HOW WE TREAT POST-VIRAL FATIGUE
If you are suffering from post-viral fatigue (PVF) or post-viral syndrome (PVS), Breakspear Medical can help you recover your vitality. Our integrative approach goes beyond just symptom relief to address the root causes and put you on the path to recovery.
At Breakspear Medical, your treatment plan is tailored specifically to your unique needs and health goals. Our experienced Clinical Team uses thorough accredited testing to pinpoint any lingering viruses or infection, immune dysfunction, toxicity, or other issues prolonging your illness. We then provide you with a personalised treatment program, which incorporates both traditional and innovative therapies to target the problems that are making you unwell.
Breakspear Medical has over 40 years of proven success treating post-viral fatigue. Our cutting-edge treatments, such as hyperthermia IRATHERM® therapy, help restore you to good health after you’ve been stuck in a cycle of exhaustion, brain fog, and pain caused by infections. Many who felt they would never bounce back after a major viral illness find renewed energy and quality of life through our naturopathic and functional medicine approach.
Treatment options may include:
- Anti-viral treatments, if required to address reactivation of latent viruses
- Hyperthermia treatment: treatment sessions with our IRATHERM®, which provides intense infra-red sauna body-heating therapy, which can help to relieve the pain.
- Addressing stomach or digestive problems: this is commonly caused by food sensitivities and testing for these and provision of low-dose immunotherapy (LDI) will allow the correction of specific food sensitivities to help relieve pain and provide support.
- Improving gut function: recommendations will be made to optimise your gut function by balancing the microbiomes. The gut has trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi, which are collectively known as microbiome. Some are linked to disease while others are essential for your immune system and many other aspects of health.
- Oxygen therapy: many people benefit from using an oxygen concentrator, which helps increase the oxygen levels in the blood.
- Detoxification: lifestyle changes may be recommended to help eliminate toxins in the body, including drugs.
- Rectification of your energy cycle: the Krebs cycle is the citric acid cycle which is the main source of energy for living things. There are 10 steps in the Krebs cycle and if any of the steps are not performing as they should, there is a knockdown effect, which can cause extreme fatigue and pain.
- Redox restorative substances
How long post-viral fatigue lasts depends on many factors such as the virus(es) involved, your general health, genetics, and how soon treatment is started. Prompt, thorough evaluation and treatment give patients the best chance for full recovery. Waiting too long runs the risk of developing further chronic issues.
Post-viral fatigue syndrome and Long Covid are both syndromes with similar symptoms. It can be that having one infection can provoke a reactivation of other viral infections, which had been dormant.
Jean Monro, Environmental Naturopath
Post-viral fatigue is a complex condition that requires specialised testing and treatment. Our commitment is to get you back to thriving health. Contact us today to start your recovery journey by making an appointment for an initial consultation.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR POST-VIRAL FATIGUE
Our Clinical Team will recommend a combination of supplements that have beneficial properties which address viral infections and strengthen the immune system.
For PVF and PVS sufferers, taking multivitamins and minerals, together with vitamins A and D, zinc and folic acid is all part of the first step to working towards feeling better. Other supplements including alpha lipoic acid and gingko biloba, which may be recommended. Often supplements are used in prescribed doses, which may vary considerably from the standard, recommended doses. A wide range of herbal remedies can also help.
The aim is to strengthen your immune system, control the virus and prevent reactivation of any dormant viruses. Unfortunately, it appears that there are viral reservoirs in our bodies, which allow reactivation to occur at opportune times, which is usually when the immune system weakens again.
Our Environmental Naturopath and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner can advise you on the best supplementation programme for you.
SYMPTOMS OF POST-VIRAL FATIGUE
PVF/PVS can be a debilitating condition that occurs after a viral infection. The fatigue and weakness can persist for weeks or even months after the initial infection has passed. This type of extreme tiredness is not alleviated by rest and sleep and can severely impact your daily life.
