Long Covid Support

If you’ve found this page, maybe you are experiencing Long-COVID and are seeking anything that can help you. Humming Rock Healing is not trying to sell you snake oil. Dr. Summers understands that it may be an exhausting adventure to try to find something that will help and to have the will to try something new. She calls it hope fatigue.

Dr. Summers is particularly interested in using techniques of Somatic Experiencing and the Safe & Sound Protocol to support healing from Long COVID and to resolve some of the effects how Long COVID has impacted your life.

The moment she became infected with SARS COVID-19 Infection in early March of 2020, Becca immediately sensed that this virus doesn’t play by the rules. It was different. And it is. And it wasn’t a surprise to her as Infectious Disease doctor that many people went on to what we call Long COVID now. It’s the term given to the lingering side effects and symptoms from having had COVID Infection. And what also doesn’t make sense, is that often people didn’t have severe initial symptoms who go on to have ongoing symptoms and disability. It’s left those affected questioning, what happened and how do I get my life back? …. Will I get my life back? And for whatever reason, many people often think to themselves: what did I do wrong?

Long-COVID is a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Most people with COVID-19 get better within a few days to a few weeks after infection, so at least 4 weeks after infection is the start of when Long COVID could first be identified, and some definitions include 90 days out. Anyone who was infected can experience Long COVID. Most people with Long COVID experienced symptoms days after first learning they had COVID-19, but some people who later experienced Long COVID did not know when they got infected.

There is no test that determines if your symptoms or condition is due to COVID-19. Long COVID is not one illness. Your healthcare provider considers a diagnosis of Long COVID based on your health history, including if you had a diagnosis of COVID-19 either by a positive test or by symptoms or exposure, as well as based on a health examination.

The syndrome of Long COVID has many names. Some names include: Post-COVID Conditions, Long-Haul COVID, post-acute COVID-19, long-term effects of COVID, and chronic COVID. Long COVID is often called Post-acute Sequelae of Covid-19 Infection, abbreviated PASC. This is being a more common way to call it in the medical literature.

Individuals who are experiencing Long COVID can have a myriad of symptoms or just a few. A medical term is heterogeneous. COVID is known to affect multiple organ systems in a variety of ways and there may be different syndromes of way it affects different individuals.

For many, these symptoms are severe and debilitating and for others they may experience lesser symptoms to the point they may not fully identify that anything is wrong. For those experiencing it, it is extremely confusing and frustrating and for many has had drastic impact on their lives to where they are not functioning even a part of who they recognized themselves to be. To complicate things, people feel unheard and misunderstood by their friends, family, colleagues and often their doctors.

What’s more frustrating is that there isn’t a universally accepted definition of it, a way to clearly make a diagnosis, and there isn’t a way to easily treat and support patients to improve. Many are working on the effort to understand the complexity of this syndrome and find ways to effectively improve the lives of those affected by it.

There are estimates that 10-20% – maybe even 30% of us who’ve had COVID-19 infection, are experiencing PASC. Dr. Summers’ sense is too, is that this may be a low estimate as many of us may be experiencing subtler shifts that we haven’t picked up upon or given validity to. In other words, so much has shifted and challenged us over the past four years that we may not notice how we are functioning different or simply attribute changes to “life”.

What Becca often hears from folks is that “It feels like there is something really wrong with me”. She’s heard these exact or similar phrases from many otherwise young healthy people. Many people also describe that they feel that it is like both the gas and the brake are on at that same time. Often people are experiencing a symptom of anxiety, and this anxiety is more felt in the body than just thoughts of worry as they’d previously experienced.

