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Doctors, therapists & long Covid outpatient clinics
GPs are usually the first port of call for symptoms. After taking a medical history and assessing the symptoms, direct treatment or referral to a specialist can take place. Specialised doctors (e.g. neurologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists) then contribute to the therapy. Adapted sports and exercise programmes, often in cooperation with rehabilitation centres or sports clubs, can help to gradually restore physical performance. Psychotherapists and psychosocial counselling centres offer support in coping with the psychological burdens that can accompany Long Covid, such as anxiety, depression and stress.
Long Covid is often accompanied by various symptoms that often cannot be covered by a specialist alone. For this reason, many clinics have set up Long Covid outpatient clinics in which expertise is pooled in order to provide patients with comprehensive care. Referrals from the GP are often necessary to make an appointment at a Long Covid outpatient clinic. However, this can vary depending on the outpatient clinic.
You can find an overview of Long Covid outpatient clinics in Germany here: https://longcoviddeutschland.org/ambulanzen/
Rehabilitation with Long Covid
Rehabilitation - whether outpatient or inpatient - aims to treat physical, psychological and social impairments. Many clinics and rehabilitation clinics offer programmes for Long Covid. These programmes include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy and psychological support.
Some measures that are used as part of rehabilitation programmes can also be applied in advance at home. The WHO has published ‘Recommendations to support independent rehabilitation after Covid-19-related illness’. Here you will find options such as breathing exercises, pacing, the right way to deal with pain and concentration problems, which are also covered in the Fimo Health App - Long Covid.
The Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) has also published a guideline for patients and their relatives. This guideline deals with how patients can actively help to alleviate symptoms. This guideline is based on the guidelines for medical professions and is intended to enable those affected to learn more about their own illness so that they can continue their everyday lives as normally as possible.
Whether and which rehabilitation programme is most promising for the individual's state of health should be discussed with the family doctor before submitting an application. Up-to-date information is provided by the German Pension Insurance or the health insurance companies, which bear the costs of rehabilitation depending on your occupational status.
Long COVID Germany
Long COVID Germany is an association of Long COVID sufferers and relatives from all over Germany. The members of the initiative have diverse professional backgrounds and try to improve healthcare for Long COVID patients nationwide through their work:
‘In order to sustainably improve the situation of all Long COVID sufferers, LCD is calling for more education, better medical care and significantly more funding for clinical research and the development of biomedical treatment options. Our key demands are as follows:
- Education and information campaigns for the population, those affected and the healthcare system
- Standardised, local care for all Long COVID sufferers based on current medical guidelines
- Promotion of basic research and development of biomedical treatment options’
Source: https://longcoviddeutschland.org/ueber/
Long COVID Germany (LCD) is a good first opportunity for sufferers and relatives to obtain information about Long Covid. On its website, the initiative has further links on various topics, including e.g:
- Studies (https://longcoviddeutschland.org/forschung/)
- Publications (https://longcoviddeutschland.org/publikationen/)
- News (https://longcoviddeutschland.org/aktuelles/)
- Information for those affected (https://longcoviddeutschland.org/betroffene/)
Self-help groups
There are numerous self-help groups and organisations that offer support to sufferers and their families. These groups allow people to share their experiences and offer emotional support.
For example, Facebook groups with several thousand members have emerged from the ‘Long Covid Initiatives’.
These groups can be a good way to share experiences with other sufferers.
A second starting point for self-help groups is the National Contact and Information Centre to encourage and support self-help groups that also address the topic of coronavirus and Long Covid. You can find more information here.
