Almost everyone knows someone who has never been the same since having COVID. It’s estimated that about 10-30% of patients may experience long COVID after recovering from an initial infection.
Most doctors identify long COVID by a range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people may experience more than four weeks after the initial infection. Unfortunately, even people who did not experience any symptoms become long haulers.
So, what symptoms are associated with long COVID, and what causes it? Keep reading to find out.
The Three Types of Long Haulers
Doctors have created three distinct groups that long COVID patients fall into. These include:
- People who do not recover completely and have ongoing symptoms because of direct cell damage from COVID
- An individual’s symptoms are directly related to chronic hospitalization (when one is bound to a bed for weeks)
- Cases where symptoms appear post recovery
The symptoms that linger or appear post-recovery occur because of the interplay between inflammatory markers and the immune system.
Long Haul Symptoms
Usually, it’s people who had relatively minor symptoms that then develop a plethora of symptoms, including:
- Neurological – dizziness, brain fog
- Cardiovascular – heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath,
- Breathing – pain with inspiration, dyspnea on exertion
- Energy – fatigue, lethargy, and pain
- Gastrointestinal – digestive issues, food intolerances, bloating
What Causes Long Haul COVID?
When the virus enters our bodies, it turns our immune systems on. However, in long haul patients, the immune system responds to the virus, but then it doesn’t shut off.
When your body’s immune system is in action, it causes inflammation, which uses energy. The body continues to have inflammation within its blood vessels, leading to various health conditions, like sticky blood (Hughes syndrome) and impaired blood flow.
Hughes syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that affects how your blood clots. Symptoms include:
- Recurring miscarriage or stillbirth
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA) – like a stroke, but does not cause permanent neurological issues
- Blood clots in your legs
- Heart attack
- Low blood platelet count
How The James Clinic Helps
So, how do we address these issues?
- We reiterate that you don’t HAVE long haul COVID, and you are NOT a ‘long-hauler’. Instead, you are a person who needs a little encouragement to quiet the immune response. We often consider this an autoimmune condition of the spike protein.
- Thorough evaluation, including baseline labs for inflammatory markers and any other pertinent testing related to specific symptoms, is required.
- We use a combination of supplements to replete nutrients, quiet inflammation, and support healthy blood flow.
- We will prescribe medications to neutralize the spike protein, reduce blood stickiness, and reduce inflammation.
- There is a weekly group discussion to support the mental and emotional toll of dealing with a relatively unknown entity that can significantly impact daily function.
- You can take advantage of in-office therapies, such as IV nutrient infusions and hyperbaric oxygen to help you feel better while we treat the root cause driving the symptoms.
Visit The James Clinic Today!
Patients seek us out after failing to find adequate care elsewhere. They were passed from department to department and spent days completing testing, only to be told they needed a psychiatrist, anti-depressants, and another booster.
Our approach is kinder, gentler, and, we believe, much more effective at helping people get back to their baseline. If you know someone who could use our help, please kindly pass along our information.
If you are or someone you know is suffering from long COVID, please request a consult.
Visit our website to learn more about what we offer. We’re here to help you feel yourself again. Don’t wait any longer!