11 March 2023 , 10:00
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The lasting effects of the Covid 19 pandemic are unfortunately still very much with us.
And while many people bounce back from the virus in just a week or two, there are around two million of us in the UK that have experienced Long Covid or post-Covid syndrome.
Many sufferers have symptoms that can last weeks, months and even years, with experts still monitoring the precise after-effects.
Perhaps the most common symptom of Long Covid is an on-going feeling of breathlessness.
Last year, a survey by online symptom checker Healthily found 48.5 per cent of long Covid patients were experiencing respiratory issues such as breathlessness and a cough.
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Fatigue, low mood, brain fog and low sex drive were also reported among the thousand women respondents.
Professor Maureen Baker, from Healthily, said: “All of these symptoms can be debilitating and affect your daily life especially if you have multiple symptoms, and it can take weeks or months, or sometimes years to recover.”
In an effort to help ease the breathlessness of long Covid, Healthily has shared five techniques you can use at home:
Practise controlled breathing
“This can help you to relax and control your breathing,” it says.
Do this with the following steps:
- Begin by sitting in a supported, comfortable position
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your tummy
- Shut your eyes and focus on your breathing
- Slowly breathe in through your nose (or mouth if you can’t), then out through your mouth – you should feel the hand on your tummy move more than the hand on your chest as you breathe.
Healthily adds: “Try to use as little effort as possible and make your breaths slow and smooth.”
Practising controlled breathing can help you to relax and regain a sense of control. (scu)Discover paced breathing
It says: “This is useful for activities that might make you breathless, such as climbing the stairs.”
The following techniques can help:
- Think about breaking the activity down into smaller parts (such as stopping halfway) to make it easier to carry out without getting tired or breathless
- Breathe in before you make the effort of the activity – before you climb up a step
- Breathe out while making the effort – climbing up a step
- Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth may also be useful.
Positions that can help ease breathlessness
These include:
- Lying on your stomach
- Lying on your side with your knees slightly bent and your head and neck supported by pillows
- Sitting at a table and leaning forward from your waist, with your head and neck resting on pillows.
Breathe a rectangle
Healthily explains: “Look for a rectangle shape, such as a door or a window frame.
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“Then follow the sides of the rectangle with your eyes as you breathe in and out.
“You should gradually slow down the speed so that your eyes move around the rectangle, pausing at each corner.”
Cooling the face
It adds: “Wipe a cold flannel over your nose and upper cheeks.
“Cooling your face around your nose can help to reduce feelings of breathlessness.”
Other symptoms of long Covid include:
Muscle aches
- Loss of smell
- Chest pain or tightness
Dizziness
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Heart palpitations
Depression and anxiety
- Pins and needles
- Joint pain
- Tinnitus, earaches
- Feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
- A high temperature, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
- Rashes.
If you think you have long Covid see your GP for advice on easing the symptoms.
They might also be able to refer you to an appropriate specialist or clinic.
What does the NHS say?
The health body says that recovering from long Covid can vary a lot, with some symptoms improving quickly and others lasting longer.
The NHS says the chances of having long-term symptoms does not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get Covid.
People who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems.
For more information on how the NHS can help you recover from Covid, click