Symptoms of Long COVID may include:

Fatigue, feeling tired
Weakness
Brain fog (problems concentrating or thinking)
Headaches
Tremor
Rapid or pounding heartbeat, feeling of skipped heartbeats (palpitations)
Dizziness upon standing
Symptoms that worsen after physical or mental activity (known as post-exertional malaise, PEM)
Gastrointestinal symptoms including stomach pain, diarrhea, and/or constipation
Loss of or change in smell and/or taste
Thirst (for instance, dry mouth)
Cough
Changes in comfort or capacity for sex and/or desire for sex
Chest pain, tightness, or pressure
Hearing problems, including hearing loss or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Shortness of breath or breathelessness
Muscle and/or joint pain
Back pain
Sleep apnea
Fever, sweats, and/or chills
Hair loss
Sleep problems, including insomnia
Bladder problems, including difficulty urinating or incontinence
Vision problems, such as blurry vision, sensitivity to light, floaters, flashing lights, or difficulty reading or focusing eyes
Depression
Anxiety
Swelling of the legs
Problems with teeth
Foot pain
Skin rash
Abnormal movements
Skin color changes (for instance, skin that is red, white, or purple)
Changes in menstrual cycle

Certainly, there are many who have abnormal imaging and traditional blood work. Yet, for many, the testing is normal and that can leave a feeling of frustration in its own way. The reasons behind how Long COVID Is created in the body, the pathophysiology, are theorized to be numerous and may be different between each person.

Becca is keenly interested in Long COVID and supporting patients to get better. Becca is not only an Infectious Disease Physician, she also experienced a post-infectious autoimmune disease after being re-infected by a parasitic infectious while living in Malawi over a decade ago. The stories of Long COVID patients very much resonate with her own experience. She, herself, had to forge a path to healing and it was a bumpy confusing road even with the perspective of a medical doctor. She is fully healed now. Becca has learned deeply from her lived experience and from her patients.

While there is not yet data to demonstrate the effectiveness of Somatic Experiencing® and Safe & Sound Protocol on improving Long Covid Symptoms, Dr. Summers and her colleagues including Dr. Peter Levine, PhD who developed Somatic Experiencing®, has noted improvements with use of SE. Likewise, many colleagues have had success with the delivery of SSP.

Dr. Summers is interested in research to demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques in supporting healing from Long COVID.

If you are experiencing Long COVID, or post-vaccine reaction, or believe that you may be, Becca's goal is to help support you in the care that you need. For some, that may be having a Primary Care Physician who understands (or is trying to understand) Long Covid and you need continued care to help with medication adjustment, new treatment options, refills and addressing new symptoms or issues that pop-up. For others, you might be entering into care or trying to get diagnosed and understand more about what you are experiencing. And others may have had significant care and are happy with their doctors but haven’t experienced significant improvement or feel disconnected and lack trust in their body’s ability to heal and would like to try Somatic Experiencing® and or The Safe & Sound Protocol. And some might want as needed care or to fill in the gaps of current care. To help address the variety of needs, there are many different ways to work with me.

LONG-COVID PACKAGE

3 month (14 week) package for supporting healing for those experiencing Long-COVID

The idea is that for three months we will work closely together to help improve your symptoms and overall health. After that, we can reassess and see what ongoing needs might be.

During this time, you will have direct access to me to ask questions and report back fluxes in your symptoms via a phone number you can text me or through email.

Given the challenging nature of Long COVID, I understand that there are days when working together is more burdensome and I try to allow flexibility in scheduling that is maximally beneficial for you.

If getting out of the home is a challenge, I can provide home visits locally in Brooklyn.

Long COVID is a challenge to those experiencing it and to the medical community. What is happening in any one individual may be different than what is happening in another individual. That means that there may need to be a slightly different approach for each individual experiencing Long COVID.

I’ll take a full intake of your history and what you have already been trying, the tests, labs, medications, supportive therapies eas well as do a medical evaluation. There may be some things we can do to help medically optimize you. Making sure something hasn’t been overlooked or may be addressed from a different perspective.

There are some medications that can be supportive and very helpful to patients depending upon how you are presenting. This is a field in which much is being learned and is challenging us to take a new approach. It’s my experience that each case is different and nuanced and this is how I approach introducing and working with medications. Supporting medication use with Somatic Experiencing® is helpful to bring in greater sense of safety and reduce hesitancy while increasing a sense of personal agency.

The medical care will be ongoing during this time and addressing issues and symptoms that arise. Patients will have access to me to ask about new concerns.

