(ORDO NEWS) — Postcovid syndrome is a relatively new phenomenon. Therefore, in order to get rid of it, many resort to strange and unproven methods.
Don’t be fooled by untested and unproven treatments for complications of COVID-19. Better go see a doctor
Some people experiencing the debilitating symptoms of post-COVID (or “long covid”) have spent tens of thousands of euros traveling across Europe to undergo “blood washing,” an experimental procedure whose effectiveness is in doubt.
Blood wash for covid
“Blood washing”, or apheresis, involves taking a person’s blood, filtering it to remove lipids and inflammatory proteins, and reintroducing the body fluid back into the body.
The German Society of Nephrology considers apheresis as a last resort for people with incurable lipid disorders.
There have been no clinical trials in people with long covid, and experts say that from a scientific point of view, the mechanism of its work is rather dubious.
Apheresis carries the risk of bleeding, blood clotting, infection, and reactions to the agents used in the procedure.
A clinical case published in the British Medical Journal reveals that a Dutch patient spent almost all of her savings on a trip to Cyprus for a “blood wash” procedure that did not improve her condition.
The woman lost her job due to post-COVID syndrome, and decided to go to a special clinic in Cyprus. She spent two months on the island, undergoing six courses of apheresis at a cost of 1,685 euros each.
While in Cyprus, she also underwent nine courses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where the patient breathes oxygen in a high pressure chamber.
She also tried a vitamin intravenous drip and a vitamin D injection. Nothing worked – the woman only spent most of her savings.
Apheresis supposedly reduces blood clotting and improves circulation in the smallest blood vessels in people with post-COVID syndrome.
Proponents of such treatments argue that patients cannot wait years to complete clinical trials when they have such disabling conditions, and the benefits of such experimental procedures outweigh the risks for some patients.
However, there are no published and peer-reviewed studies showing that apheresis helps cure conditions such as post-COVID syndrome.
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