Acupuncture, a form of integrative medicine, can ease pain
and help with stress management. It can also help if you are dealing with long
COVID.
According to a recent pilot
study by the Middlesex Health Burris Center for Integrative Medicine in
Connecticut, acupuncture can help when patients experience a loss of taste, a
loss of smell and even brain fog—all symptoms of long COVID.
The pilot study included 20 adult patients who experienced long
COVID symptoms, but did not have any other medical conditions. Each patient
received two acupuncture treatments a week for three weeks. At three points in
time, they were asked to complete a questionnaire, assess their ability to
taste through a taste test strip, and assess their ability to smell through a
“scratch and sniff” test.
Ultimately, the research found significant improvement in brain
fog, smell and taste. In fact, both smell and taste improved after just three
acupuncture treatments.
The research was published by The Journal
of Alternative, Complementary & Integrative Medicine through Herald
Scholarly Open Access. Authors included acupuncturist Amy Calandruccio; Deborah
Pantalena, a registered nurse who serves as a clinical research nurse;
Elizabeth Molle, a nurse scientist and Magnet Program director; Justin Drew,
vice president of ambulatory and clinical services; and Lynn Jansky, a
registered nurse who serves as professional practice and development program
manager. The study can be found at HeraldOpenAccess.us/Article_PDF/9/Acupuncture-Effects-on-COVID-19-Long-Hauler-Syndrome.pdf.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is when very thin needles are inserted into
your skin at strategic points on your body. The needles may sometimes be gently
moved or twirled after insertion, and heat or mild electrical pulses may be
applied. They usually stay in place for 15 to 25 minutes while you lie still
and relax. Commonly used to treat pain, its role in medicine has expanded over
time—now even more so with this latest finding regarding long COVID.
“Although
acupuncture dates back thousands of years, recent research has revealed the
neurological effects within the brain, and this supports the potential
effectiveness of acupuncture for treating the symptoms associated with long
COVID,” says Calandruccio.
At Middlesex
Health, acupuncture is offered through its Burris Center for Integrative
Medicine by Calandruccio, who is a board-certified acupuncturist. Any needles
used are properly sterilized and are single use, making the risks associated
with this treatment very low. Common side effects could include soreness or
minor bleeding or bruising where the needles are inserted.
Acupuncture is
not a substitute for normal medical treatment. Instead, it works alongside it,
treating the whole person—body, mind and spirit.
The Middlesex Health Burris
Center for Integrative Medicine (MiddlesexHealth.org/Cancer-Center/Supportive-Care-Programs/Integrative-Medicine),
with locations in Middletown and Westbrook in Connecticut, offers other
integrative medicine modalities in addition to acupuncture, such as massage
therapy.