Long COVID patients, struggling with persistent symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and severe headaches, are increasingly seeking experimental therapies for relief. With no proven treatments available, many are turning to risky alternatives in their desperation.
Apheresis, or “blood washing,” aims to remove microclots believed to impede oxygen flow, but lacks clinical evidence to support its effectiveness. Similarly, stem cell therapies, though widely marketed, are unlicensed and have caused harm in some cases. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other treatments show limited, preliminary results but are expensive and difficult to study on a large scale.
Experts, including Dr. Michael Peluso and Dr. Linda Geng, warn that the financial burden of these treatments can be devastating for vulnerable patients, many of whom are already struggling to manage the financial impact of their illness. While the search for long COVID solutions is critical, patients are urged to seek guidance from medical professionals and avoid treatments that sound “too good to be true.”
