Rehab treatment significant for long COVID, say docs

Doctors at HAMSA Rehab say almost 50 per cent of those who stay in a hospital or in an ICU for a long period are known to have complications for up to one year after recovery from COVID-19. Patients usually experience symptoms such as body ache, headache and joint pain and brain fog that affected sleep, memory and concentration. “We found that those patients affected with severe COVID and hospitalised for a long duration required rehabilitation to recover completely. People who have pre-existing medical issues like obesity, multiple organ involvement, those who have a prolonged stay in ICU or a hospital or under mechanical ventilation, may develop consequences in terms of physical, psychological and cognitive disability,” explains Dr G Balamurali, Head of Department Spine Surgery, Kauvery Hospital and Managing Director, HAMSA Rehab.

Santhosh Rajan, a 38-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, with the infection involving 80 per cent of the lungs. With continuous treatment and rehabilitation that were provided, he is now able to breathe without the help of oxygen cylinders.

“We observed that rehabilitation therapies helped. He was given breathing exercises thrice a day and his breathing patterns monitored. The blood oxygen levels after rehabilitation improved,,” added Dr Balamurali.