Nutrition

How long does the post COVID effects last?

Most patients recover in a period of 6 weeks. However, patients falling in the categories below take a longer time—about 6 months—for complete recovery. These have the higher need to undergo COVID Rehab.

1. Patients with pulmonary fibrosis: It is seen that lung problems in COVID patients take a longer time to get cured. As such, these need a prolonged care by the health experts. They often reapproach the doctor with lung problems.
2. Patients admitted in ICU for a long time: Patients staying in ICU for many days need to undergo COVID Rehab. Patients often tend to feel depressed and anxious without the presence of relatives around during isolation in ICU. These patients often need to be the part of COVID Rehab.
3. Patients put on ventilator: Crucially ill patients are provided with mechanical ventilators to push air into the lungs. These patients have chances of facing ongoing breathing problems even in future. These patients should be the part of COVID Rehab as it is likely that they need more counselling and assurance from experts.
4. Patients with blood clot: Blood clots are a major problem in severe COVID-19 patients. While, clotting is normally a good thing, clots in brain, heart, lungs and hands make the case critical. In some cases, it leads to gangrene. These patients require an exclusive supervision.

Importance of COVID Rehabilitation

Patients often undergo a phycological trauma once they are attacked by COVID. Weakness is one of the major side-effects. The loss of strength in muscles takes a toll on patient’s mindset.

COVID Rehabilitation treats 4 major aspects of post recovery stage.

1. Psychological aspect: These patients are treated through psychotherapy. It is a talk therapy that helps people with variety of emotional and mental troubles.
2. Physical aspect: These are treated via physiotherapy. The trained experts guide the patients about movement and exercise to enable better mobilization. This helps people affected by illness, disability, and injury.
3. Nutritional aspect: Guidelines are laid with respect to what exactly a patient can eat. Often, a healthy diet is recommended for a long-term period.
4. Medication aspect: COVID Rehab programs suggest the medication for a patient depending on the type of illness they had faced during COVID.

How long should U undergo the rehab program?

The duration of ‘Rehab program’ depends on the type of illness one had. Mild illness, often, does not require rehab as it can be solved via counselling. Regular counselling for about 1-2 months is sufficient in those cases.

Others who undergo lung damage, ICU admissions will need to take up rehab for about 6-12months.

The intensity of the rehab program is another important aspect a patient should consider—whether it is twice or twice a week and so on.