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Common physical issues

In this section, we've provided some general information and advice on the physical issues patients commonly face during the ward stage of recovery. These include things like general weakness, weight loss, tiredness, joint pain and problems with mobility. Everyone is different. You may or may not experience these issues and they may be more severe or troublesome to some patients than others. Many of these issues will improve over the weeks and months after Intensive Care.

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Article: Muscle wasting and weakness

Why do you get muscle wasting? In the early stages of your illness, you may have been unconscious, and needed help from a breathing machine (or ventilator) for your breathing. During this time, you will have been unable to use the muscles in your arms and legs, and to move your joints yourself. We know from research (where pictures have been taken of the patients' muscles) that these muscles reduce in size, or waste, when they are not being used. This can happen quite...

External Video: Nutritional advice

In this video, Judith talks about her role as a dietitian in Intensive Care. She talks about the nutritional issues patients commonly face after Intensive Care, and offers some advice for patients and family members to help the recovery process along.

External Video: Pacing for Breathlessness

This short clip will explain how a technique known as "pacing" may help feelings of breathlessness. You might also find the booklets on bodily positions to help breathlessness, breathing control and how to conserve your energy helpful in dealing with breathlessness.

External Video: Pacing for Fatigue

This short clip will explain how the technique of pacing may be used to manage any fatigue that you may be experiencing.

External Video: Pacing for Pain

This short clip will explain how pacing your activities may help to manage any pain that you are experiencing.

Document: Pacing information booklet

This booklet about pacing has been written for people with ME or chronic fatigue. However the fatigue that you may be experiencing associated with being in Intensive Care can be managed with pacing in the same way. The booklet contains a wealth of information about the concept of pacing that you can apply to your 'post intensive care fatigue'.

External Video: Rehabilitation on the wards

In this video, Leanne talks about her role as a Rehabilitation Assistant, working with patients after Intensive Care.She talks about the physical and psychological issues patients commonly face after transfer to the general wards and the type of help to expect. She also gives advice on some of the things patients and family members can do to help the recovery process along.

External Video: Rehabilitation on the wards

Web Link: Tests & treatments: find out more

This link will take you to the webpage of NHS Inform.Here, you'll find easily understandable information on common tests (eg blood tests, various types of scans, etc ), medical treatments and surgical procedures (everything from a knee replacement to heart surgery).

Document: Tiredness (fatigue)-how to save your energy

This booklet outlines techniques that you can use to make the most of the energy you have without making yourself exhausted. These techniques can be used to manage different physical symptoms including breathlessness, fatigue and pain.

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Common physical issues

You have 21 results.