ABSTRACT
Background: Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) is a complex, multisystem illness that may follow SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 infection. As there is limited evidence for individual therapies and no singular treatment for PCS, guidelines endorse a multidisciplinary approach. This case describes a post-COVID patient benefiting from acupuncture within a comprehensive approach alongside symptom-titrated physical activity (STPA).Case: A 50-year-old woman presented upon Long-COVID Clinic referral to an outpatient hospital-affiliated acupuncturist with 8 months of fatigue, anosmia, chest pressure, palpitations, and other symptoms following mild assay-confirmed COVID-19. Prior/concurrent medical testing demonstrated multisystem-inflammatory involvement (pericardial effusion, thyroid dysfunction, elevated D-dimers). Cardiology/pulmonology cleared the patient for exercise to tolerance considering serious pathology was absent. The acupuncturist’s Traditional Chinese Medicine impression was of Qi deficiency of the Heart, Lung, Spleen, and Kidney. The patient received 7 sessions of scalp, auricular, and body acupuncture. Physical therapist (PT) led STPA began 1-week post-acupuncture, involving six 30-minute exercise sessions while monitoring heart rate, with as-needed rest. Results: Chest pressure and palpitations resolved after 1 acupuncture treatment. With 6 additional treatments spanning 9 weeks, overlapping with physical therapist-led SPTA, the patient completely recovered and resumed normal exercise habits. Conclusions: In this case, acupuncture appeared to facilitate PCS recovery. However, the independent effects of acupuncture are less clear given the concurrent STPA/exercise therapy, and should be explored using larger study designs. Acupuncture is an attractive potential PCS therapy, considering its holistic approach and that it may be added to a multidisciplinary, guideline-concordant regimen.