The troubling news is that, nearly four years after the start of the pandemic, people are still regularly infected with the coronavirus. And, as bad as the acute infection can be, there lingers a secondary concern which is just as devastating in a way–namely, Long Covid, or the idea that symptoms will develop which are hard to explain, hard to treat, and very persistent.

The good news is that acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and light therapy have much to offer those with lasting symptoms..

Allopathic medicine has made strides in understanding Long Covid, but exact diagnosis of its myriad symptoms is often elusive. And with no exact diagnosis, there’s often no treatment plan.

Chinese medicine, on the other hand, uses its unique philosophical and diagnostic framework to get a grasp on the situation and begin treatment even when the symptom picture is changing or just plain confusing.

Deep and chronic fatigue? Certainly there’s a qi deficiency. Body pain in a post-Covid patient? Likely blood stasis is present. Feverish, anxious, and struggling with sleep? Empty heat needs to be grounded. With these concepts in mind, we’re able to dive right in.

We’ve had years now of clinical experience helping folks with Long Covid, often with transformative results.

Acupuncture soothes the nervous system and balances the body, reducing mental and physical discomfort, light therapy boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation, and herbal medicine reaches deep into the system to balance the physiology, and with a plenitude of antivirals eradicates the virus.

If you or someone you care about is suffering from Long Covid, our treatments offer a safe, compassionate, natural, and (most importantly) highly effective form of treatment.

Research Supporting Chinese herbal medicine to treat long COVID

A growing body of research is investigating the potential of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) to treat long COVID. 

• A 2022 review of clinical studies found that CHM was effective in improving symptoms of long COVID, including fatigue, dyspnea, and cognitive impairment.

• Another study, published in 2023, found that CHM was effective in reducing inflammation and improving lung function in patients with long COVID.

While the research on Chinese herbal medicine and long COVID is still in its early stages, the results so far are very promising! 

We are proud to be the only practice in the Seacoast with a full onsite herbal pharmacy, and for the month of November, we are offering free herbal consults. Book your free herbal consult today!

Long COVID & Brain Fog

A great NPR article just came out on research about Long Covid and brain fog. 

Research has shown that acupuncture increases serotonin and stimulates the vagus nerve.

Light Therapy for COVID

Research on the use of light therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 is still in its early stages, but there are a number of promising findings. For example, a small study published in 2023 found that light therapy treatment improved lung function and reduced inflammation in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Another study found that light therapy helped to improve cognitive function in patients with long COVID.