Understanding Inflammation and Long COVID
Inflammation is thought to be the leading cause of Long COVID which can lead to more complex complications if left unaddressed. This article explains how this is happening and what you can do about it.
Updated February 20, 2024
Post COVID syndrome (Long COVID) is caused by the cytokine storm, this is when the immune system gets overstimulated, and it triggers mast cell activation and leads to the overproduction of histamines that cause inflammation.
Depending on the resource, researchers estimate that about 30% - 50% of those infected with COVID-19 will experience continued inflammation for 4 or more weeks post infection, regardless of the severity of the acute infection (the contagious stage). A common post COVID condition is multiorgan inflammatory syndrome that can affect children (MIS-C) or adults (MIS-A).
The inflammation can affect any part of the body - the nerves, organs and tissues. The most common symptoms of post COVID syndrome include but are not limited to:
The top 5 symptoms reported by covidCAREgroup followers include:
Fatigue 2. Brain fog 3. Depression 4. Anxiety 5. Insomnia
This list reflects poll results from covidCAREgroup followers with more than 10 thousand responses. Most participants reported a minimum of 3 symptoms.
It may take a long time to recover from COVID-19 and long COVID symptoms can be temporary or permanent. Research indicates that MCAS can be triggered by physical or emotional stress and may be permanent, but it can be manageable with medication and lifestyle changes. Early intervention is the key to reducing the risk of long-term damage and speeding up recovery. Members report that many Long COVID symptoms improve or resolve once the MCAS related histamines and inflammation are controlled.
Members of the covidCAREgroup report faster recovery with self-care strategies and adapting clean eating habits like a low histamine diet and/or low sugar diet, hydrating with plain water, and managing stress. See the list of additional covidCAREgroup resources at the bottom of the page to read more on these topics.
Taking control of your health
There are additional proactive actions you can take to support your own health.
You can ask your doctor to check your bloodwork including: Complete blood count (CBC), electrolytes, ferritin, a full iron panel, a full thyroid panel including reverse T3 and reverse T4, metabolic profile, cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), ANA, ENA, liver enzymes, liver function tests, serum IgG and other gamma globulin tests, rheumatoid factor, D-dimer, cytokine inflammatory markers interleukin-6 and interleukin-1b, along with kidney function tests.
When talking to your doctor, it’s important to take a collaborative approach in which you advocate for yourself, ask questions, and bring your ideas based on scholarly research you have found to the MD. Keep in mind, you cannot expect them to have expertise in areas like herbal and homeopathic remedies. If your MD doesn’t have answers to your questions, look at complimentary health approaches such as Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy. For example, if you want to know about herbs and supplements, talk to a Chinese medicine doctor, naturopath or nutritionist.
How do I prevent Long COVID or permanent damage?
Prevention is the best approach!
Prevent reinfection through social distancing, handwashing, avoiding crowded spaces with poor ventilation. If you hear someone coughing, head the other way!
Healthy lifestyle habits such as clean eating, stress management, hydration, sleep hygiene, and breathwork.
Nasal flushing, gargling, and swishing daily to wash out viral particles. Nasal flushes help reduce the number of viral particles that get trapped in the higher area of the nose. Listerine has been shown to help reduce viral load in the throat as a safer alternative to hydrogen peroxide.
Vaccination when appropriate.
Early intervention is the key!
If you think you have been infected or re-infected, get tested or do a home test.
If you test positive, ask your doctor about anti-viral medication within the first 5 days of infection.
If you get sick, focus on early intervention and utilize the antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant protocols as well as other resources that are available.
Keep learning and advocating!
If your doctor doesn’t have answers, keep looking.
Remember western medical doctors may not have all of the answers.
Take charge of your recovery through education and self-advocacy.
Consider complimentary alternatives such as Chinese medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, counselling or other types of care if you need extra help.
What are the medication protocols for long COVID prevention and treatment?
Talk to your doctor about the top 4 concerns: Histamines, Inflammation, Depression, and Blood Clotting
The antihistamine protocol: Seasonal allergy medicines like Allegra or Zyrtec (H1 blockers) and antacids like famotidine or Pepcid (H2 blockers) to counter the histamine cascade.
The anti-inflammatory protocol: Such as steroids in severe cases, or NSAIDs like ibuprofen or other prescription medications to reduce inflammation, pain, and the risk of damage to nerves and organs.
The antidepressant protocol: SSRI and SNRI medications to reduce depression, anxiety or fatigue.
The anticoagulant protocol: Aspirin, baby aspirin or prescription medications to prevent micro-clotting or deep vein thromboses (DVT) that can cause neural damage, organ damage, or stroke by blocking the flow of blood to vital organs.
Challenges of getting diagnosed:
There is not a specific test to identify Long COVID, so doctors have to rule out other medical issues. Clinical evaluations and results of routine blood tests, chest x-rays, and electrocardiograms may be normal. The symptoms are similar to those reported by people with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, or other chronic illnesses. People may be misunderstood by their healthcare providers, which can result in delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Some people, especially those who had severe COVID-19, experience multiorgan effects or autoimmune conditions with symptoms lasting weeks or months after COVID-19 illness. Post COVID inflammatory syndrome can involve the organs, nervous system or tissues. There is also a risk of developing new health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, or neurological conditions.
