Scientists from Newcastle University have discovered post-COVID syndrome-related changes in the nervous systems of people with chronic fatigue. Researchers suggested that non-invasive treatments used to relieve labor pain could help patients with post-COVID syndrome. Study published Brain Communication.
Some people experience long-term problems after COVID, such as fatigue, pain, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty breathing. Researchers performed a series of behavioral and neurophysiological tests on 37 people suffering from long-term COVID and compared them with 52 healthy people. They found that people with chronic fatigue had decreased activity in three regions of the nervous system.
This led to an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system, which regulates unconscious processes in the body, including the control of blood pressure and respiratory rate. In addition, muscle fibers in people with chronic fatigue fatigue faster than in healthy people.
“We know that many people face criticism and even disbelief when reporting long-term COVID. Abnormalities in objective test results suggest that long-term COVID fatigue is a measurable condition, and these tests can help us understand how changes in the nervous system over time contribute to the development of chronic fatigue.”
Scientists have already begun testing the TENS device to stimulate the autonomic nervous system in patients with post-COVID syndrome.
This non-invasive headset stimulates the vagus nerve with small electrical currents. It is now used to relieve pain during childbirth.