From there we will work to improve the regulation of your nervous system using Somatic Experiencing® and the Safe & Sound Protocol which can be very supportive towards decreasing symptoms and increasing energy.

I also incorporate myofascial release techniques and trigger point needling to help support the body to shift towards greater coherence in addition to touch with Somatic Experiencing®. I realize that meeting with a practitioner or group or doing any online work can in itself feel difficult and often exhausting for folks. The goal with Somatic Experiencing® is to leave you in a more settled place at the end of the session than how you began; it is perfectly fine to show up to a session not feeling well. When possible, I try to allow some flexibility around scheduling and venue.

What is included:

Medical Care for 14 weeks:

Supportive holistic medical care. A new set of eyes and a new perspective from a detail oriented, compassionate physician who has been a Primary Care Physician and Infectious Disease doc for over a decade: a medical doctor who has also healed from a very similar post-infectious syndrome. You’ll receive a detailed history and physical exam; review of medical charts and previous evaluations. I will assess if further diagnostics and testing is needed and suggest further medical management when appropriate. The idea is that you’ll have more attentive care during the time we work together.

There will be opportunity for ongoing discussion and medical care during the time. This includes the opportunity to schedule appointments for short or longer times to discuss care and plans.

I am committed to communicating with you and the other members of your care team. If desired, I will update and fill-in the other people you work with whether that be physicians, acupuncturists, mental health therapists, physical therapists etc.

Nervous System Regulation:

This is the heart of the Long COVID Package. From my perspective, it is a missing and necessary piece to support healing. Our nervous system interacts with all of our other systems including the bacteria in our gut.

During the 3 months, we will use the tools of Somatic Experiencing® & the Safe and Sound Protocol (when the time is appropriate) to help bring your nervous system into better regulation and regain a sense of safety and connection. As our nervous system comes into better regulation, the body as a whole has more coherence between the organs, tissues, immunological and endocrine systems. Symptoms can improve, and more capacity to handle stressors too improves. Overwhelm fades and vitality emerges.

12 Somatic Experiencing Sessions over 14 weeks. These can be done via a combination of in-person, virtually, and in the home if feasible. Sessions may or may not use touch; touch is a very supportive tool and sessions with touch are part of my protocol and with this I give special attention to certain organs, anatomical structures that are tailored to you. Touch is done fully clothed and only if it is comforting to you.

Part of the sessions will include work around when you had COVID-19 infection. Others will address what has happened to you both before and since developing Long-COVID. Sessions are highly individualized although I do have a protocol of areas that I find are important to address.

Community or Individual Group Listening of Safe & Sound Protocol. This will be delivered over a 4-5 week period of time (generally) at some point during your time. The listening sessions will be virtual for group listening. The group experience of the Safe & Sound Protocol can help with connection and social engagement and for some this may prove more beneficial than individual listening for some. The SSP, which functions as an acoustic vagal nerve stimulator, can further introduce regulation, flow, and integration in a synergistic way with the Somatic Experiencing® sessions. If it is desired to be experienced one-on-one, this can be arranged too; if so, in-person with touch can be very supportive.

Myofascial Work:

Our muscles often carry certain tension patterns unique to your system. When we work with the muscles to release some of these tension patterns, this can provide another way in to help the shift we want in our bodies. Our contraction patterns in our bodies occur over time and are often a protective response, like a bracing response. I use trigger point needling (with and without anesthetic) and some hands on techniques of active myofascial release to help shift the tension patterns in addition to touch with Somatic Experiencing. This can help bring in a sense of more space and lightness in the body and reduce chronic pain and inflammation.

Cost for package is $3500 with payment plans available

Direct Primary Care & Long COVID Specialty Care:

For patients who are in need of a Primary Care Physician that is trying to understand Long COVID and understands your individual needs and challenges in addition to supportive care for Long COVID, Direct Care works as a subscription model much like a gym membership. You’ll then have easy access to communication with a number to text and more availability for scheduling appointments and longer appointment times are scheduled as appropriate to your need. Dr. Summers works closely with compounding pharmacies to be able to deliver some of the medications that are supportive to Long COVID recovery such as Low Dose Naltrexone, Methylene Blue, NAD+ injections, etc.

