Breathing Issues After Recovering from COVID-19
Post-COVID syndrome refers to a collection of symptoms that persist for 12 weeks or longer after a COVID-19 infection. Post-COVID syndrome can affect virtually any organ system in the body.
The most common lingering symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath at rest
- Exercise intolerance (inability to handle normal physical activity, such as not being able to climb stairs)
- Chest pain and breathing discomfort
- Throat pain and difficulty swallowing
- Extreme fatigue
- Cough (dry or productive)
- Low-grade fever (e.g., a persistent temperature around 37.2°C)
- Muscle weakness and reduced performance
- Tingling in the limbs
- Memory lapses
- Sleep problems
- Mood swings and depression
I had COVID-19 and am experiencing some of these symptoms. What should I do?
Most people who had COVID-19 at home experience no long-term consequences. However, some individuals report lasting effects involving the lungs (lung lining), lower airways, pulmonary blood vessels, heart, and other organs.
With the right treatment, most of these changes are manageable and reversible. In addition to pharmacological treatment, respiratory physiotherapy plays a key role in therapy. People recovering from COVID-19 often report fatigue, breathing difficulties (shortness of breath or a vague sensation of breathing discomfort), coughing, chest pain, lethargy, tingling in the limbs, digestive issues, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms that can persist for months. If, after COVID-19, you feel that your body isn’t functioning as it used to, it’s advisable to visit a specialized physiotherapist and your primary care physician to arrange for lung tests (such as spirometry) with a pulmonologist.
You should also follow this course of action if you feel fatigued during daily activities or exercise and experience shortness of breath (feeling like you can’t catch your breath, or can’t take deep breaths). Another limitation may be that you can’t perform activities for as long as you used to, and you feel more exhausted during or after them.
The role of physiotherapy is especially crucial when symptoms persist despite medical tests showing no abnormalities. This is called a functional problem (such as impaired respiratory muscle function, inefficient breathing patterns, overuse of accessory breathing muscles, joint blockages, rib blockages, etc.). Working on breathing through respiratory physiotherapy is our specialty, and we have been using it long-term to improve athletes’ performance. We can support the recovery and function of your respiratory system after COVID-19 and improve your performance in sports, work, and daily activities.
How Can Respiratory Physiotherapy Help?
Respiratory physiotherapy focuses on:
- Improving the breathing pattern
- Increasing the activity and strength of breathing muscles
- Enhancing chest expansion
- Improving overall condition and stamina
Breathing exercises are used alongside neurophysiological facilitation of breathing to improve the breathing pattern. A flexible rib cage is essential for a correct breathing pattern, which can be achieved by releasing rib and thoracic spine blockages.
After COVID-19, respiratory muscles are often weakened, limiting breathing capacity. These muscles can be trained just like other muscles in the body, with both strength and endurance training. At Fyzio Svět, we use breathing trainers for this, such as POWERbreathe, Threshold IMT, Threshold PEP, and EMST150. Each trainer allows adjustable resistance, making the breathing exercises more or less challenging. Some trainers are 75% covered by health insurance (a referral can be issued by a pulmonologist).
