Long Covid. It's a real thing.

If you’ve recently been experiencing symptoms such as increased heart rate, dizziness, brain fog, or shortness of breath, you’re not alone.

​​If you’ve had Covid, you may be a “long hauler” to what is known as Long Covid. Long haulers appear to be in a state of dysautonomia and may experience a variety of symptoms such as vertigo, low blood pressure, migraines, and difficulties breathing, just to name a few.

• What is Dysautonomia?

Dysautonomia refers to a group of medical conditions caused by problems with the autonomic nervous system or ANS. The ANS is the part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary functions such as breathing, heartbeats, and digestion.

There are many possible symptoms of dysautonomia, depending on the cause and which part of the ANS has been affected. Some symptoms can be profound such as irregular heartbeats and fainting, while other symptoms such as heavy sweating and mood swings may be easily overlooked. Because of this, people with dysautonomia are frequently misdiagnosed.

• How we can help.

ITW is working with other medical professionals to address the symptoms of patients with Long Covid. Our team has unique skills for treating complex conditions and we are putting these to use in finding solutions to this new condition.
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As always, Innovative Therapy & Wellness does not have a one size fits all in their treatment approach. Each patient will have a treatment plan and goals specifically tailored to them by the team member specializing in their specific symptoms. Your specific treatment may include some of the following:

1. SPECIFIC BREATHING EXERCISES
In order to help combat decreased endurance or fatigue, we must first address the nervous system prior to beginning traditional therapy. If not, we may in fact digress instead of making forward progress in our health and tolerance.
 
Mt. Sinai, the country’s best long covid clinic, shows in their most up-to-date research that the first step to recovery is breathwork to help retrain breathing patterns using the right muscles. Many symptoms present themselves due to the respiratory system not properly functioning. Patients with Long Covid typically breathe through the mouth and upper chest. However, proper breathing should take place through the nose and deep in the chest using the diaphragm.

2. FASCIAL MANIPULATION
Our therapists are trained directly from Italy using the Stecco fascial manipulation technique. This cutting edge form of manual therapy identifies abnormal densifications within perimuscular connective tissues known as “fascia”. This treatment will address any restrictions in the head, neck, chest, and abdomen which may affect normal breathing patterns.

3. NUTRITIONAL CONSULTATION
Proper nutrition is key to a healthy lifestyle.  Nutrition can make a big difference in any post viral recovery by helping to support the areas that have been most impacted by the virus. In long covid this would include reduction of inflammation and fueling to beat fatigue. Our expert nutritionist uses a variety of tools to develop a plan specific to each patient to include a nutrient-dense, whole food diet, and sensible life changes.

4. THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE
Therapeutic exercise is no doubt an important component of overall well-being. However, it can be particularly challenging for the person experiencing dysautonomia. Therapists must understand how exercise can affect a person with dysautonomia and what strategies can be incorporated in order to make for a successful session.​

Because dysautonomia may reject normal exercise and activity levels, reintroduction of simple movements and exercise is the initial focus. This may include performing movements such as:

• Exercising while lying down versus standing up on a day that is more symptomatic
• Squeezing muscles isometrically before changing positions
• Wearing a heart rate monitor

Once a baseline tolerance is achieved, patients will progress with more specific exercises based on their individual goals. This includes working toward returning to their previous level of activity (sports, hiking, dog walking, etc.), as well as focusing on regaining their strength, endurance, and balance. 

For more information or to schedule your appointment, call (757) 486-8663 today!