In recent years, I have helped many patients with health problems related to Long COVID, a condition also associated with "long haulers." This condition is defined as a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people experience four or more weeks after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. It can happen to anyone who has had COVID-19, even if their initial illness was mild.
The problem I have seen is that many doctors fail to acknowledge that a patient’s health problems are Long COVID-related. Many patients have told me that their doctors dismissed the possibility that their new health issues were connected to the virus. This is a strange oversight, because when new health problems begin within a certain time frame after having COVID, it must always be considered to be Long COVID-related.
The symptoms of Long COVID are diverse and can impact multiple systems in the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, as many as 200 symptoms have been linked to the condition.
Commonly reported symptoms include:
The exact cause remains under investigation, but leading theories include the persistence of the virus (spike protein) in the body, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune responses. Furthermore, COVID can awaken dormant infections like the Epstein-Barr virus, which also causes fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation. A diagnosis is made based on one’s health history, previous COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure, and a physical exam.
Recent studies have shown that U.S. healthcare workers are also experiencing the toll of Long COVID. They are part of the 20 million-plus Americans diagnosed with the condition, with one study finding that 7.7% of surveyed healthcare workers experienced Long COVID. This means hundreds of thousands of them have been affected.
A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that 23.5% of healthcare workers with Long COVID said their work was significantly and negatively affected. Their most common symptoms were fatigue, headache, muscle aches, joint pains, and shortness of breath. Hopefully, these studies will motivate doctors and practitioners to take Long COVID seriously for everyone.
Patients with Long COVID are generally very frustrated with the therapies offered by conventional medicine. The conventional approach is often just symptomatic: an inhaler for shortness of breath, an antidepressant for depression, or advice to rest more for fatigue.
In my opinion, holistic therapies are much more effective at relieving symptoms and the underlying imbalances of Long COVID. Examples of these therapies include:
If you suffer from Long COVID, you should consult with a knowledgeable integrative doctor. This is something we deal with a lot at the Stengler Center For Integrative Medicine. You can also review potentially indicated supplements from www.drstengler.com, which include Super B Complex, PEA+Turmeric, Adrenal Wellness, and Mushroom Memory & Focus Wellness, among others.
