Long COVID

What is Long COVID?

Long COVID refers to symptoms that persist after infection. Common features include fatigue, cognitive difficulty (“brain fog”), breathlessness, headache, dizziness, palpitations, chest discomfort, cough, joint or muscle pain, low mood or anxiety, and changes in smell or taste — which may last weeks, months or longer.

Common symptoms

Fatigue (most typical)

Feeling drained without exertion and hard to recover, often with poor concentration and “brain fog.”

Breathing & chest

Shortness of breath on slight activity, chest tightness; pre-existing asthma or COPD may worsen.

Brain & nerves

Poor memory and concentration, slow responses, dizziness, headache, insomnia, numbness or tingling.

Heart & lungs

Palpitations, fast or irregular heartbeat, slow recovery after activity.

Mood & sleep

Anxiety, low mood, irritability, long-standing insomnia.

Others

Bloating, reflux, poor appetite, loose stools, persistent dry cough, reduced smell/taste, aching joints and muscles, hair loss.

The TCM approach

Those with weaker constitutions are at higher risk. TCM treatment combines strengthening the body and clearing pathogens:

• Strengthening: bolstering healthy qi so qi and blood are abundant and yin-yang balanced, improving resistance and reducing the chance of re-infection.
• Clearing: removing pathogenic factors such as cold, damp, phlegm and blood stasis.

Treatment emphasises tonifying healthy qi and balancing yin and yang, and may use acupuncture, cupping, gua sha and herbal washes to improve constitution.

Directions of care

• Acupuncture: cough, dizziness, back pain, cold intolerance, aches, fatigue, insomnia, tinnitus, neck/shoulder discomfort, chest tightness and phlegm.
• Manual therapy: body aches, fatigue, headache/dizziness, poor appetite, insomnia, joint inflammation.
• Herbal medicine: fatigue, insomnia, chest tightness, palpitations, night sweats, poor appetite, abdominal distension, cough, reduced smell/taste, loose stools, phlegm.

TCM care for Long COVID is individualised by pattern differentiation. Results vary between individuals.