Natural Treatments of Long Covid - Part 1
As our knowledge and expertise in treating Long Covid patients has become widely acknowledged, we have quickly become highly sought after for the holistic-based treatment of Long Covid at our London clinic. We are pleased to share this updated version of our previous blog, Successfully treating Long-Covid. Responding to the need for greater support from our patients, we are also delighted to share that we are now offering an empirically backed Long Covid Recovery Programme integrated with bespoke Ayurvedic wellness offerings at our Sanctuary in Sri Lanka.
At Sen Wellness we believe that each one of us has the power to heal, flourish, and awaken to our highest inner potential. After hundreds of successful treatments, we have now crafted a unique, holistic approach to healing symptoms of Long Covid. Harnessing the power of holistic healing modalities rooted in Ayurveda, we have developed a unique programme that has the power to offer hope to those who may be suffering.
Since the autumn of 2020, I have spent much time observing a large number of patients recovering from Covid. During this time, limited data and research were available and there was much uncertainty in symptoms associated with Covid. We are grateful that our blog post offered hope to those who were suffering and encouraged many to seek a holistic natured treatment programme after they were left disheartened by a more conventional approach.
It is profoundly heartening to have reached and supported such a large group of individuals internationally on their road to recovery from what for many has been an extremely trialing, lonely, and misunderstood condition. I would like to dedicate this blog post to all our patients for instilling their trust in us to walk alongside them on their journey back to equilibrium and well-being.
We are pleased to present this blog post with incredibly relevant information, including feedback from influential academics at the forefront of Long Covid research. It is our hope that this blog offers hope of recovery to those who may be suffering.
Table of Contents
What is Long Covid?
“Long Covid is a condition that seems to elude the best efforts of healthcare practitioners operating inside the NHS, as well as private consultants and Long Covid clinics. My opinion is that a holistic approach to the body and treatment is the only way we’re likely to ’shake the tree’ and elicit significant improvement and help us in our journey of recovery. Sam Kankanamge and his team at Sen Wellness have made an enormous difference to me and my recovery - it’s safe to say that I wouldn’t have been able to continue working the way I have without his efforts. His energy, understanding, knowledge, and intuition are unparalleled and I wouldn’t have the slightest hesitation to recommend his approach for a range of health problems as well as that of Long Covid.”
To begin, I would like to share my experience as well as empirical evidence that my team and I have gathered in treating a large pool of Long Covid patients.
The majority of patients belonged to the 20-45-year-old age group. Common themes among patients were that they were all relatively fit, exercised often, and had busy lifestyles. Many experienced very mild Covid symptoms, however, these symptoms worsened over 4 weeks, developing into Long Covid. In nearly 40 cases, patients had experienced a history of ME/CFS or immune system failure. Lastly, a large group of Long Covid sufferers lived with heightened levels of stress.
Researchers are finding lingering similarities between Long Covid and ME/CFS. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex condition affecting 1 million to 2.5 million people in the United States alone. It is characterized by a cluster of symptoms, including severe and debilitating fatigue, disrupted and unrefreshing sleep, difficulty thinking (commonly called “brain fog”), abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system, and post-exertional malaise — a flare-up of multiple symptoms following physical or cognitive exertion. (Bindu, Paul, and Anthony Komaroff) Gez Medinger and Dr. Ronald Tompkins MD on “Long Covid vs ME/CFS | Why There’s Much We Can Learn From The Similarities” is linked here.
If you would like to read more about Post-COVID and Long Covid conditions, data from The CDC can be found here.
Symptoms presented high level:
Among our Covid patients, these were the most common symptoms presenting themselves: difficulty breathing, tightening of the chest, and shortness of breath.
Of our Long Covid patients, many reported physical tiredness, lack of energy for physical exertion, difficulty performing everyday tasks such as cleaning the kitchen, and brain fog. The accumulation of these symptoms created an immense amount of both emotional and physical stress.
Other symptoms include:
- Various types of muscle-skeletal pain: Specifically lower back, shoulder, and neck pain. This often led to headaches and migraines induced by physical misalignment.
