Despite ending the Coronavirus US National Emergency, Covid Long Haul Myalgia symptoms persist in millions. Although there is statistical improvement, the CDC reports hundreds of Covid-related deaths and thousands hospitalized weekly.
Covid Long Haulers may suffer from post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), which can require extended periods of recovery.
Clinical Overview: Long Haul Covid Myalgia
Long Haul Covid Myalgia is a condition that causes ongoing pain and weakness after recovering COVID-19. It may be affecting any muscle, making even simple daily activities challenging. In addition, patients may experience persistent fatigue, cognitive impairment, and sleep difficulties post-infection.
To effectively manage symptoms, patients may require a range of treatment options, including medication and physical therapy, to help manage inflammation and improve muscle strength and flexibility. It is crucial for patients to collaborate with healthcare providers to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses their unique needs and challenges. This approach to patient care can help improve quality of life and enable patients to return to their normal activities.
Northwestern launches center for COVID long haulers | Crain’s Chicago Business
Northwestern Medical Long Covid Recovery Center
Northwestern Medicine offers a comprehensive approach to Long Haul Covid recovery through a holistic approach with medication, therapy, nutritional counseling, and rehabilitation. To enhance the quality of life for Long Covid patients and enable them to resume their daily routines is the ultimate objective.
“Finding the path to recovery is difficult and can lead to frustrating and even hopeless moments. It feels like playing “whack-a-mole” with my health care.“
~Dawn C Simmons
My Covid Long Haul Story
May 28, 2020 marked the beginning of my Covid Long Haul Journey. Covid began with a stroke risk, and sudden type 2 diabetes. Despite the challenges, I one of the fortunate millions to have survived persistent COVID-19 symptoms and gone through two rounds of COVID and hundreds of symptoms with no known solution. My body was severely affected by COVID, resulting in 200 hospitalizations in an attempt to avoid succumbing to post-COVID syndrome.
Today, I am embracing positivity and focusing on actively discover solutions to recover from persistent COVID-19 symptoms and regain my freedom. Living with Chronic COVID-19 has been challenging, as I juggle multiple loud, painful, and even life-threatening issues.
Heart and Hypertensive Crisis Self Care
Having faced multiple life-threatening hurdles, I’ve acquired valuable health survival skills, including self-managing hypertensive crisis critical care for conditions like Left Bundle Branch Block, Left and Right Ventricle Hypertrophy heart issues, and Coronary Artery Damage.
With 50 or so trips to the hospital for chest pain and blood pressure in the 200+/100+, I learned to self-manage what the 911 rescue team and ER staff would do. However, I have since discovered that hypertensive and diabetic crises can be induced by pain. Unfortunately, I initially overlooked these events, attributing them solely to heart, blood glucose, and blood pressure issues.
Success over Diabetic Distress
December 2022, on a cold snowy day, I was sweating profusely and my blood glucose level was over 600. Barely able to see through the chest pain, I had to make a 911 emergency call, thinking it was a heart attack, which led to hospitalization.
Avoiding hospitalization due to Diabetic Distress was even more difficult. Emergency room care required continuous glucose monitoring, pain management, IVs, and insulin. Whenever the pain spiked, my blood sugar also rose, and drinking water was not enough to achieve the same effect as the IVs.
Thanks to Northwestern’s Long Covid Endocrinology specialty program, I have learned to manage my blood glucose despite the pain. Learning to manage blood glucose and detect risks has improved my average blood glucose to 123 with 96% of readings in range. This support has helped me understand the importance of awareness and medication use.
Long Haul Covid Myalgia Discovery
Managing Long Haul Covid Myalgia presents a formidable challenge. Despite stable vitals, intensified COVID-19 headaches lead to post-viral fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and myopathic pain. Additionally, impacted cognitive function, rapid heartbeat, shallow breathing, and sleep deprivation persist. During pain surges, my body responds with a bright red flush, which is triggered by the source of these symptoms – pain.
Workday symptoms include migraines, intermittent face and chest flushing, shooting deltoid muscle spasms, shoulder, back neck, and head pain, as well as an odd tingling, itchy sensation in the hand. At night, sleep disruptions occur due to headaches and needle-like shooting pain. Despite the discomfort, I try to focus on work until I can attempt to sleep again.
What’s YOUR story? What’s working for you?
To facilitate Long Covid patient recovery, a data and education-driven approach is essential based on my experience. Combining health, diet, medicine, and modern diagnostics has yielded impressive results and recovery.
Progress is continually being made in developing new knowledge to adapt and enhance treatment, despite Long Covid’s largely unknown nature. We should continue to be a part of the solution and acknowledge the providers who assist patients in managing the complexities of their recovery from Long Covid.
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