The signs and symptoms of Long Covid are many and are not universally defined but they are common and serious enough to draw the attention of medical experts who specialise in researching and treating chronic conditions.
There are many reported “side effects” post Covid-19 and they vary widely with some of these ongoing from the initial infection, e.g. the on-going loss of taste and smell which can then take months to return to normal, a lack of energy and there are entirely new symptoms that have occurred a few weeks or months later….like numbness and tingling in the feet, newly developed auto-immune conditions, and some involving internal organs e.g. scarring in the lungs, heart damage, newly failing kidneys, abnormal blood clotting. Plus, and most commonly, people have suffered from fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, brain fog and breathing difficulties. The symptoms I mention here are only a few compared to the many reported.
It is with the commonly reported long covid symptoms - fatigue, weakness, lack of sleep, muscle pain, brain fog and breathing difficulties, that Massage Therapy can offer safe and effective benefits.
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Long Covid:
The hands-on Massage and Myofascial Release techniques I use are well known for offering a relaxing, safe and supportive environment plus post Covid-19 treatments can help with:Musculoskeletal pain and deconditioning - this might be joint stiffness, muscle weakness and numbness, perhaps from lack of movement, weakness or sensitisation of the nervous system and can be helped by hands-on treatment of the soft tissues to relieve pain, encourage movement by incorporating muscle and joint activation, strength and stretch treatment, plus rehab self-care exercises.
Breathing restrictions - your body maybe recovering from scarring and inflammation in the lungs and can be helped by treatment of the respiratory muscles, including the diaphragam (our main abdominal breathing muscle) and retraining the muscles with hands-on cues and breathing exercises, plus rehab self-care breathing exercises.
Fatigue, Sleep problems - treating and massaging the whole body, the power of touch helps restore hormonal balance promoting the release of serotonin (our happy hormone) and dopamine (a neurotransmitter for how we feel pleasure and brain performance) and decreasing the levels of cortisol (our stress hormone) plus massage helps build immunity increasing our T-cell levels.
Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress - the same reasoning for fatigue, plus relaxing and nurturing in a giving environment with time to rest both physically and emotionally.
Encouraging Movement and Physical Activity - hands-on treatment enables us to feel and get back in tune with our body and so we can encourage greater confidence in movement. We can discuss and try rehab exercises for you to practice at home with the aim of rebuilding fitness and strength.
Please do contact me to discuss how you are feeling and how I can help.
Nicky Holbrook
Sport Massage & Remedial Soft Tissue Therapist
nicky@nickysportsmassage.co.uk