$225/month; $110 dollar enrollment fee. Initial intake is 90 minutes

As Needed & Fill In The Gaps Care:

If you need review or drop-in care or to discuss or just have a sudden issue that you would like help with, I offer per visit care.

90 Minute Intake: $340

60 Minute Visit: $290

30 Minute Visit: $165

20 Minute Visit: $125

Nervous System Regulation:

Somatic Experiencing® & The Safe & Sound Protocol

Somatic Experiencing® Sessions: Virtual and in-person; home visits available in Brooklyn.

Sliding Scale $160-230 for 60-80 minute session

Safe & Sound Protocol:

Safe & Sound Protocol Groups Limited to between 3-6 participants: $550

This includes access to the SSP music for one year. Total of 10 x 1 hour group sessions. Learn some somatic techniques that can be helpful tools in your daily life to bring in regulation. A free intake is required prior to enrolling in the group to ensure understanding of the protocol and ensure that working in a group will be a good experience for you. Somatic Experiencing Sessions will be discounted 30% during the Protocol Listening and for 2 weeks afterwards.

Individual Safe & Sound Protocol: $1500

This includes more focused SE during listening. Listening sessions can be done virtually or in-person or a combination thereof. Total listening time is 5 hours broken up into sessions usually 30 minutes or less. During in-person sessions, I can provide Somatic Experiencing Touch as you are listening. Included in this is one 60 minute Somatic Experiencing Session and access to the Safe and Sound Protocol for 12 months.

How can regulating the nervous system with techniques of Somatic Experiencing and the Safe & Sound Protocol help with Long COVID?

Disarm the body from being in threat-mode: Somatic Experiencing and SSP slowly cue in safety into the body

Becca likes to call pathogens Space Invaders. Pathogens are viruses, fungi, bacteria, and parasites that cause illness. Our bodies are exceptionally well-tuned to respond to threat both internally from Space Invaders and from external threat. For most of us during the pandemic, our bodies were experiencing the external threat of the pandemic and yet the threat was invisible and constant. Our natural defense mechanisms were constantly on. That kindled the body to be in a constant threat mode searching to find safety. And then the Space Invader of COVID-19 came in. And it was a novel virus that was different to our system. In part, what is going on for many of those with Long COVID is that the body’s immune system is in dysregulation. Somatic Experiencing helps the body to disarm some of the stuck-on threat response and Becca suspects that will resolve some of the immune dysregulation and inflammation contributing to Long COVID symptomatology.

Support regulation of the Autonomic Nervous System

Many people have symptoms that affect the autonomic nervous system, often termed dysautonomia, as part of the Long COVID experience and both modalities work to address dysregulation within the autonomic nervous system itself. The techniques of Somatic Experiencing and SSP work to help bring the autonomic nervous system out of fixity into flow. In helping guide sensations in your body and noticing things outside of your body, an SE Practitioner tracks shifts in the Autonomic Nervous system to very slowly introduce change that the body can then integrate.

If you feel like your body is stuck with both the gas pedal on and the brake pumped at the same time, over time the break will slowly come off and the gas pedal won’t need to be pressed so hard to go.

Support the body to have more comfort and curiosity with the sensations that arise

For many, it’s uncomfortable to live with constant new sensations and the anxiety that comes with feeling these different things that feels so bad. SE helps to work very slowly with some of these uncomfortable experiences and finding places and experiences that also feel very comfortable. This can help the body resolve some of the sensations entirely or help to bring in a state of more ease of experiencing them that doesn’t lead to a feeling of overwhelm.

Resolve the stressors and experiences of having been diagnosed with Long COVID

The response of the world to having an invisible confusing illness can be harmful to us. If we are not received, seen, connected to, and made to feel safe at such a vulnerable state, and instead invalidated and misunderstood, our threat system stays on. And while we can’t change those reactions of society, SE can help the body to have more capacity to experience those behaviors and not react so strongly to it. It may seem far-fetched, but it can happen. Resolving the effects of what’s happened since the infection can be so helpful towards healing.

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