Do Not Be Anxious About Long COVID: Self-Adaptation Can Bring Recovery
Many patients develop long COVID more than a month after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The after-effects are extremely varied, but the great majority are related to vascular lesions.The most common symptoms include tachycardia or bradycardia, arrhythmia, shortness of breath, cough and wheezing, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, hair loss, pain (which may occur anywhere), and skin allergies. Some patients have high blood pressure, others low blood pressure; some have high blood sugar and lipids, others low blood sugar; some have elevated transaminases and creatinine, low hemoglobin, or platelets that are high or low.So far there is no reliable regimen to solve this series of problems, and the global medical community has no good way to treat long COVID. Among the families of people I know personally, there have already been cases of sudden death (from myocardial infarction) due to long COVID. Others have developed cerebral infarction, lower-extremity thrombosis or kidney damage. Severe after-effects are mostly caused by stasis and plaques in the circulatory system.Some experts previously claimed that Omicron does not cause long COVID, and some even absurdly argued that after-effects are psychological. The opinions of these experts cannot be trusted. The after-effects caused by Omicron may be milder than those of the original strain and other early variants, but Omicron can indeed cause long COVID, and in some patients the after-effects are quite severe. Omicron is less friendly to patients with a family history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or obesity; such patients are more prone to long COVID.Most after-effects resolve on their own within two or three months; only about 1% of people have after-effects lasting about a year. But people over forty will mostly feel that they tire more easily than before. From my own experience, sun exposure, moxibustion, heat therapy with a hair dryer or hot water bottle, moderate exercise and dietary therapy all offer some relief; however, the key is to rest well.If you have chest tightness, breathing difficulty, chest pain, or persistent headache or low back pain that will not ease, seek medical attention promptly, visiting the departments of respiratory medicine, cardiology, neurology and nephrology to rule out major life-threatening conditions such as pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and kidney disease, because these diseases can be fatal.But the vast majority of long COVID patients are not this severely ill and have no need to be so nervous. Still, it is advisable to keep some nitroglycerin, Suxiao Jiuxin Wan (Heart Emergency Pill), enteric-coated aspirin and Xuezhitong Capsules on hand. If symptoms such as angina occur, taking them promptly can prevent sudden death.My own pocket holds Suxiao Jiuxin Wan, Xuezhitong Capsules and nitroglycerin, because I have a family history of heart disease and dare not let my guard down.I only keep these medicines on hand, however, and do not actually use them. Drinking more water or green tea, or making tea with hawthorn, and moderately eating pungent foods such as hot pepper, scallion, ginger and garlic can markedly improve circulation. My mother-in-law once had pain in her right upper limb; I gave her aspirin for a few days along with my own Chai Ge Huayu Wan (Bupleurum-Pueraria Stasis-Transforming Pill), and the symptoms improved markedly. After relief I had her stop the medication and rely on sun exposure and dietary therapy.Sleep is critical to relieving long COVID. Mild difficulty falling asleep can be solved by blowing hot air from a hair dryer into the bedding. Here I should mention that electric blankets should be used sparingly: some recent medical literature I have read shows that electric blankets do considerable harm to the body; the electromagnetic waves and radiation they produce damage our health and can also kill male sperm. Those who cannot tolerate the hair dryer can consider using a hot water bottle and moxibustion instead.But many people develop severe sleep disorders, and such patients should take medication. The patent medicines I personally recommend for calming the spirit and aiding sleep include Erzhi Wan (Two-End Pill, used cautiously in women who have not reached menopause), Zaoren Anshen Keli (Sour Jujube Seed Spirit-Calming Granules), Gan Mai Dazao Tang tea bags (available on platforms such as Taobao), Wenxin Keli (Heart-Stabilizing Granules) and Guipi Keli (Spleen-Returning Granules).Some insomnia patients with cardiac discomfort should consider treating with a combination of Danzhuru Tang (Bamboo Shavings Decoction) and Guizhi Xiebai Gualou Tang (Cinnamon Twig, Allium Macrostemon and Trichosanthes Decoction). Sleep is critical to recovery; severe insomnia means the heart can hardly rest, and cardiac discomfort will not ease. If sleep is adjusted and good-quality rest continues for more than a week, the heart problem improves markedly.An effective formula of mine for reference: Maidong (Ophiopogon) 10 g, Huai wheat 10-30 g (note: Huai wheat is not floating wheat; many pharmacies do not stock Huai wheat and it can be bought online), Zhigancao (honey-fried Licorice) 4 g, Renshen (Ginseng) 6 g, Fuling (Poria) 6 g, Fabanxia (processed Pinellia) 8 g, Zhuru (Bamboo shavings) 6 g, Guizhi (Cinnamon twig) 6 g, Xiebai (Allium macrostemon) 10 g, Shengmuli (raw Oyster shell) 12-30 g (decoct first), Danshen (Salvia) 6 g, Dilong (Earthworm) 6 g, Chuanxiong (Ligusticum) 6 g, Baihe (Lily bulb) 30 g, Zisuye (Perilla leaf) 6 g, Suanzaoren (Sour jujube seed) 6 g, Dazao (Jujube) 3 pieces. For chest pain radiating to the back, add Chaozhishi (fried Immature Bitter Orange) 6 g and Houpo (Magnolia bark) 6 g.Those who cannot take TCM decoctions may take aspirin, Xuezhitong Capsules, vitamin E and vitamin B6, plus Zaoren Anshen Granules; this also helps insomnia caused by cardiac discomfort. I do not recommend taking anti-anxiety drugs or sleeping pills. In my observation, some patients symptoms worsen after taking anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills easily produce drug dependence.Stopping high-intensity work, refusing to stay up late, looking at the phone less, reading the news less, watching fewer videos and playing fewer games, and not sitting for long stretches playing mahjong can markedly improve long COVID symptoms. Many people long COVID is severe precisely because of long-standing bad lifestyle habits; these habits alone are enough to cause disease, and adding COVID damage to the circulatory and nervous systems makes them even more prone to illness.After COVID recovery, the diet should be as light as possible, and exercise should be resumed moderately and step by step. After COVID many people have elevated blood pressure, blood sugar and lipids; eating more greasy, high-sugar and high-salt foods makes disease even more likely. The great majority of chronic diseases are not caused by a single factor; the combination of multiple factors is the key.Cancer patients who recently develop symptoms similar to long COVID should first rule out long COVID rather than mistakenly thinking their cancer is worsening, which would add unnecessary psychological burden.All medicines used to treat long COVID should be taken with moderation. Any medicine with the action of activating blood and resolving stasis may cause side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding. While taking such medicine, watch the color of the stool; if the stool is unusually black, stop the medicine promptly and have a fecal occult blood test.Even without these symptoms, such medicines should not be used over long periods or in large amounts; once the suffering eases, stop them. These medicines also damage the teeth; while taking them, patients teeth may become sensitive to sour and cold. Therefore I personally prefer natural recovery methods to relieve long COVID.