In October 2021, the World Health Organization(WHO) released the difinition of Post COVID-19 Condition: “the continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation.” About 10-20% of people may continue to be affected by the medium and long-term effects of COVID-19. As the COVID-19 can damage multiple organs of the body, resulting in a considerable proportion of patients experiencing various sequelae for a long time after recovery after infecting COVID-19.
However, many who were infected or got reinfected are still grappling with the aftereffects of COVID-19 including fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, chest pain, headache, insomnia, and other symptoms.
Also known as “long COVID”, these long-term effects which is a multisystem inflammatory, can take a toll on both our mental and physical health and can involv multiple organ systmes including respiratory system, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system, nervous system, digestive system and urinary system, etc.
Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), being a form of preventive medicine, provides holistic practices that aim to improve one’s health from within. TCM has a good advantage in dealing with the aftereffects and can help to alleviate some of these lingering such symptoms as cough, insomnia, fatigue, brain fog and other symptoms. In April 2022, the WHO has proved Chinese herbs to be effective for COVID-19.
If you are struggling with post-COVID symptoms, TCM can help you recover from the symptoms of post- COVID-19 syndrome.
Tackling Long COVID Symptoms with TCM
In TCM, long COVID symptoms are a result of your body’s Qi being depleted after fighting the infection, causing your immune system and key organs to weaken.
As to these symptoms, TCM aim to restore the body’s balance and achieve harmony between the internal organs and external elements through syndrome differentiation and treatment, combined with herbal medicine and acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a form of TCM therapy that involves inserting thin needles into acupoints located throughout the body to treat pain and promote overall wellness. It works by easing blockages of your Qi and Blood, allowing your body to self-heal naturally.
This targets joint and muscle pain as stimulating the acupoints results in endorphins, a natural painkiller, being released to provide pain relief. Additionally, acupuncture tackles brain fog and fatigue too so you can concentrate better at work.
The benefits of acupuncture do not just end there–it even helps with menstrual problems by removing any Qi stagnation or blockages to maintain a healthy menstrual cycle. If you noticed that your menstrual cycle has become irregular after infecting COVID-19, consider visiting a TCM clinic in Dubai for acupuncture treatments.
Different herbs are known to support varying organs and address different health concerns. Thus, according to different symptoms, constitution and pulse condition, Chinese physician can treat patients with potential imbalances by tailor-made herbal medicines.
If the lungs are infested with viruses, it uses herbs medications that can moisten lungs and remove blood stasis, scuh as Polygonum multiflorum, Chinese angelica, ginseng, astragalus, dodder, ephedra and almonds, etc., it can treat and soothe a lingering cough, and help with shallow and rapid breathing, unstable blood oxygen saturation and fatigue. If attention and memory are impaired(brain frog), drugs that promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and invigorate qi and blood can be used to help the repair of cranial nerves and cerebral microvessels.
According to the latest research, long COVID may be associated with the imbalance of intestinal microecology. Your digestive system can also become weak after infecting COVID-19, causing issues such as diarrhoea, bloating and stomach pain.
Moxibustion is a form of TCM therapy which involves burning mugwort leaves along the meridians to increase the circulation of Qi, helping your body deal with a wide range of issues including but not limited to digestive problems.
Aside from relieving stomach problems, moxibustion can also help with fatigue and muscle and joint pain that is often experienced in long COVID. It can sometimes be paired with acupuncture for quicker results.
Rehabilitation for Long COVID with TCM
Through TCM scientific conditioning, the immune dysregulation caused by COVID-19 affection can be gradually restored.
At Shanghai Medical Clinic, we provide a range of TCM therapies including acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medications that will help you to get your health back on track.
