Like you, our staff at the Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland, has some concerns right now. The COVID-19 pandemic is an outbreak of a new virus that scientists and doctors don’t fully understand, that is deadly in some people but doesn’t cause any symptoms at all in others. State officials and authorities have instituted measures to implement social distancing and closing nonessential businesses.
We are considered an essential health care practice by the state, because we provide treatment to people who have chronic conditions and autoimmune conditions. That means our doors are open, and Dr. Neil Spiegel and our physician assistant, Jennifer Gularson, are both seeing patients. However, for safety reasons, we’ve made some changes.
We’re offering consultations via video or by phone. If you’ve had blood work done, we can review the results and discuss them with you by video or phone.
We can provide consultations with new or existing patients by video or phone as well, which can be very helpful if you have questions about whether we might be the right practice for you or you’re wondering about your ongoing treatment plan.
We’ve also made some changes to how our office operates. In an effort to help people maintain social distance, we’ve closed our waiting room. We ask that you arrive for your appointment on time, rather than coming early, and remain in your car if you do arrive early. You can call us to let us know you’re here, and we’ll contact you when it’s time to come inside.
In this way, patients are seen one at a time, lowering the risk of transmitting this highly contagious virus.
You may be wondering if integrative medicine offers any treatments for COVID-19, and the answer is that we really don’t know. Coronaviruses have been around for a long time, but the one that causes COVID-19 first appeared in humans in November or December of 2019. It doesn’t behave like other coronaviruses, or like the flu or other common viruses, which is what makes it so dangerous.
Conventional medicine hasn’t yet developed effective pharmaceutical treatments yet, although tests are ongoing. Supplements and natural approaches to treating the virus haven’t been tested.
One thing that is known, however, is that the virus tends to affect those with compromised immune systems far worse than those who are healthy. That means that one potential means of defense is keeping yourself as healthy as possible.
Take any vitamins we’ve recommended, make sure you’re getting an appropriate amount of sleep each night, eat a nutrient-dense diet, and exercise daily. Finally, follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wash your hands often, maintain a distance of at least six feet from others when you’re in public, and only go out for essentials.
If you have questions about your care or about our COVID-19 precautions, please contact our office. We’re available for phone conversations, video consultations, and in-person appointments.
