HELP WITH LONG COVID

Acupoint stimulation for long COVID: A promising intervention

Read full article by Bo Wen Feng and Pei-Jing Rong here

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1003525723000387?via%3Dihub

What is long COVID?

“Long COVID” is a sustained symptom following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). According to recent statistics, at least 65 million people have long COVID, which poses a long-term threat to human health. The pathogenic mechanisms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are complex and affect multiple organs and systems.

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms include palpitations, breathing difficulties, attention and memory deficits, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Currently, treatment strategies for long COVID are still in the exploratory stage, and there is an urgent need to find appropriate and effective methods for long COVID treatment. Several antiviral drugs, such as remdesivir, molnupiravir, and irmatrelvir, remain active in vitro against current variants, including omicron, but fail to improve symptoms of long COVID and may cause gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and sleep disturbances, as well as other side effects. Patients are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative therapies to avoid drug side effects.

Does Traditional Chinese Medicine help?

Traditional Chinese medicine is effective in treating the various phases of COVID-19. Previous studies have shown that acupoint stimulation therapy is effective in improving palpitations, dyspnea, cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms in patients. According to previous studies, acupoint stimulation may improve various symptoms related to long COVID.

What can acupuncture do?

Several studies have investigated the role of acupuncture in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of COVID-19, with the aim of promoting greater efficacy of acupuncture in the fight against COVID-19. This study provides preliminary evidence that acupuncture could improve a range of symptoms after recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Acupoint stimulation may improve cardiovascular symptoms of long COVID

Cardiac symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and palpitations

Acupoint stimulation may relieve respiratory symptoms of long COVID

Respiratory symptoms such as breathing difficulties, cough.

Acupoint stimulation may improve neurological symptoms of long COVID

Symptoms such as olfactory dysfunction, memory impairment, and cognitive dysfunction.

Acupoint stimulation may relieve gastrointestinal symptoms of long COVID

The long-term gastrointestinal symptoms of COVID-19 include abdominal pain, anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

Acupoint stimulation may improve endocrine symptoms of long COVID

Endocrine diseases such as obesity and diabetes are risk factors for severe COVID-19, and endocrine organs such as the pancreas, adrenals, and testes have been identified as potential targets of SARS-CoV-2

Mental symptoms

Patients with long COVID have physical and psychological symptoms, exhibiting higher levels of depression and anxiety. Suicide risk can also be increased.