Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Long COVID

This study is exploring whether acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be a practical, acceptable, and helpful treatment for Long COVID. Researchers will use specific acupuncture points and herbal formulas tailored to each person's traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis. The main goal is to see if this combined treatment approach is feasible to implement. They also want to see if people receiving these treatments over 8 weeks show improvements in their Long COVID symptoms, daily function, and overall quality of life. You can join if you are 18 years or older and have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.

Study design: This is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive a specific treatment. It plans to enroll 10 participants.
What's involved: Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Participants will be followed from enrollment until the final follow-up at 12 weeks.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Long COVID

Recruiting

NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment

Southern California University of Health Sciences

~10 participants

Updated 2025-12-16 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Acupuncture

At a glance

Recruiting sites

1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Feasibility of Implementing a Combined Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Intervention for long COVID

Measured over From enrollment to the final follow-up at 12 weeks

Conditions

Long COVID

NCT07285707

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

SCUHS
Whittier, Californiano site contact published
Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Who to contact

S. Prasad Vinjamury, MD (Ayurveda) DACM, MPH

[email protected]

562-947-8755 · ext. ext:736

Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

18 years of age or older

We will include adults of any age in our study. Adults of all ages can experience long COVID symptoms, although it is more common in older adults

COVID-19 illness is a necessary precursor to the development of long COVID

Fatigue or post-exertional malaise,

Dyspnea, cough,

Brain fog, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety,

Arthralgia, myalgia, or

Constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain

Over 200 different long COVID symptoms have been identified. The proposed study is a small pragmatic pilot study which only plans to enroll 10 participants. It is necessary to limit inclusion to some of the most common symptoms to ensure that the findings are broadly relevant across the long COVID patient population.

The symptoms were not present prior to the confirmed COVID-19 illness

Willingness to comply with the treatment schedule

Ability to read and understand English o Informed consent will be in the English language. Inability to read and understand English will interfere with provision of informed consent. Moreover, compliance is a potential issue with herbal supplementation. Recruiting patients who are able to read and understand English instructions for supplement intake will help to improve compliance with the protocol.

Ability to provide informed consent o It is important that participants are aware that they are required to provide written informed consent before they are allowed to participate. Some individuals who are eligible might be unwilling to sign the informed consent form.

Exclusion

• Under 18 years of age

Pulmonary fibrosis or on continuous oxygen treatment

Certain preexisting conditions:

Diagnosed with Alzheimer's or demonstrating onset of dementia

Uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, or autoimmune conditions

Other comorbid conditions that might imitate long COVID symptoms

Undergoing cancer treatments

Use of acupuncture or Chinese medicine in the past three months

Involved in health-related litigation or legal claims

Missing either baseline visit and deemed unlikely to comply with the study protocol

Pregnant or breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant

What this trial measures

Feasibility of Implementing a Combined Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Intervention for long COVIDFrom enrollment to the final follow-up at 12 weeks
Feasibility will be measured through a feasibility assessment questionnaire which will evaluate recruitment, retention, and adherence metrics across the 12-week intervention and the final follow-up. Feasibility indicators will be summarized as proportions and descriptive statistics to evaluate the practicality of the study procedures and protocol implementation.

Trialytics