Resolving Symptoms of Long COVID and Residual Effects of the COVID Vaccine
It has been estimated that up to 30% of people can experience long-haul COVID after recovering, even if they weren’t very sick in the first place. If you or someone you know are still suffering, my aim is to clear up concern and confusion about long COVID and to share tips on what you can do and what to expect as you work toward full resolution of the problem.
Women More Prone to Long Haul COVID.
Studies from around the world and at UC Davis have found that females, particularly middle-aged women, are affected by long-haul COVID in greater numbers than men. The ratio of patients experiencing long-haul COVID is about 53% female to 47% male. This disparity may be partly due to women’s fluctuating hormones at about the time of menopause which creates variability in her immune system’s response to infections. At this time, studies are underway to tease out the reasons that women seem to be more prone to long COVID than men.
Symptoms of Long-Haul COVID.
During the pandemic, some people with severe COVID, especially those who required hospitalization, were left with systemic tissue damage that could include respiratory, muscular, or cognitive dysfunction. While some complained of a persistent loss of taste and smell, others reported anxiety, depression, insomnia, or fatigue. In addition, many patients complained of digestive system disturbances—namely microbiome imbalances that resulted in chronic low appetite, nausea, and loose bowel movements while others complained of inflammatory symptoms that affected their skin and hair, their thyroid, and joints, or caused blood clots.
Holistic Approach to Diagnosing Long-Haul COVID.
Even the AMA (American Medical Association) recognizes the importance of treating long COVID holistically since no organs were spared by the virus and many seemingly unrelated symptoms may be linked to the infection. Unfortunately, many people delayed going to their health care providers during the pandemic so they developed new medical conditions that may or may not have been exacerbated or triggered by COVID. That is why it is so important to always seek medical help early to avoid allowing symptoms to progress or continue.
Autoimmune Diseases and Reactivation of Old Viruses.
We have seen a number of long-haul COVID cases in our offices. Many patients who had pre-existing autoimmune disorders developed an aggravation of their disorder or fell victim to new conditions such as thyroiditis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, eczema, psoriasis, pemphigus, and others. We have also seen a number of patients with a past history of other viral infections such as EBV (Epstein Barr), the virus that causes mononucleosis, who experienced a reactivation of their chronic fatigue.
Natural Approaches to Relieving Long-Haul COVID Symptoms.
Our approach to helping patients who are suffering from long-haul COVID is threefold.
1. Rebalance and Support Healthy Immune Function and Microbiome.
After COVID or any viral infection, we often see patient’s WBC (white blood cell) levels drop to below normal or borderline low. This common phenomenon is due to the virus’ ability to suppress immune function which can lead to fatigue, lingering cold-like symptoms, and vulnerability to the flu or sinus infections. The microbiome contains a majority of your body’s immune cells, so any viral disturbance wreaks havoc to the gut and to immunity that often leads to digestive problems.
Solutions: Take adaptogenic herbs such as astragalus that your doctor of Chinese medicine can add to your existing herbal formula, or take them separately in a capsule form. Eat fermented foods to restore healthy intestinal flora such as coconut kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut, and take a diverse strain of probiotics such as our Super Probiotics which contains eight helpful strains of bacteria.
2. Reduce and Manage Inflammation.
When your body encounters a pathogen such as the COVID virus, your immune system unleashes a number of weapons including cytokines, proteins that direct your lymphocytes to attack and disable viral replication; histamines to swell and trap the virus and prevent its spread; and antigens to tag the enemy so your troops can destroy it. Sometimes the immune system overacts which can lead to excessive inflammation and tissue destruction such as in the case of asthma, myocarditis, and arthritis.
Solutions: Ask your doctor of Chinese medicine to add Peony root into your herbal formula; Peony is known for its anti-inflammatory and calming properties. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage; enzyme-rich fruits like papaya, pineapple, and kiwi; antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, cherries, and grapes; omega-3 fatty acid-rich seeds such as flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and spices like turmeric and ginger. Consider taking Omega-3 supplements as well as quercetin, bromelain, and papain.
3. Detoxify Viral Toxins, Particles, and Waste Products.
Just as war ravages the land and heaps destruction and death, a war waged against an invading COVID virus leaves piles of toxins and waste products that can trigger the immune system and cause prolonged inflammation. These waste products act as if they were live “embers” that can last for months and even years, and cause chronic post-viral symptoms.
Solutions: Take detoxifying and cleansing herbs such as dandelion, chrysanthemum, and peppermint; these and other herbs form the basis of our Detox Tea. Begin each morning with a lemon squeezed in hot water and drink fresh vegetable juices and broth daily. Get one of our Detox Kits; they consist of a detox menu plan, our Detox Tea, a skin brush to clear your lymphatics, and a herbal detox bath soak to help rid your body of remaining toxins.
Lingering Symptoms from Vaccines.
Some patients have reported that they acquired symptoms after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, which has been of concern to a number of our patients. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) website states that COVID vaccines are safe. According to the tracking system VEARS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), as of April 25, 2022, there were 14,346 preliminary reports of death (0.0025%), which is a very low rate of fatality given the massive numbers of vaccine doses that were administered. However, for family members of one of those who were affected, I can’t begin to imagine the anguish they had to endure.
Most patients who had symptoms post-vaccination experienced, for several days to several weeks soreness and stiffness in the arm where they received the shot. Some patients developed rash and hives afterward—signs of allergies to the preservatives or the fat envelope delivery system that the Pfizer’s and Moderna’s mRNA was wrapped in. While others had symptoms of inflammation that were later diagnosed as autoimmune diseases like pemphigus and lupus.
Restoring and Promoting Healthy Function.
Immunologists with whom I have spoken confirmed the possible correlation between vaccines and inflammatory conditions. Since association is not causation, we defer to the experts and researchers on the ultimate reason. Nonetheless, we have seen positive changes in symptoms by advising the same detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and immune support protocols as outlined above.
If you or someone you know are still suffering from lingering symptoms, we are happy to troubleshoot your specific symptoms with more diagnostic testing and personalized treatment approaches to help achieve full resolution. I invite you to schedule an online consultation appointment by contacting our assistants.