ME/CFS & Long Covid
Management of ME/CFS & Long Covid
At Unity Physiotherapy & Wellbeing we offer services to help people with ME/CFS & long covid. Physiotherapy & other wellness offerings are combined to help people manage and change ME/CFS & long covid symptoms. This service is offered in person in North Hykeham, Lincoln and/or remotely (video/phone) and via video worldwide. Ann has specialised in pain and neurology and has many years of experience of helping people change and manage fatigue, pain and other symptoms. Alongside offering services for people with persistent pain, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS & long covid, Ann also offers support for people with PoTS which commonly goes alongside these conditions. Ann lives with ME/CFS and PoTS and has improved both conditions and has learnt to live well with them, she also has lived experience of persistent pain.
Following the best available evidence in a way that meets individual needs is important to us at Unity Physiotherapy & Wellbeing, all of our offerings are bespoke. ME/CFS & long covid desperately need better research, it is looking like this is gradually happening following covid and Ann endeavours to keep up to date with developing research.
Best practice is to treat the whole person, working with body and mind which are inextricably interlinked. Understanding the person, the different possible mechanisms of the symptoms, possible treatment and management options and treating each person as an individual, is important and an essential part of making changes. Your story will always be compassionately heard, Ann understands the importance of this. Working together we can make changes to help you do what you love, live well & thrive again.
Who we see
Ann has worked most often with people where fatigue is associated with the following conditions:
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
- Long covid
- Fibromyalgia
- Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS)
- Persistent pain
- FND
There are many similarities, as well as some differences, in the management of fatigue and other symptoms for people with different conditions.
What to expect
At Unity Physiotherapy & Wellbeing care combines tailored specialist physiotherapy & somatic wellness offerings (includes yoga and somatic based coaching) to help you make changes & be able to do what’s meaningful. More information on somatic wellness coaching can be found in the other related services section below.
The first appointment is a holistic assessment of how ME/CFS or long covid is affecting you and your quality of life. This includes many different aspects, for example, consideration of the level of PEM and what triggers this for you, understanding you and your life and what is most meaningful to you.
- Understanding fatigue, including what are low & high energy physical & cognitive activities
- Using an activity diary to help understand the fatigue and create a flexible pacing plan
- Understanding baselines and post exertional malaise/post exertional symptom exacerbation
- Strategies to improve sleep
- Breathing practices to help calm your nervous system and help to rebalance the autonomic nervous system
- Mindful based practices to help build awareness, psychological flexibility and calm your nervous system & body
- Other nervous system balancing & retraining practices (including heart rate variability training)
- Compassionate mind training (including self-compassion practices)
- Strategies to acknowledge & unhook from unhelpful thoughts and feelings without pushing them away.
Other related services we offer
Somatic wellness coaching
Yoga
Physiotherapy for people with persistent pain
Location
You can arrange a virtual appointment for anywhere in the UK or an in person appointment in North Hykeham, Lincoln.
Get in touch
If you would like to find out how Ann can help manage and change fatigue, do what you love, live well and thrive again get in touch to book your appointment, or a free 15 minute call to help you decide if working with Ann is right for you.