Defying Long COVID’s Grasp: 63-Year-Old Reclaims Independence and Career with Acupuncture

Paula is a 63-year-old woman who came to me because she had been diagnosed with long covid. A year after having covid, she continued to have persistent vertigo, chronic fatigue and neurological symptoms. When she came to see me, she was under the care of a neurologist, rheumatologist, physiatrist and had seen several other specialists. She was told that her symptoms were most likely a long covid presentation but none of the medications that she was offered had been effective.  Her biggest fear was that her life, as she had known it, was over. She feared that she would not be able to work, drive a car or take care of herself because of the way that she felt daily. Her main question was if acupuncture treatment might help her. She said to me “I have tried everything else, and no one can help me.” She had never had acupuncture before, and I explained that acupuncture treatment had a long track record of helping people with both vertigo and chronic fatigue syndrome. Because of my specialization in chronic conditions, I have successfully helped many people suffering from the symptoms that she was experiencing, even though long-covid was still a new condition. I completed an acupuncture assessment and suggested a treatment plan for her. She decided that she was willing to give it a try. Paula’s life is significantly different after being treated with acupuncture. About 8 weeks into the treatment plan, she regained the ability to drive a car and was able to return to work 4 days per week. She was no longer dizzy and we discussed how she can manage her energy level to prevent symptoms from recurring.