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Long COVID – Symptoms and Relief

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Long COVID

Symptoms and Relief

Many people have experienced or are experiencing symptoms of “long COVID”. The Mayo Clinic explains that the long-term symptoms of the coronavirus impacts 1 in 5 people and may include the following physical ailments:

  • fatigue
  • fever
  • shortness of breath
  • cough
  • joint and muscle pain
  • heart-related symptoms
  • digestive issues
  • blood clots
  • changes in menstrual cycle
  • neurological symptoms

The neurological symptoms may include difficulty thinking or concentrating, headache, sleep problems, dizziness, pins-and-needles feeling, loss of smell or taste, depression, and anxiety (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022).

While there is not yet a comprehensive understanding of why these post-COVID symptoms exist, there are studies being conducted to find alternative solutions. Orendáčová et al. (2022) conducted a pilot study determining the impact of neurofeedback therapy on post-COVID neurological symptoms. This study found a positive correlation between using neurofeedback’s Othmer method to decrease the symptoms of anxiety, fatigue and depression (Orendáčová et al., 2022).

Neurofeedback is a safe and effective way to help target the unwanted, long-term symptoms resulting post-COVID.  For more information on scheduling, please visit indyneurofeedback.com.

References

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, June 28). Covid-19: Long-term effects. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351

Orendáčová, M., Kvašňák, E., & Vránová, J. (2022). Effect of neurofeedback therapy on neurological post-COVID-19 complications (A pilot study). PloS one, 17(7), e0271350. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271350

Does depression affect men & women differently?

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Absolutely! In fact, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), men and women often experience depression differently. Interestingly, while depression and pain affect men and women in almost equal numbers, symptoms are likely to differ.

Depressed men are more likely to feel angry, irritable, and frustrated, and often have sleep problems. Men may focus excessively on work to avoid talking about how they feel. They may behave recklessly or abusively, or use drugs or alcohol as ‘self-medication’.

Women more often report feeling sad, guilty, or worthless when they are depressed. More women than men attempt suicide, but men are more likely to succeed (almost four times as often).

Some symptoms of depression in men may include:

  • Anger, irritability, and impatience or overreaction to small things.
  • Inability to concentrate, forgetfulness or trouble making decisions.
  • Isolation, with slow or sudden withdrawal from friends and family.
  • Substance abuse. Drug or alcohol problems often hide an underlying problem with depression.

Women who are depressed may exhibit any of the above symptoms, as well as:

  • Sleep problems, either sleeping too much or not enough, or finding it hard to get up in the morning.
  • Anxiety and/or worry, restlessness, and tension.
  • Inability to concentrate, forgetfulness or trouble making decisions.
  • Appetite changes, either overeating to feel better, or losing one’s appetite altogether.
  • Crying over small things or about nothing at all.

Both male and female clients of INDY Neurofeedback frequently report recurring pain that doesn’t seem to respond to treatment. That can be an early warning sign, because we know that some feelings of pain can be a symptom of depression. INDY Neurofeedback has proven non-medical ways of helping those with pain and depression to recognize ways of retraining their brain to reprocess pain pathways and often finding new relief.

Whether you’re male or female, if it’s depression that is the cause of the pain, or just one contributing factor, knowing the facts is the first step in the process of finding relief!