Post-viral fatigue is thought to occur when the immune system remains hyperactivated after fighting off a virus. Even though the virus has been cleared, the body acts like it is still fighting, leading to ongoing inflammation that causes the profound fatigue. Certain viruses like Epstein-Barr, influenza, West Nile virus, COVID-19, human herpesvirus 6, rubella and others are frequent triggers.
The more common symptoms post-viral fatigue are:
- overall feeling of tiredness or exhaustion
- shortness of breath
- concentration/memory problems (brain fog)
- sore throat
- cough
- headaches
- unexplained muscular or joint pain
- swollen lymph nodes
- chest pain
- heart palpitations
- rashes
Unfortunately, as time goes on, we have noted that some patients develop additional issues that contribute to a chronic inflammatory response syndrome that require support as well. This is due to the compensatory nature of the human body to maintain balance and to resolve ongoing inflammation.
There are many similarities between the symptoms of PVS/PVF when compared to ME/CFS. We have been treating people with ME/CFS for many years and often in early pathology investigations, we have found one or more dormant viruses reactivated.
If you suffer from post-viral fatigue, make an appointment for an initial consultation.
COST
Breakspear Medical treats each patient individually, which means that there is no standard treatment programme for PVF/PVS or Long Covid at a set price.
If you’d like to book an appointment, visit our Appointments section, which provides details such as who and when to call, as well as an explanation of payment methods.
After your first appointment, you will be given a detailed estimate, with your recommended treatment programme in detail with all the costs, which will be explained to you by your Patient Liaison Officer.
On the day of your appointment or anytime afterward, if you have any specific questions regarding prices, estimates and treatment programmes, please contact a Patient Liaison Officer, by phone 01442 261 333 ext. 604, or email: liaison@breakspearmedical.com
ARTICLES ON POST-VIRAL FATIGUE
We have shared information about Long Covid in our Breakspear Medical Bulletin recently including:
FAQS
What is the difference between Long Covid and post viral fatigue/syndrome?
Long Covid and post-viral fatigue can both cause significant symptoms and lingering effects, making them similar to one another. Recently, experts are beginning to believe that infection with Covid-19 may result in a recrudescence of old viral infections that were previously latent. Common symptoms include fatigue, headache, malaise, and others. The unique spike protein associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is known for damaging blood vessel linings and resulting in tiny clots being carried throughout the body. In this way, it creates a different pattern than other upper respiratory tract infections do; one relating to small infarcts in tissues. These must be carefully managed depending on their severity and directed to restoring patient tissue as soon as possible.
Sometimes with post-Covid syndrome, there can be cardiac or neurological complications or respiratory system complications, which are severe and need to be addressed each individually. Those people with Epstein-Barr virus, glandular fever, or induced post-viral syndrome have a particular problem in that this virus interferes with vitamin D usage in the body and it can be a recrudescence after Covid-19; big doses of vitamin D are required to address this. Also, there are specific treatments for loss of sense of smell and taste, which can happen after Covid-19 infections.
What do you offer at Breakspear Medical for post-viral fatigue which is different from other clinics?
We offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment of individuals in order to improve their immune resilience for post-viral fatigue. Everything from food sensitivities to co-infections to nutritional state and chemical sensitivities can be taken into consideration when designing a plan for an individual patient. We use antivirals, infusions, hyperthermia treatments and anticoagulants as needed, depending on the circumstances. Additionally, we focus not just on the immediate treatment but long-term support as well; diet and gastrointestinal health can play a huge role in overall health, so we strive to make sure each patient is given everything they need to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Who is most at risk of developing post-viral fatigue?
Those most at risk for developing post-viral fatigue are individuals who are living with other illnesses, elderly people, those with disabilities, and those whose skin melanin prevents them from soaking up enough Vitamin D from sunlight. Unfortunately, given this situation, certain ethnic minority groups may be more likely to get Long Covid due to their higher concentration of melanin and subsequent lack of sufficient Vitamin D absorption.
Is Long Covid contagious?
The answer is no, Long Covid is not contagious. Scientists have determined that the viruses that cause Long Covid are within the individual suffering from the symptoms and not likely expelled in their exhaled breath.
