One of the most common symptoms reported by Long Covid sufferers is shortness of breath or dyspnoea. These terms describe the subjective feeling of getting insufficient air despite increased breathing.

This symptom is also associated with various diseases originating in the cardiovascular system or the lungs. Shortness of breath can often trigger anxiety, which can make symptoms even worse due to increased tension.

This can be very stressful for those affected because they quickly become exhausted in everyday life and are unable to do activities that were previously easy for them without a break (or even no longer at all). If you have respiratory problems, there are a few ways to deal with them better. You can find helpful information on how to treat and deal with this symptom in this article.

Treatment for shortness of breath is usually based on the underlying disease. With Long Covid, the whole thing is a bit more complex as the disease is still being researched. In such cases, patients are treated symptomatically. An attempt is therefore made to reduce symptoms by means of treatment in order to make everyday life possible again without fighting the cause of the disease. Supportive respiratory or physiotherapy may be useful for patients. It is best to discuss this with your treating doctor.

The renowned Mayo Clinic in the USA recommends that patients avoid factors that can aggravate respiratory problems. These include smoking, pollutants in the air, extreme air temperatures and physical overexertion.
Other options include:

breathing exercises

Certain breathing exercises (some of them can be found below) and lung rehabilitation can be helpful in reducing symptoms. The latter consists primarily of respiratory physiotherapy, physical training and patient training so that you can better understand and deal with your illness. But smoking cessation and psychosocial counseling are also part of the treatment.

stances

You can relieve your body of breathing by taking certain postures so that you can breathe more easily and reduce the symptoms. The World Health Organization recommends the following attitudes:

exercises

We have put together a few exercises for you that you can easily integrate into your everyday life and do at home:

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Lip brake

‍This exercise is particularly relevant in cases of acute shortness of breath or stress and forms the basis of all breathing exercises. Breathe in the air through your nose and exhale slowly and controllably (against the pursed lips) through the pointed, only slightly open mouth. The air is exhaled in “pff” or “sss” sounds. As a result of this exercise, the airways remain wide, the lungs are emptied and can then be supplied with fresh, oxygen-rich air.

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Controlled breathing

‍Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Close your eyes Then breathe in slowly through your nose (if that is not possible: through your mouth) and out again through your mouth. Try to breathe slowly, relaxed and without effort. Pay attention to the movements of your hands as you inhale and exhale. Do you notice how you relax and control your breathing again?
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Pulsed breathing

‍Pulsed breathing can help you correctly manage your breathing during strenuous activity. Here, you divide your activity into smaller sections, e.g. individual steps or steps. Breathe in through your nose before taking a step. As you step, exhale through your mouth. And remember: Don't rush, feel free to take a break if you don't feel fit anymore.

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conclusion

Breathing problems are one of the most common symptoms of Long Covid. Good news: These can be reduced through special postures and targeted and regular exercises. So if you suffer from this symptom, try to consciously train your breath 10 minutes a day every day for several weeks. See if it helps you and find out more about other exercises with your specialists. The exercises and postures presented here are not helpful for Long COVID patients, but for all illnesses that can cause breathing problems.