CBD and Post-COVID Syndrome — Is There Hope?

The whole world was scarred by COVID. International relations are frayed, domestic situations are fraught, and some individual citizens bear real physical scars from which they may never recover.

We’re finally in a period when COVID seems to be behind us. For those with post-COVID syndrome, however, the pandemic won’t ever be truly over. Learn what post-COVID syndrome is and whether CBD might be appropriate.

What is post-COVID syndrome?

The mutated virus known as SARS-CoV-2 has acute symptoms that can sometimes be deadly. Just as concerning, however, are the symptoms that can set in after the primary effects of COVID pass.

Many individuals who tested positive for COVID now suffer from sometimes-debilitating long-term conditions even if they didn’t display notable symptoms at the time of infection. There’s a lot we don’t understand about the COVID-19 virus, but it appears to have the ability to cause quite a few different debilitating effects long after it has left your system.

Types of post-COVID conditions

The CDC has divided post-COVID into three categories:

— Long COVID —

Less of a real medical condition and more of a catch-all for often-unexplained symptoms, “long COVID” is the medical establishment’s name for the gestalt of negative effects that can persist after COVID has run its course. The CDC has identified a variety of symptoms of long COVID including:

• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Headache
• Loss of smell or taste
• Dizziness
• Pounding heart
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Cough
• Muscle pain
• Depression
• Fever
• Worsening of symptoms after physical activity

There is no specified end-date to the symptoms of long COVID. In some cases, the gradual debilitation caused by this condition can lead to death.

— Multiorgan effects —

COVID affects other organs as well as the lungs. Heart and brain damage is also common with COVID-19 since destruction of lung tissue leads to starvation of high oxygen-consuming organs.

The CDC particularly notes a condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS), a catch-all moniker that refers to a condition scientists don’t really understand. MIS can be triggered by COVID-19, and it’s characterized by persistent chronic inflammation throughout the body. 

— Aftereffects of medical care —

Though choked by medical jargon, the CDC at least admits that hospital stays and other forms of allopathic medical care can come at a cost. Referring to the terrible trauma many hospital patients endure with the euphemism “post-intensive care syndrome (PICS),” the CDC notes that this treatment-related condition can lead to PTSD.

We wonder if there’s an acronym for the condition you get when you’ve heard too many acronyms for medical conditions.

Post-COVID syndrome vs. the post-COVID world

Let’s make one thing very clear: Post-COVID syndrome has nothing to do with other uses of the world “post-COVID” even though the terminology may be similar. By post-COVID syndrome, we’re referring to the medical condition discovered by science to sometimes persist after the main symptoms of COVID-19 have disappeared.

Many analysts are saying, though, that the world is entering a “post-COVID” period both economically and culturally. In this article, we’re focusing specifically on post-COVID syndrome, not the post-COVID world.

Does CBD help with COVID?

Now that we understand what post-COVID syndrome is and isn’t, let’s start examining the central question of our current inquiry. To understand if CBD can help with post-COVID syndrome, we’ll first need to examine how CBD might help with the COVID-19 virus itself.

Let’s start with a brief disclaimer. During the early days of the virus, some CBD companies made unreasonable claims about the ability of hemp to mitigate the symptoms of COVID-19.  Let’s be very clear in saying there’s no direct evidence that CBD is a treatment for COVID-19 or any other virus.

COVID-19 operates in the body as an inflammatory condition, however, and plenty of research has been conducted into the potential link between CBD and inflammation reduction. There are as many types of bodily inflammation as there are causes of oxidative stress, so just because CBD might work for one kind of inflammatory condition, that’s no guarantee it works for other conditions that attack the immune system.

Does CBD help with post-COVID syndrome?

To the body, COVID-19 is a hurricane, and post-COVID syndrome is the wreckage left in its wake. Based on the premise alone, CBD might theoretically be more appropriate for post-COVID syndrome than for COVID itself due to the demonstrated usefulness of CBD for similar chronic conditions.

CBD is no morphine or penicillin. In most cases, it’s not something you reach for in an emergency.

Millions of people around the world, however, reach for CBD habitually throughout the day for help with pain or anxiety or before bed to ensure a good night of sleep. This natural hemp cannabinoid is usually used long-term anyway, making it a natural match for the long-lasting symptoms of post-COVID syndrome.

What is the best treatment for post-COVID syndrome?

We are still learning about the long-term after-effects of COVID-19 commonly known as post-COVID syndrome. As is usually the case with chronic conditions, plenty of rest and relaxation is essential, and you must regularly consult with your doctor for the best results.

Since post-COVID symptoms vary so considerably from person to person, it’s unlikely that a cure for this loose cluster of persistent symptoms will ever be devised. By more fully understanding the overall role that information plays in human health, however, we might solve the mystery of how to cure much more than just post-COVID.

CBD and post-COVID syndrome FAQ

1. Is COVID over?

It certainly seems we are entering a post-COVID era. It’s unknown if the social repercussions of pandemic lockdowns will ever truly lift, but the blanket of fear that fell over the world is starting to show some holes, and the light is definitely starting to shine through.

2. What are the symptoms of post-COVID?

The symptoms of post-COVID syndrome usually resemble extreme exhaustion. Loss of smell or taste, chest pain, and dizziness are also common.

If you’re concerned that you may be suffering from the conditions of post-COVID, consult with your doctor immediately. In most cases, the symptoms of COVID-19 infection should pass within around 14 days of inception, and any symptoms lasting longer than 30 days may be classified as post-COVID syndrome.

3. What are some types of post-COVID conditions?

The CDC has divided post-COVID syndrome into three types: long COVID, multi-organ effects, and medical care after-effects. Each type of post-COVID is alike in that symptoms include extreme exhaustion and chronic pain.

4. How long does the post-COVID condition last?

It is still too early to say how long the symptoms of post-COVID syndrome might last. The virus itself is still less than two years old, after all, and the first victims of COVID are just now being studied in detail to further our understanding of the long-term harmful effects of the virus.

Suffice to say that many people who never truly felt better after catching COVID still suffer from debilitating chronic symptoms to this day. It is our heartfelt hope that these people receive relief, and if hemp can play any part, it would be our honor to contribute.