If you’ve been struggling with the aftermath of COVID-19 for months, you’re not alone. Long COVID, also known as post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, affects a significant portion of people who have had the virus. The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve your chances of recovery.
The ATUNE Long COVID Clinic has developed a four-principle approach to helping people like you get back to their former selves.
- Limited time for action: The longer you wait to address long COVID, the harder it can be to recover. Your metabolism and immune and nervous systems can become accustomed to being out of balance, making it difficult to get back on track. That’s why it’s important to start treatment as soon as possible. Initial treatments are designed to require minimal effort on your part but still get you on the path to recovery.
- Individualisation: Everyone’s symptoms are different, so a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work for everyone. At ATUNE, we use the Symptom Burden Questionnaire to create an individualized treatment plan that takes into account your specific issues and tracks your progress. This allows us to adjust the plan if progress is slow.
- Integrated rehabilitation: Long COVID affects multiple body systems, so it’s likely you’ll need a combination of treatment modalities to recover. ATUNE’s long COVID team includes physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, psychologists, a dietitian, and practitioners of the Perrin Technique (an osteopathy technique used for chronic fatigue). These therapies can take months to show improvement, but you will accelerate your recovery by combining therapies, including those offered by ATUNE’s complementary team.
- Complementary therapy integration: ATUNE also offers therapies that are less commonly used in long COVID clinics but have quick, system-wide effects. These include naturopathy, breathing therapy, and thermotherapy. By starting with these therapies, you can create the foundation for your rehabilitation and conserve your energy at the same time.
By following these four principles in an integrated approach, you can increase your chances of a quick recovery from long COVID. If you’re struggling with the aftermath of COVID-19, don’t hesitate to seek help. The sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of getting back to your normal self.
Bruce Thompson is a qualified Physiotherapist who has been using and teaching thermotherapy for over 40 years. Bruce is now the thermotherapy consultant at ATUNE Health Centres in Cardiff, NSW, Australia
Call 02 4954 4511 to make an appointment with Bruce and join the ATUNE Long COVID Clinic.
