Rethinking the Treatment for Long Covid
Tens of thousands of young people in the UK are currently suffering with Long COVID. As it’s such a new condition and there is a lot we don’t know about it, doctors don’t yet have effective treatments for Long Covid available. But that is changing.
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Research from scientists around the world is uncovering the astonishing similarities between Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and other post-viral conditions, and this is opening the door to new, more effective Long Covid treatment.
Young people and Long COVID
Long COVID is a bit of a mystery in mainstream medical terms. It affects people of all ages, those previously in good health and it doesn’t seem to be linked to whether the initial infection was mild or severe.
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In fact, the diverse symptoms associated with Long Haul COVID make it appear to be a very complex condition. Fatigue is the most common symptom, but people can also suffer with sickness, chest pains or palpitations, joint pain, rashes, brain fog, insomnia and even depression and anxiety.
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For young people living with the symptoms of Long COVID months, sometimes years, after having COVID, it can feel like life is on hold. The things they used to enjoy – studies, hobbies, sports and hanging out with friends – have all fallen by the wayside and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight.
The long road to recovery
NHS treatment for Long Haul COVID currently focuses on ruling out underlying health conditions and managing symptoms. You or your child may have been prescribed medication or advised to make dietary changes, or you may have been given information on pacing. This approach has limited success because it treats the symptoms and not the root cause – chronic stress.
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Chronic stress causes a number of post-viral conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which is triggered by viral infections like glandular fever and mono. A 2023 article in Scientific American remarks on the striking resemblance between Long COVID and CFS/ME. This is supported by numerous studies around the world, including research in the US and Spain into the connection between the two conditions.
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With a growing bank of studies suggesting that Long COVID and CFS are alike in their clinical presentation and symptomology, it makes sense that they can be treated in much the same way, by stopping the body’s chronic stress response which becomes locked on when fighting off the initial virus.
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You can find more information on the chronic stress response in our information pack. Click here to download.
Long COVID video explainer
Why the programme is so successful as a treatment for Long Covid in young people
Steve has been helping young people recover from chronic illness for over 15 years. He focuses on teaching them powerful strategies and techniques that help them manage their mind and body’s response to the stress caused by being unwell.
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With the chronic stress response under control, young people see improvements in their cognitive, digestive and immune functions, as well as a reduction in inflammation, as their Long COVID symptoms naturally resolve themselves over time. Read our articles page 'Long COVID fatigue treatment – your questions answered' here
Long COVID Success stories
For young people with Long COVID, our programme can start to positively impact their lives in just a few weeks. They then build on the improvements over several months as they integrate what they’ve learned into normal life. Head to our Success Stories page to read about the experiences of Steve’s clients who have successfully completed the programme and have overcome Long COVID. These include Aaron and Frankie below.
“I’m now back to cycling five times a week and also fitting in the gym where I can. I’d say my health is a 9/10. I recently went on my longest ride ever – 100 miles around Scotland. I’m at college doing my A-levels and I go out when I want. Long Covid is no longer dictating what I do.”
Aaron aged 17
​“Once Frankie started using the techniques, she gradually started getting better. She journalled her achievements and you could see how much she was improving. She was soon doing half days at school, and by the summer holidays she didn’t have Long Covid anymore,” says Frankie’s mum Becky.
Frankie aged 12