For some people who are diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness comes and goes in a matter of weeks. Others however develop lingering, often debilitating post-COVID symptoms, that have come to be known by many names: long COVID, long-haul COVID, chronic COVID, etc. Post-Covid conditions include a wide range of health problems, and can last for several weeks, months, or even longer. It can occur in those whose initial bout of COVID-19 was severe, mild, or even those who exhibited no symptoms at all.
Many of the symptoms of long covid include those seen in the initial bout of illness, such as:
cough
fever
shortness of breath
fatigue
brain fog
muscle pain
headache
loss of taste or smell
In other cases, symptoms that were not part of the initial symptom picture can develop, such as cognitive or mood changes, cardiac issues such as chest pain or palpitations, sleep issues, changes in menstrual cycle, digestive symptoms, and more. This list is not comprehensive: according to Long-Covid support group Body Politic, when members answered a survey about their experiences, over 200 different symptoms involving 10 different organ systems were reported.
The good news is, we can help!
While it can be difficult to address the constellation of clinical manifestations as well as multiple organ systems involved in post-Covid sequelae, as holistic health practitioners, acupuncture and natural medicine can be a missing link for managing chronic manifestations of Covid.
Many of the symptoms of long Covid are already things we often treat successfully with acupuncture and herbs in the clinic! These symptoms include:
fatigue
brain fog
irregular menstruation
body aches
headaches
Historically, acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat febrile and epidemic diseases. In Chinese Medicine, these kinds of illnesses are said to be caused by environmental factors such as cold, heat, or dampness, which obstruct the normal flow of qi, blood and body fluids as well as healthy organ function. Acupuncture can help to restore the healthy flow of qi and organ function, and as well has been clinically proven to improve many of the effects of long Covid. (Learn more about research on acupuncture for long COVID here and here). This includes reducing pain and inflammation, regulating the parasympathetic—“rest and digest”—aspect of the nervous system, improving microcirculation, and optimizing immune function.
Besides using acupuncture, there are a variety of tools that can be helpful in managing Long Covid. Moxibustion, a kind of heat therapy in which mugwort is applied to acupuncture points, can help to eliminate pathogens from the body as well as strengthen overall immune function. It has been shown in studies to increase white blood cell count in chemotherapy patients as well as other cases of immune deficiency.(Read the research here and here).
Herbal medicine is a vital component of Chinese Medicine, and can be used in conjunction with acupuncture to drive the healing process. Each herbal formula comprises multiple herbs, and is customized to fit each individual’s unique symptom picture and constitution, and can be modified over the course of the healing process.
As always it is essential to work with your primary care doctor to diagnose and treat symptoms of post-Covid sequelae, as a collaborative approach is likely to have the best outcome. Here at Dynamic Acupuncture we use an integrative approach to treatment, oftentimes utilizing a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping/gua sha, and moxibustion to help relieve post-viral symptoms.
If you are struggling with Long Covid or post-viral symptoms, don’t hesitate to get in touch and schedule to be evaluated with one of our acupuncturists in the clinic.