Treatment Strategy for Long COVID Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Post-acute COVID-19 conditions, commonly known as 'long COVID', occur in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) infection, typically 3 months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms, lasting for at least 2 months, that cannot be explained by any alternative diagnoses. Although most symptoms improve over time, some patients experience significant limitations in their social lives. Under such circumstances, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions are growing in popularity as possible treatments for long COVID symptoms. There are a wide variety of CAM interventions, such as traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo medicine) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this study, we compared three studies using Kampo medicine with those using TCM and concluded that Kampo medicine, which is often practiced in Japan due to its historical background, may have some limitations in managing the diverse symptoms of long COVID because the symptoms of long COVID vary widely. Therefore, we propose that medical examinations based on TCM should also be considered as an alternative treatment strategy for patients with long COVID.

Keywords: Kampo medicine; complementary and alternative medicine; long COVID; traditional Chinese herbal medicine; traditional Chinese medicine.