Long Covid
A Functional Medicine Approach to Long Covid
The term “Long COVID’ or “Long Haul Covid” is commonly used to describe the symptoms that continue after one month of having COVID-19.
Those that have had confirmed COVID-19 will experience symptoms for up to 14 days. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or acute.
Most patients will make a full recovery from the Covid infection with adequate rest and recuperation unless there is an underlying illness or they are in a vulnerable risk category.
Long Covid is a term to describe the effects of Covid-19 that continue for months beyond the initial illness. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines long Covid in the following way: “Post Covid-19 condition occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection, usually 3 months from the onset of Covid-19 with symptoms and that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis.”
Estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in May, 970,000 people in the UK were reporting long Covid symptoms in the four weeks to 1 August 2021. These were defined as symptoms that had lasted more than four weeks from initial infection and continued after 12 weeks.
Long Covid Symptoms
There are over 150 different symptoms that have been reported in more than 10 organ systems.
Our Functional Medicine practitioners seek to address the main underlying causes of these debilitating symptoms in order to treat them more effectively and get our patients back to an improved quality of life. We fully understand how this condition can affect activities at work, and with family and friends.
Some of the most common symptoms include
→ Chronic Fatigue
→ Shortness of breath
→ IBS type symptoms
→ Neurological Symptoms
→ Emotional distress
→ Shortness of breath
→ Brain Fog
→ Muscle Weakness
We also take an in-depth look into the history of our patients to see whether other factors may be contributing to symptoms, so we can piece together any information that can help determine imbalances.
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Long Covid Treatment
Our practitioners are well versed in helping patients recover from chronic illness whether that be hidden viral infections, chronic inflammatory diseases or multi organ dysfunction. Our approach to treating long covid works on very much the same principles. We look at all body systems and use an evidence-based approach with clinical diagnostics and appropriate therapeutic methods to support a healthy immune response and recovery. We look to go beyond simply treating the symptoms and with some of the complexities involved in long covid, this may mean we look to balance immune function, reduce inflammation, restore hormone and nervous system balance to help you recover sooner.
Long Covid Approach
Nutrition approach to Long Covid
Depending on the symptoms and the organs affected, we will look to optimise nutrient status and recommend avoid certain foods in order to give your body the best possible support to overcome this condition.
Supplement Support
Depending on presenting symptoms and/or test results, your practitioner can recommend some targeted supplements to help support any imbalances or hidden infections found.
Testing
We work on the motto of testing rather than guessing. Our practitioners can recommend specific testing related to long covid such as reactivated viruses which are notoriously difficult to find and very rarely looked for, comprehensive microbiome and stool analysis, along with any other testing that can help with our investigations.
Targeted Treatments
Our practitioners can recommend additional treatment or lifestyle interventions that can be extremely beneficial to overcome chronic fatigue such as IV treatment or ozone therapy.
Our Client's Feedback
Why Choose the London Centre for Functional Medicine?
Support
Once you reach out to us, the team will guide you through the collaborative process with a practitioner, We will gather the information we need to understand you better and help support and motivate you along your health journey.
Experience
We take the complex and try to make it simple. Many patients have gone to multiple doctors before they reach us. By taking a functional medicine approach, we can focus on the core imbalance and what needs to be addressed to improve your health picture.
Custom Approach
There is no one size fits approach as each patient is unique. Thus, no plan or protocol is the same. Everything about you including symptoms, lifestyle, diet, genetics and capacity to heal is different and will require a personalized approach.
london center for functional medicine