COVID-19 has not finished revealing its impact. A growing number of patients are now living with symptoms that can be debilitating and persist for weeks or even months, even after testing negative for the virus.
Find out how acupuncture and herbal medicine are a hope today in the treatment of long-term COVID.
Long COVID in Switzerland
Symptoms of Long COVID
Treatment of Long COVID in Geneva
Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Herbal Medicine)
Long COVID in Switzerland
At the time of writing this article, Switzerland has 707,000 documented cases of COVID. A scientific consensus estimates that 10% of these cases are people who will develop a long form of the virus, also called Long COVID. It is not a pathology in itself. It is rather the aftermath of the disease, which some patients will suffer from for several months, possibly several years, and which will take on a variable, recurrent and remitting appearance.
Symptoms of Long COVID
Many people are now facing the long-term consequences of Covid-19. These patients suffer from persistent symptoms often for months after they are “cured”.
The number of these patients will unfortunately only increase in the months and years to come. Research has shown that women are more exposed (80%) to symptoms of COVID long than men.
The symptoms of a long-lasting COVID vary a lot from person to person.
Symptoms of a long COVID vary a lot from person to person, but here are the most common cases we see at Health Garden & Wellness:
Breathing difficulties
Loss of smell
Menstrual cycle disorder
Chronic fatigue
Anxiety and depression
Headache
Tinnitus
Memory impairment
Drowsiness
Decreased eyesight
Treatment of Long COVID
Holistic health care systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, are particularly well suited for dealing with the long-coming COVID epidemic and helping patients overcome multiple persistent symptoms.
At the Health Garden & Wellness practice in Geneva, we treat these patients using a holistic approach, aimed at supporting their own self-healing capacities. This aims to achieve overall improvement rather than focusing on one symptom at a time.
We aim for overall improvement rather than focusing on one symptom at a time.
This method produces effects on both the immune system and inflammatory processes. Acupuncture and pharmacopoeia are natural approaches that calm the nervous system, help regulate hormones and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
These methods are therefore particularly indicated for the long Covid, because they simultaneously treat physical and emotional problems.
Chinese pharmacopoeia (herbal medicine)
In China nowadays, traditional medicine is used to treat 85-90% of COVID-19 cases. A low rate of death and viral infection has been observed compared to other countries that do not use Chinese herbal medicine (pharmacopoeia).
The strategy used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat COVID is similar to that used to treat the SARS outbreak.
Not only does it inhibit the virus, but it also blocks the infection, regulates the immune response, shuts down the inflammatory reaction and triggers the body's self-healing processes.
We use certain herbs that strengthen the wei qi (immune system) and combine them with other herbs that treat breathing problems, such as ma huang.
The effects of some of these natural plants are much more powerful than those of acupuncture, which is why only a doctor with expertise in Chinese herbal medicine can make a prescription combining these plants.
Cupping and Moxibustion
The acupuncture treatments used for COVID Long are cupping (ventouses) and moxibustion.
Moxibustion involves the burning of a particular plant at specific points on the body. It is historically used in China to prevent and mitigate epidemics.
The points used are adapted to each case, but we can mention UB43, Ding Chuan, UB13, LU1 and REN17 for cupping and DU20, KD1, SJ4, Yuan Source Points and Xi Cleft Points for Moxi.
Conclusion
As with any chronic illness, it is important to support your body with good quality rest and relaxation, a healthy and nutritious diet, and, if possible, gentle exercise. Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions (Chinese pharmacopoeia), moxibustion and cupping are the most commonly recommended traditional Chinese medicine interventions for post-Covid care.
Long COVID can be extremely distressing for anyone affected.
Long COVID can be extremely distressing for anyone affected. However, we have every reason to be positive because ancestral Chinese medicine offers us a lot of possibilities to help those who suffer from this disease.
Our acupuncturists are very experienced and have been successfully treating long COVID cases in Geneva for many months.
Contact our acupuncture practice, because we can help you.
Cabinet Health Garden & Wellness by email or phone +41 22 788 33 33
Acupuncture & pharmacopée chinoise
+ 41 22 788 33 33
Cabinet Health Garden & Wellness
Chantepoulet 9, 1201 Geneva
Acupuncture, tuina & pharmacopée chinoise
+ 41 22 788 33 33
Cabinet Health Garden & Wellness
Chantepoulet 9, 1201 Geneva