For Md Ariful Islam, a 38-year-old government service holder, the woes he had developed during the COVID-19 infection continued to take toll on his daily life even a year after he tested negative.
Despite taking enough rest, the woes were still tormenting him until he came across the clinic of Suoxi Healthcare Limited, Md Ariful Islam said.
The clinic provides patients with various TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) treatments including acupuncture and tui na or Chinese therapeutic massage in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka.
"I received here seven therapies of the Chinese traditional medicine acupuncture. I feel much better now," he said.
Kawsar Ali Sardar, 48, another patient, said he was infected with the coronavirus about 10 months ago.
"After 25 days of treatment, finally I got a negative result for COVID-19," however, some time later he started to suffer from severe headache and sleeping disorder, he noted.
"I have been feeling much better since taking Chinese therapy. My headaches have decreased and have a good night's sleep," he said, adding that "I'm taking treatment here. I have been asked to take eight therapies. Already I have been given three therapies."
Kawsar Ali Sardar said the clinic offered free treatment on the occasion of the May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, "so I came here and took the therapy."
SM Shahidul Islam is a TCM specialist doctor who graduated from Tongji Medical University in Wuhan, China in the 1990s. The school became part of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2000.
"After getting my MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) degree I have got training on traditional Chinese medicine especially on acupuncture in China," he said.
During the May Day, the Suoxi Healthcare Limited organized a free medical camp with a topic relating to "Post COVID Syndrome," the doctor said.
He said that a study has found that among those who have recovered from COVID-19, about 63 percent got involved in chronic fatigue syndrome, 26 percent sleep disturbances, and another 23 percent have mental depression or anxiety.
Through the TCM treatment, they can help patients recover from post-COVID-19 conditions, SM Shahidul Islam said, adding that the TCM is very helpful for patients suffering from the post-COVID woes.
The May Day free medical camp had about 30 post-COVID patients, nine of whom "have already received treatment here," according to him.