- Abdomen and digestive disorder: This symptom is often presented with inflammation of the intestinal tissue or food intolerance.
- Inflammation of myocardial tissue: While not as common, this is worth noting as some experienced inflammation of the heart muscle.
- Loss of smell and tinnitus were also extremely common.
Further, there is a large connection between Covid and the microbiome that has been overlooked. Our microbiome is a gateway to our immune function. It holds the power to fight off infection, and disease, and create natural immunity within our intestinal flora.
However, due to the Western diet, many of us are exposed to in modern-day life, we have very little microbiome left in the intestinal flora. In many cases, this is due to chemical damage. Chemicals that are present in processed foods, plastic, and beyond all contribute to the deterioration of our flora. In addition, the overuse of antibiotics from a young age also contributes to the deterioration of the microbiome. Less intestinal flora leads to a weaker immune function.
A study shared by Science titled Seasonal cycling in the gut microbiome of the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania expressed the diversity of microbiota within the Hadza hunter-gatherers in comparison to urbanized communities. The data from the study indicated that some dynamic lineages of microbes have decreased in prevalence and abundance in modernized populations. Hence, the microbiota of the hunter-gatherers in Hadza was much more successful in defending the body against covid.
Common symptoms explained in depth:
Compromised Sympathetic Nervous System
Inflammation of Bowel & Intestinal Tissues triggered by the Vagus Nerve
Brain Fog
A Holistic Approach- Restore Equilibrium at our Sanctuary
Being a holistic osteopath with an integrative approach to addressing Long Covid, it has been of the utmost importance to me to acknowledge that symptoms vary from person to person; to understand that each person is unique and requires individualised treatment.
Over 25 years of experience, I have gained a vast understanding of a person’s emotional, mental, and physical profile. Furthermore, the ability to sense and understand the proprioception of tissues in the body; our tissues often present underlying symptoms and lead the way for a recovery program.
I have mindfully crafted a Long Covid Recovery Programme that has proven to be successful. Rooted in Ayurveda, osteopathy, and harnessing the power of ancient healing modalities, I can confidently say it is possible to heal Long Covid and reignite your inner light.
Our Long Covid Recovery Programme is deeply inspired by the Ayurvedic practice, Panchakarma. Panchakarma is the Sanskrit word meaning five actions or five treatments. This ancient system of healing is designed to act as a bio-cleansing regimen that eliminates toxic elements from the body, thereby enhancing the body’s immune function.
Resetting the Autonomic Nervous System
The radical elimination that takes place during Panchakarma works as an effective method of healing for those suffering from Long Covid. The treatments make way for the release of toxins, micro-clotting, reducing inflammation on both micro and macro levels, and much more.
Panchakarma acts as a trigger for the autonomic nervous system to reset. During this phase, your nervous system will exit from a state of “fight or flight” and restore your nervous system to a state of equilibrium.
The programme will be tailored to your requirements after consultation with our resident Ayurvedic doctor. Panchakarma will be the main focus of treatments for the reasons shared and will also be aided by complementary modalities such as acupuncture and a bespoke mindfulness programme created in collaboration with our research partners at the University of Humboldt in Berlin. By the end of this personalised 12-day programme set in idyllic surroundings, your mind and body will feel balanced and restored.
Our Long Covid Recovery programme goes beyond a traditional medical experience. Our goal is to go further, to address traumas and stress associated with Covid and social isolation. Not merely addressing physical symptoms, our intention is also to provide you with emotional support and to introduce long-term lifestyle changes upon returning from the programme. Much care has been forethought into the design of this programme to give you the necessary tools to continue on a new path of well-being.
For more information on our Long Covid Recovery programme, you can get in touch at 020 7486 3373 or email us at [email protected]
Author
Sam Kankanamge
Sam Kankanamge BSc (Hons) Osteo, DPO, Dip.Acu is an exceptional, world renowned healthcare professional, with over 25 years-experience transforming patients’ health.
