There is not much good to say about the Covid pandemic we have lived with for years now. But there is one thing which I think we can welcome. That is the huge amount of research that is going into Long Covid. This is the post-viral syndrome that is affecting large numbers of people who have had Covid. I co-wrote, with Sheila Granger, a book about the syndrome of Long Covid last year Coping with Long Covid. In the book, we detailed the range of symptoms that people are suffering from, what we know about them, and what sufferers could do to alleviate them or to live with them.
Anyone who has studied, or who has suffered from other post-viral syndromes, such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), will notice there are some similarities between these and Long Covid. For too many years people suffering from these syndromes have pleaded for more research and for their symptoms to be taken seriously by all parts of the medical profession. Often this fell on deaf ears.
Since the advent of Long Covid, things have changed. There has been a lot of research just month there was a very important development.
Breathlessness is one of the most common symptoms of Long Covid. Up until now why this was happening has been a mystery as lung tests and scans were not coming up with any evidence which could explain this. Now early research may have found an explanation for this distressing symptom.
It is only a pilot study, involving just 36 patients, so lots of follow-ups will need to be done, but it is still exciting, A team at Oxford University Hospitals has found this is significant. They found lung abnormalities in the microstructure of the lungs in patients who were experiencing breathlessness. This was true even though the standard test had found these patients’ lungs to be normal. It now appears that there is a change in this microstructure or in the mechanism for delivering air to the bloodstream. This means the basic job of the lung, to exchange carbon monoxide for oxygen may be less efficient.
There is a long way to go before this finding leads to a breakthrough in treatment. But if the pandemic has taught us anything it is that our wonderful global scientific community can move fast to come up with solutions.
I will let you know when, and I am sure it is when not if, other breakthroughs in the understanding of Long Covid come on stream. In the meantime, I notice that one of the team which worked on the research said that the rehabilitation which we have already developed can help people. If you have suffered from Long Covid and would like to understand it and how you can help yourself, then I would recommend you get my book. It will aid you in developing a strategy for your own health and give you some ideas about what you can do.
All change with the end of Covid restrictions. What you can do if you are finding this stressful
Being able to go out without a mask, more freedom to travel, seeing relatives in care homes when we want to. . . just some freedoms we now have with the lifting of restrictions. I’m sure most of us will be welcoming them.
We know that lockdowns and restrictions have not been good for our mental health and this is a big step towards a situation where our mental wellbeing should improve.
But I know from my own clients, in my pain psychology and hypnotherapy clinics, which are currently on-line, (but usually in Bedford and Milton Keynes), that some people are finding this change stressful.
One thing we need to guard against is to expect everything to bounce back and for us to return immediately to a pre-Covid life. This is especially true for anyone who suffers from chronic pain. I notice a lot of my clients feel they have forgotten how they used to live life and get the most out of things even with pain.
If chronic pain is caused by something which made them especially vulnerable to Coivd then they feel they are dealing with a continuing level of worry and they feel isolated as the rest of the world seems to have moved on.
I have been talking about some of these issues over on my Facebook page, so pop over there for a reminder about some tried and tested ways to help yourself live with chronic pain.
Here I want to share some of the things I am saying to my clients as they deal with the lifting of restrictions.
- Do not rush
Just because you can do something does not mean you must. Do what you feel comfortable with at first. Make your own assessments and judgments. Speak to your medical team and trusted friends about your risks.
- Be independent
In a way, it is easy when there are restrictions, just find out what you are supposed to do, or not do, and follow the advice. Where there are no restrictions it can be harder to make decisions for yourself. Remember you know yourself best and you probably know a lot about your condition. So do not feel afraid of doing what you know is good for you.
3. Find your experts
If you suffer from a long-term chronic condition then there is almost certainly an organisation that is there to help. Go to its website or give it a call and get advice from the people who are the experts in your particular condition.
- Make friends with uncertainty
In fact, stop calling it uncertainty and call it opportunity. If you are not sure about what to do, then consider all your options and feel pleased they are so much greater than at the height of the pandemic.
- Change your plan now you have more opportunities.
You do not have to do this all at once. Make a list of the things you can now do, take off the things you do not want to do. Incorporate the rest into your life at a pace that feels right for you.
- Be prepared
If you are out and about more then you are more likely to find yourself in situations in which you were not anticipating. This can be fun, but if it is making you nervous then make sure you have planned. Know how you are going to leave an event if it is getting too much. Make sure you tell people what you need to cope with your pain when you are out and about.
I hope it all goes well and see you next month.