There is no specific treatment for long COVID — yet.
That said, ongoing research in the United States and abroad may lead to better understanding the disease process of long-term COVID and other post-viral illnesses, says Hector Bonilla, MD, the codirector of the Stanford Post-Acute COVID-10 Syndrome Clinic in Palo Alto, California. From there, new therapies may emerge that target the different and specific processes causing the disease, he says.
But for now, existing treatments are used off-label to manage and treat the symptoms of long COVID, says Dr. Bonilla.
For example, someone who experiences brain fog may be referred by their doctor for cognitive rehabilitation, akin to physical therapy for the brain. During the rehab they might be taught ways to improve concentration or memory, or learn strategies to compensate for problems with thinking, says Dr. Sanders.
People who have long COVID can be treated by their general practice physician or by individual specialists for the body parts affected by their condition, such as a cardiologist for heart issues.
Sanders suggests finding a doctor who is “open-minded and thoughtful” — one who can think outside the box to find ways to treat long COVID symptoms.
You may be more likely to find those types of providers in clinics dedicated to long COVID care. These long COVID clinics are opening around the country, and many are affiliated with large community or academic hospitals. The Long COVID Alliance offers a list of long COVID clinics in the United States. Still, the ratio of clinics to people grappling with symptoms is low, so many clinics have waiting lists.
