Long COVID symptoms & stats
More and more, we are seeing people turn to Chinese Medicine modalities such as acupuncture and herbal therapy to find relief from the Long COVID. Common post-COVID symptoms can include fatigue, muscle pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain, headache, insomnia, loss of smell, loss of taste, hair loss, etc. In most studies, fatigue was the most frequently reported condition, followed by muscle pain, cough, and headache.
COVID-19 has been found to progress to a chronic state in about 30% of cases and has been termed Long COVID or Long haul COVID. While Long COVID can affect anyone, women are 4 times more likely to develop symptoms than men. Statistics show that peak ages to develop chronic symptoms are between the ages of 35 to 49 years old. Furthermore, symptoms are considered chronic if they persist for over 12 weeks following infection.
Mainstream Treatment
Most drug treatments for post-COVID focus on managing symptoms such as Adderall and Ritalin for fatigue; antidepressants for mood; and Albuterol for difficulty breathing. These pharmaceuticals do not focus on fixing the underlying cause but only treat the symptoms. Other non-drug therapy includes psychologic counseling, physical therapy, progressive exercises, and pulmonary rehabilitation, including breathing exercises.
What Acupuncture has to offer
Ancient Chinese texts outline well defined methods for treating influenza-like febrile illnesses. This pairs well with current scientific research and case studies that support the value of acupuncture and herbal therapy for symptoms associated with acute and chronic respiratory viral infections. This includes illnesses such as influenza, SARS and COVID-19. More recent reports continue to provide evidence of acupuncture’s effectiveness in managing Long COVID symptoms.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) texts describe environmental factors such as cold, heat, and dampness that disrupt the healthy flow of qi and organ functions. The great news is that ancient texts also describe how acupuncture works to restore the normal flow of qi, blood, and body fluids to promote healing.
Modern studies outline how acupuncture influences bodily functions to assist in alleviating many of the effects of COVID-19. Acupuncture has been shown to lower inflammation, modulate the adaptive immune response, and influence nitric oxide production. These are all functions that show to be lacking in patients with Long COVID.
Well Documented & Researched Effects of Acupuncture.
Improves Nitric Oxide
Reduces viral replication
Improves adaptive immunity
Manages chronic inflammation
Regulation of the Vagus Nerve
Acupuncture for Nitric Oxide Normalization
Nitric oxide (NO) is important for restoring adaptive immunity, lowering viral replication, and increasing circulation. This plays an essential role in both the cardiopulmonary and immune systems. Because acupuncture improves nitric oxide, it has the ability to reduce oxidative stress and suppress inflammation. This simple action helps in lowering viral replication, therefore improving adaptive immunity.
Acupuncture for Vagal Tone
Modern research about the vagus nerve shows that it interfaces with the parasympathetic control of digestive system organs, the heart, and the lung. The pathway of the vagus nerve is shown to be similar to the acupuncture channels system, so it’s no wonder that ear acupuncture and points such as PC 6 and ST36 help regulate the autonomic nervous system. Therefore, stimulation of these points can assist in mediating the anti-inflammatory response and regulating heart rate.
Auricular Acupuncture
This is otherwise known as ear acupuncture and is great to assist in reducing stress, relieving anxiety and depression, promoting healthy sleep, and supporting viral immunity. The vagal nerve has an auricular branch that can be stimulated with needles placed on the outer portion of the ear.
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture Insights
While recovery from Long COVID takes time, patients that have received acupuncture during recovery report less anxiety about their condition, improved sense of well-being, improved sleep, and reduced headaches and related pain. This can partly be explained by the simple fact that acupuncture moves the qi and blood. In addition, the research is very clear about the various positive effects of acupuncture that contribute to health and recovery. With the low risk of harm to patients paired with acupuncture’s regulatory effects discussed above, it makes it a favorable treatment strategy.
Herbal therapy
There have also been scientific studies following Long COVID symptom improvement through the use of herbal formulas. Commonly studied herbs involved in Long COVID treatment include: Ren shen (Ginseng Radix Et Rhizoma), Mai Men dong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Wu wei zi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), Fu Ling (Poria), Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Xuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix), Cang Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma), Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Yi Yi Ren (Coicis Semen), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Ma Bian Cao (Verbenae Herba), Lu Gen (Phragmitis Rhizoma), and Dan Zhu Ye (Lophatheri Herba). Huang Qi (Astragali radix), Chi Shao (Paeoniae radix rubra), Bu Gu Zhi (Psoraleae fructus), Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen), He Huan Pi (Albiziae Cortex), and Deng Xin Cao (Junci Medulla).
The above herbs, in certain combinations and modified per individual, can assist with relief of symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and shortness of breath. Of course, this list doesn’t possibly include all herbal therapies that can be of help when recovering from COVID.
At Ancient Spring Acupuncture each patient is prescribed a formula that is tailored to their own individual health needs. Herbal therapy is targeted at treating the root of the problem, while also addressing the most pressing symptoms. We encourage you to make an appointment to discuss your personal health goals.
If you are currently sick and can’t make it in for a face-to-face appointment, Telehealth appointments can be scheduled by contacting our office. This means that you can talk to our herbalist via Zoom and receive the herbal therapy that you need. Herbal formulas are usually ready for pickup same- or next-day to help in your recovery.
Reference
1.Yang, Fengwen1,2; Pang, Bo1,2; Jin, Xinyao1,2; Chen, Zhe1,2; Pang, Wentai1,2; Liu, Qingquan3; Zhang, Junhua1,2,*; Zhang, Boli1,2,*. Post-COVID burden: focus on the short-term condition. Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine: September 27, 2022 – Volume – Issue – 10.1097/HM9.0000000000000036. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ahm/Fulltext/9900/Post_COVID_burden__focus_on_the_short_term.12.aspx
2.James E. Williams and Jacques Moramarco.The Role of Acupuncture for Long COVID: Mechanisms and Models.Medical Acupuncture.Jun 2022.159-166.http://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2021.0090. Available from: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acu.2021.0090