This month I asked integrative health expert, Dr. Greg Lane, DACM, LAc, to share his perspective on “long-haul COVID,” a health condition affecting many in our community. Dr. Lane is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine who has helped people suffering from this condition.

“As we enter the third year of the pandemic our society is fed-up, tired and beat-up over the persistence of the virus, the socio-economic impact and the fractures in our society,” Dr. Lane said. “One particularly disquieting result is patients who experience ‘long COVID,’ who are sometimes called ‘long-haulers.’ The definition, according to the Mayo Clinic, is effects of COVID-19 that persist more than four weeks after a person had been initially diagnosed.

“In my clinical practice, I have seen many patients suffering a variety of lingering effects that seem to target the areas in which they are susceptible or have a predisposition, such as shortness of breath in patients with weak lungs, digestive complaints in patients with weaker digestions and pain in muscles and joints. The CDC defines the range of symptoms as follows:

• Tiredness or Fatigue
• Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities (also known as post-exertional malaise)
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating, i.e. “brain fog”
• Cough
• Chest or stomach pain
• Headache
• Heart palpitations
• Joint or muscle pain
• Pins and needles sensations
• Diarrhea
• Sleep problems
• Fever
• Lightheadedness
• Rash
• Mood Changes
• Change in smell or taste
• Changes in menstrual period

“Recently, a patient that came to Revivorship was so fatigued post-COVID that she couldn’t walk around the block without having to stop and rest where previously she had no problem doing so,” Dr. Lane said. “Something that I have noticed helps our patients is instructing them in proper breathing first and foremost. This is something that can be learned easily and done as homework. Healthy breathing has a huge impact on their overall sense of well-being.

“Also important to speed recovery is improving the quality and quantity of sleep. I find most people are significantly under-rested and overstressed in general in our society and examining sleep hygiene and correcting circadian rhythm imbalances is crucial to recovery. Acupuncture and herbal medicine prove very effective as well.”

Thank you Dr. Greg for your insight on long-haul COVID!  You can make an appointment with Dr. Greg Lane to support your best health post-COVID, post-cancer or for general wellness at Revivorship (844) 757-2327. www.revivorship.com