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Traumatic Brain Injury Strategies May Help Long Covid Symptoms

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

People who have not experienced a significant post-viral crash such as long-COVID may be surprised to learn that it is sometimes treated as if it were traumatic brain injury (TBI).  But anyone who has lived with long-COVID, or other causes of chronic brain fog, memory issues and fatigue will understand it.  Even though after COVID most people do not show physical damage to their brains, the symptoms are can be remarkably similar to those of traumatic brain injury, such as after a stroke or a blow to the head.  Where it gets weird, is that when many such people get lots of rest, avoid stress, and do not overwork their brains, they can function quite well at times, and someone who did not know them before their symptoms started would think they are “normal” if they meet them on a good day.

It took me over a year of waiting before I was allowed into a great research hospital’s post COVID program.  But once I finally made it in, one of the first forms of treatment they gave me was to make me read this book:

Brain Injury Survival Kit: 365 Tips, Tools & Tricks to Deal with Cognitive Function Loss

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049ENHQ2/

While many of the references in this short book are out of date (mentions of older technology, links to old web sites, etc.), the tips and practices it recommends were very helpful and improved my performance at work.  I think it important to share this because chronic conditions can create a sense of helplessness and put the focus on supplements and drugs rather than the big picture.

This book is an example of something that I could do to empower myself and perform better regardless of the medicines and supplements.  It was written with simple language and with some repetition, presumably to make it easier for people to absorb even with memory or cognitive issues.  The author is a doctor who survived a brain injury herself.  While I will mention many more supplements and medicines in future posts, I want to make a point of mentioning other things that helped me and remind sufferers that there are other ways to regain some power.

Had I not been told to read this by a respected specialist, I would have scoffed at the idea that I needed it.  I wanted to “fight back” and do something “real”.  Do some exercise, take some pills or injections, get hooked up to some kind of machine, something to “beat” long-COVID in combat. I was doing things like brushing up on a second language and doing mental exercises with apps like Duolingo and Lumosity to try and FORCE my brain to toughen up.

But the expert who recommended this book taught me that my warrior mindset was just getting in my way, adding to my stress, using up precious cognitive resources and increasing both mental and physical symptoms.  She taught me to develop a less vengeful and gladiatorial approach in spite of my objections.  Cognitive impairment and memory issues cannot really be “fought” like a war.  Her advice and the advice in this book focused on making the most of what mental resources I had so that I could bring my best cognitive performance to bear when I most needed it.  While I still have horrible days and worry that I will not be able to sustain my career, I was in a worse place before following this advice. 

For More Information

The following links discuss possible links between Long Covid and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):

  • University of Denver: Groundbreaking study finds links between long COVID and brain injury
    https://magazine.du.edu/groundbreaking-study-finds-links-between-long-covid-and-brain-injury
  • Forbes:  COVID-19: Long Term Brain Injury 
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2022/03/14/covid-19-long-term-brain-injury/?sh=4203bc70454c
  • NBC News: Even mild Covid is linked to brain damage, scans show
    https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/long-covid-even-mild-covid-linked-damage-brain-months-infection-rcna18959
  • Reuters: COVID raises risk of long-term brain injury, large U.S. study finds
    https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/covid-raises-risk-long-term-brain-injury-large-us-study-finds-2022-09-22/
  • ASHAWIRE: Like TBI, COVID May Affect the Brain Long-Term. But Why? https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FTR2.26032021.50/full/
© 2024 All rights reserved. This blog reflects the personal experience and opinions of a long COVID and CFS survivor and is not qualified medical advice. Consult a doctor for your situation.

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I invite on-topic, helpful comments from readers with free Google accounts. I am especially interested in comments that share useful tips for fighting long-COVID, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain and Migraines. Off-topic comments, comments that name other sites or products without including much relevant textual explanation, and comments disparaging any person or group will be deleted. As I am trying to keep this a positive place, I may also delete comments in a despairing tone that focus only on symptom misery rather than helpful ways to combat it. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and helpful tips!

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