Long Covid in therapy - still relevant, still challenging

The acute pandemic is over - but for many patients, corona is far from over. Tiredness, shortness of breath, concentration problems, palpitations, pain, hypersensitivity - all of this remains. Sometimes subtle, sometimes paralyzing.

Long Covid is no longer a temporary phenomenon, but a chronic challenge - for those affected as well as for us therapists.

What is Long Covid?

Long Covid refers to persistent or newly occurring symptoms more than four weeks after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The symptoms are varied - and often difficult to pinpoint.

Typical are:

• Fatigue and exhaustion, often with post-exertional malaise (PEM)

• Breathing problems, shortness of breath, thoracic tightness

• Concentration and memory disorders ("brain fog")

• Muscle pain, joint pain, diffuse pain syndromes

• Vegetative complaints: Heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness

• Sleep disorders, sensitivity to stimuli, anxiety

What makes the whole thing so complex is that many parameters are inconspicuous. The function is disturbed, not the structure.

What can we do therapeutically?

Long Covid is not a classic rehab indication. It is a complex systemic process - neurological, vegetative, immunological. And this is precisely where our approach lies:

• Promoting regulation instead of demanding performance

• Dosing movement instead of testing function

• Creating understanding instead of forcing activity

Therapeutic focus:

• Respiratory therapy and breathing awareness for dyspnea, tightness and hyperventilation

• Pacing and energy titration - especially for fatigue and PEM

• Body awareness and vagal regulation for vegetative stability

• Manual techniques to regulate tension in the diaphragm, thorax and cervical spine area

• Psychophysical support, also for anxiety, excessive demands and social withdrawal

Posture is therapy

Long Covid requires not only specialist knowledge, but also a therapeutic attitude:

• Patience instead of actionism

• Listening instead of "training away"

• Security instead of standard protocols

What do those affected most often describe? That they were not taken seriously. That's exactly where we can start.

Conclusion:
Long Covid is not a fad - nor is it an overreaction. It is a real, multi-layered complaint that requires long-term support. With open ears, a good understanding of the body and a nervous system that can feel safe with us.

📅 Want to learn more about holistic pain and systems therapy?

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www.hockenholz.com/webinare