes one’s ability to perform certain cognitive functions (organizing appointments, remembering to take medications). Therapists also address any voice changes and potentially swallowing issues that may have occurred from COVID-19.
An initial evaluation also includes discussing a patient’s goals—both short- and long-term—in order to design the best treatment plan to achieve them. Frequency and duration of therapy factors in to this plan, as well as certain exercises patients can do at home. “Even when they’re not coming in for their appointments, the home programming really helps people reach optimal outcomes,” shares Arasz.
Support groups and psychological counseling are available for those who are facing mental or emotional health challenges. And, the rehabilitation network can also extend care to patients who require follow-up care related to respiratory, heart, kidney, or brain health.
A Partner in Recovery, from Beginning to End
One word has often been used to describe COVID-19: unprecedented. While paralyzing at first, Arasz and Ferrara both have a sense of pride in how the entire University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) Rehabilitation Network responded from the outset.
“We were really passionate about what we were experiencing at the beginning, which was just so new and a little bit overwhelming. We were fighting this virus, but things were changing on a day-to-day basis. To see such wonderful outcomes at the end and feeling that success as a team—and seeing our patients survive—it has been a very impactful experience. For any patients still experiencing issues with this virus, we can support you. We want to support you through this whole recovery process, from beginning to end,” assures Ferrara.
Protect yourself from COVID-19
Even if you have had COVID-19, you still need to be diligent to protect yourself and others.
Learn more from the University of Maryland Medical System.
Listen to the Podcast
To listen to an in-depth conversation on this topic with Melissa Arasz and Angela Ferrara, speech pathologists with the University of Maryland Rehabilitation Network, play below or follow this link: https://radiomd.com/umms/item/45163
