Long Covid: "Pacing" method can help with everyday exhaustion
Created: 08/26/2022, 16:00
By: Judith Brown
Those who are affected by Long Covid and suffer from exhaustion are often no longer able to cope with everyday life.
This is where the pacing strategy can help.
The virus can still have effects on the body weeks or even months after a corona infection.
Those affected then suffer from either Long Covid or Post Covid, depending on the duration of the long-term consequences.
Long Covid can manifest itself through various symptoms.
One of the most common signs is probably persistent tiredness and chronic exhaustion, the so-called fatigue syndrome.
So that those affected can make their everyday lives easier, doctors recommend the “pacing” method for energy management.
Long Covid: "pacing" method can help with fatigue in everyday life
Those who suffer from fatigue often find it difficult to cope with everyday life.
(Iconic image) © Jake Jakab/IMAGO
Both potential risk factors and symptoms of Long Covid Syndrome are now known to scientists.
For example, a high viral load, type 2 diabetes or low mental resilience can increase the risk of developing a disease.
And the symptoms are varied.
The following signs, among others, have been researched so far:
headache
difficulty breathing
sore throat and bruises
indigestion
Muscle aches
hair loss
depressions
Persistent exhaustion or fatigue
Those suffering from the latter find it difficult to cope with everyday life.
Long absences from work and a reduced quality of life are the consequences.
“Even light everyday stress can aggravate the fatigue, but also the pain, over a long period of time.
If you try to continue with the normal everyday workload, things can get worse and worse over time,” explains Prof. Carmen Scheibenbogen, head of the Charité Fatigue Center in Berlin, who primarily deals with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
However, exhaustion is not the same as exhaustion.
Conserve energy: Long-Covid patients should control their pace in everyday life
Some of the long-Covid patients suffer from post-exertional malaise (PEM).
In addition to exhaustion, those affected usually also have other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, muscle pain or tachycardia.
If you put too much strain on yourself, these symptoms can also get worse, says Prof. Martina Lukas, chief physician for internal medicine II at the DKD Helios Clinic in Wiesbaden.
In the case of "normal" exhaustion, it is definitely beneficial to do sports.
However, if one suffers from PEM, such an effort can have fatal consequences and even lead to a breakdown.
Those affected could then do nothing at first.
Experts therefore recommend patients to develop a so-called pacing strategy.
Pacing is derived from the English term “pace” for speed.
Martina Lukas explains it like this: “Pacing means using your own resources sparingly and recognizing where your own limits lie.” Those affected should therefore not just carry on as if they were not exhausted, but should control their pace in everyday life.
This means: If an effort is too great and the load too high, then the brake should be pulled in good time.
In this way, the patient's quality of life in everyday life can be increased again, even if the symptoms do not disappear as a result.
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Long Covid pacing strategy: splitting energy and journaling activities
Lukas therefore recommends taking stock of energy at the beginning.
So the question is, how much energy do I actually have?
"You can imagine that you have a bag of energy beads available for every day," says the expert.
"Each activity costs an energy bead - emptying the dishwasher, going for a walk with the dog, cooking lunch." Cognitive activities such as reading or watching TV should also be taken into account, as they also drain energy and are particularly important for fatigue. sufferers can be exhausting.
Among other things, a diary in which you record your activities can help.
In this way you can check if you are feeling bad, for example what you did that day and whether it was possibly too much.
It's about finding your optimal workload over time and not exceeding it in everyday life.
To prevent a breakdown, it helps to have a few energy beads left over in the evening.
In addition, those affected should adapt the claims to themselves.
The windows don't have to be freshly cleaned and for dinner ordered food does the trick instead of cooking something for yourself.
It is also advisable to divide up tasks in the household and in other areas of life and not want to accommodate everything in one day.
If you go for a walk one day, you don't have to clean the bathroom as well.
You should always listen to your body here, after all there are good days and bad days.
Long-Covid sufferers should remain active, but not overwhelm themselves
"It's important to stay active," appealed Scheibenbogen.
It is important that patients do not overwhelm themselves.
However, not demanding yourself anymore is not the solution either.
Patients should see how much they can do with their energy and if it is possible at some point, they can increase it bit by bit.
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This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.