People that experienced severe illness, hospitalization, or treatment may develop problems such as post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS. PICS refers to the health effects that may begin when a person is in an intensive care unit (ICU), and which may persist after a person returns home. These effects can include muscle weakness, problems with thinking and judgment, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For people who experience PICS following a COVID-19 diagnosis, it is difficult to determine whether these health problems are caused by a severe illness, the virus itself, or a combination of both.
Researchers cannot predict who develop post-COVID conditions, or what puts them more at risk than other people.
Natural supplements for inflammation.
There are several supplements show effective in fighting inflammation and long COVID such as: Formula C; Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oils); Vitamin D; Vitamin C; Nattokinase; Quercitin; Turmeric; Ginger; Curcumin; Resveratrol; Bromelain; Green tea extract; Garlic.
Our two standouts are Formula C and Spike Support Formula (follow the links to learn more).
Things you can do to help yourself
Minimizing physical & psychological stressors is essential in recovery from Long COVID.
Nutrition: Try to eat protein and fresh vitamin rich foods daily and avoid chemicals, preservatives, sugars, fast foods, prepared foods and high histamine foods.
Don’t skip meals. Your body needs protein, vitamin C, and vitamin D to heal from any injury or illness. A low histamine or low carbohydrate (sugar) diet is recommended by doctors treating Long COVID (PASC), and many people report a reduction in symptoms within 1-3 days of the diet change, including decreases in sneezing, itching or hives, irritable bowel syndrome, body pain, along with a reduction in swelling and inflammation.Hydration: A minimum of eight 8 oz glasses of plain water daily is recommended.
Avoid drinks with chemical additives. You can easily make a fresh electrolyte drink yourself by adding a dash of mineral rich Epsom salt and a piece a fruit like a raspberry for flavor instead of spending money on commercial drinks like Gatorade that contain chemicals and sit in plastic bottles for long periods of time. Remember that caffeine and alcohol have dehydrating effects.Sleep hygiene: Getting 7-9 hours of sleep so your body can repair itself. You need at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep to get into the restorative phase of sleep.
Avoid stimulating activities after dinner like thrilling movies or books, arguments, negative news or frustrating stimuli.
If you wake up frequently or with a startle, you may be experiencing drops in your oxygen level, which signal your brain to release adrenaline to force you to take a breath. This could be a temporary inflammation issue or more enduring sleep apnea. Ask your doctor for a sleep study to evaluate your need for a CPAP or BiPAP, a machine that pushes air into your lungs when it senses an apneic episode (periods of not breathing).Stress management: Stress effects every component of your life.
The only thing you can control about stress is your reaction to it. Try to avoid or minimize your exposure to stressful situations: Turn off the news, make family visits that end unpleasantly short, wait for the morning to have intense discussions, let go of things that annoy you but don’t really matter in the big scheme of things, avoid intense conversations or entertainment in the evening.
Exercise within tolerance: Pace yourself and do not push your body to extremes in any way.
For some this may mean seated breathing exercises, walking to the mailbox. Rest when your body says to slow down. Gradually build on your activity endurance as your body cues you to progress. This can be hard to gauge, because when you feel good you naturally do more, but if you do too much you may experience symptom flare ups 1-3 days later as the post exertion inflammation builds. Some people describe this as post exertional malaise, others experience severe recovery set backs.
Breathwork: You can literally stop the fight or flight reaction by taking slow deep breaths.
Deep slow breathing shuts down the adrenaline flow, slows your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure and decreases stress related histamine release. When you do this, your blood reroutes back to your brain and nervous system to allow you to think clearly. It also allows your body to use its energy and oxygen to heal your inflamed nerves and organs.
Long COVID Support
ProMedView Nurse Coaches - We get it.
Our clinical experts advocate for those with Long COVID.
Individual coaching
Group Q&A sessions
Peer support groups
Formula C - Clinically shown to reduce Long COVID symptoms
Get an in-depth view of the science and pathophysiology behind Formula C and how it helps to alleviate Long COVID symptoms.
Stellate ganglion blocks for taste and smell
Stellate ganglion blocks are helping to restore a sense of taste and smell for Long COVID sufferers within 1-2 hours of the procedure, even in people who lost their senses 2-3 years ago. This article, written in collaboration with Dr. Shivani Chadha, discusses the procedure and what to look for when seeking treatment.
Doctors from The Wellness Company have recommend these natural supplements for Long COVID.
Use discount code COVIDCAREGROUP for extra savings.
Keep moving, keep breathing!
Brought to you by covidCAREgroup, connecting the dots of long COVID through education, research &resources.
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COVID Care Group, LLC, is not a “not for profit” organization. Donations, gifts & memberships are not tax-deductible.
COVID Care Group, LLC is not a healthcare provider and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Resources from covidCAREgroup
Recovery Tools — covidCAREgroup
Education Blog Table of Contents — covidCAREgroup
Long COVID Recovery Information and Resources — covidCAREgroup
Long COVID FAQ — covidCAREgroup
COVID-19 Long Haulers Support Group (Facebook)
Article Resources
NIH: Therapeutic potential of megadose vitamin C to reverse organ dysfunction in sepsis and COVID‐19
Covid-19 hyperinflammation and post-Covid-19 illness may be rooted in mast cell activation syndrome
How do low histamine diet works and what to eat
NIH: Role of histamine in modulating the immune response and inflammation
Originally published May 14, 2021