Breaking the Chains of Post-COVID Fatigue: How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Helps You Get Your Life Back

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have struggled with the aftereffects of the virus. Post-COVID fatigue is a condition characterized by nearly constant exhaustion and low energy levels, and it can affect people for a long time. 

Fatigue is a common symptom of the COVID-19 virus. It can be more severe and last longer than the tiredness frequently experienced with other common or seasonal illnesses. While fatigue typically goes away after three weeks, some people experience feeling dull, tired, or drained for far longer periods of time.

If you’re living with post-COVID fatigue, you may have tried many different things to boost energy levels and start feeling like yourself again. Some remedies may seem to relieve the fatigue, only to stop working after a while. 

Fortunately, there’s hope in a promising solution: hyperbaric oxygen therapy. 

The Nightmare of Post-COVID Fatigue and Exhaustion

Dealing with extreme fatigue post-COVID is far from easy. Months after their initial infection with the virus, long-haulers may still wake up feeling as though they haven’t slept at all, and can’t seem to find the same energy they once had to make it through the day. At times, the exhaustion may seem never ending. 

Post-COVID fatigue is more than just constant tiredness. Researchers have defined the condition as a “decrease in physical and/or mental performance” because of the COVID-19 virus. 

Long COVID fatigue is also associated with other symptoms, including: 

• Brain fog
• Cognitive impairments
• Reduced interest in relationships or activities
• Difficulty concentrating
• Insomnia and sleep disturbances
• Problems with memory
• Joint pain

Just as the virus does, fatigue related to long COVID affects a wide variety of people. Men and women of all ages can experience long-haul COVID. And while it’s not as common in children as adults, sudden extreme fatigue in pediatric COVID cases is possible. Research has found that “children may experience similar long COVID symptoms to adults.”

What Are the Causes of Post-COVID Fatigue? 

The reasons behind post-COVID fatigue vary. However it’s likely that, most of the symptoms come from the body’s reaction to the virus. While the immune system is activated, it releases cytokines, which “promote inflammation and cause many of the classic symptoms of post-COVID fatigue (tiredness, aches and pains, malaise).” 

These symptoms present various challenges. The impact of post-COVID fatigue on mental health and emotional well-being can make it difficult to complete daily tasks. Ultimately, it’s difficult to stay motivated when you feel tired all the time. 

This has a strong emotional impact. Individuals living with Long COVID syndrome often feel frustrated and are strongly determined to find a solution. 

When attorney and law firm COO Josh W. developed COVID pneumonia in 2021, it was only the beginning of his struggles. He suffered from excruciating nerve pain and other symptoms that left him unable to work for more than a few hours a day and distanced him from his family. He searched for months to find an effective treatment option for his symptoms. Now, he’s back on his “A-Game” at work and at home after completing the Aviv Medical Program.

The Quest for Solutions

For those who have searched for long-term solutions on how to deal with COVID fatigue, the journey to find relief can seem overwhelming. Remedies such as lifestyle changes, medications, and exercise may make a difference in how you feel day to day. However, they don’t address the condition at its core. 

Those living with post-COVID fatigue can face challenges that are often not recognized or understood. Sometimes, it can feel like the constant tiredness may never go away. The good news is that there are ways to manage the effect of post–COVID fatigue that focus on the cause of the symptoms rather than just the symptoms alone. 

Post-COVID Fatigue Recovery

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an innovative approach to address fatigue associated with long COVID. HBOT involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, allowing the body to absorb higher levels of oxygen than usual. This increase in oxygen helps to activate the body’s natural healing mechanisms, helping those living with fatigue post-COVID.

COVID-19 triggers internal inflammation as the body fights off the infection. In long COVID cases, this inflammation can persist, and inflamed tissues “tend to receive insufficient or extremely low levels of oxygen which delays the body’s healing process.”

HBOT is effective for its acceleration of oxygen to damaged or inflamed tissues. For those with post-COVID fatigue, this is especially beneficial, as “oxygen is a crucial factor in generating energy.”

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be beneficial for people living with long COVID for several reasons. In one landmark trial, long COVID patients who underwent a specialized two-month hyperbaric oxygen therapy program made notable improvements, including “reduced brain fog, improved memory and attention, more energy and less pain.” 

The benefits of this therapy extend beyond even improvements in post-COVID fatigue. HBOT can also promote “recovery of cardiac function in patients with post-COVID syndrome.” 

Pioneering research also discovered that HBOT can help to boost functional connectivity and “cognitive and emotional recovery” in the brain, which can support improvements in symptoms such as brain fog, concentration problems, and emotional regulation—all of which have ties to post-COVID symptoms, including fatigue. 

Long COVID Treatment at DP World’s Aviv Clinics 

DP World’s Aviv Clinics has helped numerous individuals along their post-COVID recovery journey. People living with long COVID symptoms can find relief through the Aviv Medical Program, a holistic and personalized program designed to improve brain and body performance. The program can include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as well as cognitive training, dietary coaching, and physical training. 

The clinics’ unique HBOT protocol employs  a revolutionary oxygen process. The protocol uses oxygen fluctuations to increase the body’s capacity for absorption, allowing oxygen to more effectively reach the tissues that most need it. 

Watch – Pieter’s Long COVID Symptom Recovery 

Long COVID forced Pieter to spend the majority of his day in bed or on the couch. It took away his ability to run his coffee roastery business, be an involved dad and husband, and maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. However, a big leap of faith and a long journey from the Netherlands to the United States was exactly what Pieter needed to get his life back.

Six months after completing treatment at Aviv, his brain fog, fatigue and other long COVID symptoms are gone. He is doing all the things he loves, including training for a half marathon! “Here I am. I have my life back. I am full of energy.”

Healing and Reclaiming Your Life from Long COVID Fatigue

Those with post-COVID fatigue, even those who have dealt with the condition for months on end, have hope for healing. Through our comprehensive treatment programs, you can regain the energy and liveliness you used to have. 

Aviv Clinics’ holistic program includes lifestyle changes, a focus on nutrition, and wellness support for people living with post-COVID fatigue. Discover how the unique program, including our advanced HBOT protocol, can help you experience improvement in long COVID symptoms. 

“After weeks in hospital recovering from COVID-19, Patrick suffered fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath that made it difficult to resume his usual outdoorsy and active lifestyle. Hear him describe how the treatment at Aviv Clinics, along with our multidisciplinary health team, not only helped him regain his physical fitness, but also provided support for his cognitive health.”

Watch: Aviv Clinics Helps Long COVID Sufferer to Return to his Active Lifestyle

 

Learn more about the personalized health program available at PD World’s Aviv Clinics and discover how we can help you heal from long COVID fatigue.