Long COVID: How to Begin a Path to Recovery

The term “Long COVID” is an umbrella term for the wide range of physical and mental health symptoms some people experience that are present four or more weeks after a SARS-CoV-2/COVID infection.

Even people with a milder or asymptomatic acute infection can still suffer long-term effects (source). Additionally, it can also take up to 3 months to fully heal from any viral infection, including COVID.

At Natura, our physicians generally don’t begin to consider it Long COVID until after 3 months of continued unresolved symptoms that manifested or worsened after infection. 

Next Steps if you have Long COVID

The Basics:  Individualized Comprehensive Approach

Anyone who tells you they have THE approach to treating Long COVID, you should be very suspicious of. There is not one single way Long COVID presents in the body. Long COVID needs an individualized approach based upon an understanding of the multiple body systems which can be impacted, guided by our understanding of the impacts of this highly inflammatory infection.

Where to Start

The key to initiating a process of recovery is identifying the underlying causes of your symptoms. This means understanding what was present BEFORE you got COVID, as well as how you are feeling now. This means charting a detailed history, including known and suspected past infections, as well as performing labs that assess multiple body systems or functions. Here is a partial list of labs we consider:

Basic Blood Testing

• Routine: CMP, CBC with auto differential, Lipids, Vitamin D
• Endocrine: TSH, Free T3 and Free T4, and Reverse T3, Free and Total Testosterone, Morning Cortisol, Estradiol, Estrone, Progesterone, DHEA-S
• Inflammation/Immunity:  hsCRP, SED rate, Uric Acid, ANA, Total IgG/M/A/E
• Nutrient Status: RBC Magnesium, Serum Zinc and Copper; Serum B12 (NO B12 of any kind for 7 days prior or results will be misleading)
• Infectious Disease: EBV, CMV, Mycoplasma and Chlamydia Pneumonia, ASO titer

Functional and Comprehensive Testing, not typically done in conventional clinics

• Salivary cortisol and DHEA testing
• Urine neurotransmitter testing
• Functional stool testing to assess normal, opportunistic, and pathogenic microbes as well as functional measures of intestinal/digestive function.
• Expanded viral and bacterial panels to assess active or re-activated infections
• Mycotoxin testing
• Heavy metals and other toxin evaluation
• Evaluation for symptoms consistent with traumatic brain injury from a physical therapist with specialized training.

Basic Treatment for Post Viral Fatigue and Malaise

You will likely need a combination of conventional and non-conventional therapeutics

• Whole Foods Diet [you must give your body a foundation to work with]
• Move your body [you must promote circulation]
• Sleep/Rest [you need time to recover and if you need nutrient or pharmaceutical support, use it]
• Limited time on the internet [you can make yourself worse!]
• Vitamin C, 3000-6000 mg per day, divided dosing [basic for recovery from any illness]
• Vitamin D3, 5000 iu daily [immune system support]
• Magnesium [a cofactor in over 300 enzyme processes, supports your nervous system and sleep]
• Vitamin A, 10,000 iu daily [immune and respiratory system support]
• Zinc with Copper [immune, hormone, GI support and more]
• Turmeric, Quercetin, Boswellia, proteolytic enzymes and fish oil separately or in a combination formula [critical anti-inflammatory action]
• Probiotics [to begin to reset gut microbiome]

Next Step Treatments

Once we understand your symptoms and have a set of lab values to help assess underlying causes or concurrent health issues, we can begin to formulate a treatment plan.

As Naturopathic Physicians, we use an integrative approach including botanical medicines, conventional medications, homeopathics, IV nutrients, Ozone, Hyberbaric Oxygen, and targeted nutrient therapies to address your symptoms (make you feel better) as well as support healing so you can work towards an optimal recovery.  No two treatment plans are identical.

If you are interested in addressing your Long COVID symptoms, please contact Natura’s front desk to schedule an appointment with your doctor, or sign up as a new patient at our practice to be seen by one of our physicians.