Long COVID, or what doctors refer to as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), is a condition marked by the continuation of COVID-19 symptoms—or the emergence of new ones—after recovery from acute (or the initial phase of illness of) COVID-19. While there is not yet a formal definition of Long COVID, it generally refers to the persistence of symptoms four weeks or longer after the onset of COVID-19.
What causes long COVID?
Western medicine explanations include:
- Residual organ damage. This theory holds that the symptoms of Long COVID are due to residual damage to organs caused by the body’s own immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Remaining virus. This theory suggests that after the immune system eliminates the virus, some remnants of it survive in one or more organs, and it continues to stimulate an immune response.
- Exaggerated Immune response. According to this theory, in some people, COVID-19 sparks an exaggerated immune response; the immune system then remains in an overexcited state, resulting in various symptoms.
12 symptoms in particular best distinguish those patients with and without long COVID:
- post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity)
- fatigue
- brain fog
- dizziness
- gut symptoms
- heart palpitations
- sexual problems
- change in smell or taste
- thirst
- chronic cough
- chest pain
- persistent cough
Chinese medicine explains long COVID by diagnosing the patient with 12 pulse assessment and tongue diagnosis. These 12 pulses correspond to the 12 meridians or energy channels in the body. In many cases, the spleen and kidney meridians are very deficient, and /or the liver meridian is excessive.
Acupuncture and several Chinese herbs are given to strengthen the spleen and kidney in balanced traditional Chinese herbal formulas documented for over 3000 years.
Some of these herbs include: Astragalus, ginseng, Poria, Rheumania, dioscorea, white atractylodes, and also chiang-huo, Du huo, cnidium, depending on the exact combinations of the patients pulses which show excesses and deficiencies within the body. ANDROGRAPHIS is considered one of the best herbs in Thailand to treat Covid, and Thailand’s health ministry approved the use of a herbal plant extract to treat early stages of Covid-19.
Acupuncture points such as Stomach 36, Liver-3, kidney-3, and Large intestine 4 help to eliminate pathogens from the body and also increase the chi and blood, kidney and spleen energy in the body , detox, and to recover from the after effects of the virus.
Patients can fully recover from their long term symptoms of fatigue, arthritis, brain fog, loss of smell or taste, brain fog, gut and heart problems, with the combination of acupuncture and chinese herbal medicine.Other supplements such as zinc, quercitin, Vitamin D, help not only the immune system but also help to eliminate the spike protein of the Covid virus, and strengthen the immune system.
Call our office at 825-878-5915 to find out more about long COVID treatment.