Icon: enlarge
Robin Roukens: "When constantly lying down in intensive care, around one percent of the muscle mass is lost every day"
Photo: Citoler Pedro
When there were the first Covid-19 cases in intensive care units in Germany at the beginning of the year, it was clear to me that there would also be work in neurological rehabilitation.
Many people first think of stroke or Parkinson's patients when it comes to neurological diseases, and we treat and care for many people whose primary complaints initially have nothing to do with the nervous system.
But what many of them have in common is that they were ventilated.
"Those infected from the first wave reported severe exhaustion, tiredness and difficulty concentrating."
Treatment in the intensive care unit causes a whole series of neurological damage: The first swallowing disorders occur after about three days on the ventilator.
If the treatment continues, patients unlearn how to breathe independently.
One percent of muscles are lost every day, not just in the arms and legs, but also in the swallowing system and in the respiratory muscles.
Paralysis can also be a result of lying down for a long time.
Infected people still feel weak months later
In the meantime, however, we also know that Covid-19 can affect the nervous system regardless of intensive treatment - even that of infected people who are only mildly ill or not at all.
The first complaints from those affected about loss of smell and taste indicated this in the spring.
Now it turns out that people develop a whole range of different disorders.
Read more with Spiegel Plus
More perspectives, more understanding.
Your advantages with SPIEGEL +
Icon: Check
DER SPIEGEL as a magazine
as an app, e-paper and on the e-reader
Icon: Check
All articles on SPIEGEL.de
Exclusive texts for SPIEGEL + readers
Icon: Check
Try one month for free
Cancel anytime online
A price
only € 19.99 per month
One month for € 0.00
Try now for 0.00 € Buy nowArrow to the right
Already have a digital subscription? Register here
Restore iTunes subscription
SPIEGEL + is processed via your iTunes account and paid for with a purchase confirmation.
24 hours before it expires, the subscription is automatically renewed by one month at the current price of € 19.99.
You can cancel the subscription at any time in the settings of your iTunes account.
To use SPIEGEL + outside of this app, you must link the subscription to a SPIEGEL ID account immediately after purchase.
With the purchase you accept our general terms and conditions and privacy policy.