Long COVID Treatment in
Santa Barbara, CA
When symptoms persist months after COVID — fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, POTS — the underlying drivers are often still present in the blood. We target them directly.
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange · EBO2 Ozone Therapy · NAD+ IV · Naturopathic Support
Serving Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange County, and all of California
Primary therapies we use for Long COVID
Long COVID is a multi-system inflammatory and microvascular disease — we use the same tools that work in autoimmune and clotting disorders.
What Is Long COVID?
Long COVID — also called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) — refers to symptoms that persist or emerge weeks to months after the initial COVID-19 infection has resolved. Estimates suggest 10–30% of COVID-19 patients develop some form of Long COVID, with symptoms that can last years.
Research now points to several overlapping biological mechanisms: viral persistence (SARS-CoV-2 fragments remaining in tissues), immune dysregulation (autoantibody production and chronic inflammation), microthrombi (microscopic fibrin clots obstructing small blood vessels), and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to cellular energy deficits.
Conventional medicine has few approved treatments. Our approach targets these mechanisms directly — removing the circulating immune complexes and inflammatory load through therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), and supporting oxygenation and immune modulation through EBO2 ozone therapy.
Common Long COVID Symptoms
- Debilitating fatigue that doesn't improve with rest
- Post-exertional malaise (PEM) — symptom flares after activity
- Brain fog — difficulty concentrating, word-finding, memory
- Breathlessness and reduced exercise capacity
- Chest pain and palpitations
- POTS — lightheadedness and rapid heart rate when standing
- Chronic headaches and sleep disruption
- Persistent immune activation and recurrent infections
Our Long COVID Protocols
We don't offer a single protocol. Each patient's program is built around their dominant symptom pattern and the biological mechanisms most likely driving their condition.
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE)
Therapeutic plasma exchange removes your blood plasma — which carries inflammatory cytokines, autoantibodies (including anti-GPCR antibodies implicated in Long COVID), fibrinogen microclots, and immune complexes — and replaces it with clean albumin. This directly reduces the circulating burden driving many Long COVID symptoms.
German researchers, including the group led by Dr. Beate Jaeger, published early positive data on TPE for Long COVID in 2022. Multiple clinical observations since have supported meaningful improvements in fatigue, brain fog, and exercise capacity.
Learn about TPE at Purety ClinicEBO2 / EBOO Ozone Therapy
EBO2 (extracorporeal blood ozonation) continuously circulates blood through an external circuit, exposing it to high-concentration medical ozone and UV light before returning it to the body. This process oxygenates the blood, modulates immune activity, and may directly address viral persistence — all mechanisms relevant to Long COVID pathology.
Dr. Birch has performed over 2,500 ozone treatments including EBO2. Many Long COVID patients travel from Los Angeles, Ventura, and throughout California specifically for this therapy, which is not widely available in an outpatient setting.
Learn about EBO2 at Purety ClinicNAD+ IV Therapy
Mitochondrial dysfunction — the inability of cells to produce adequate energy — is a central feature of Long COVID, particularly in patients with post-exertional malaise (PEM). NAD+ is a critical coenzyme for mitochondrial function. IV administration delivers far higher levels than oral supplementation can achieve, providing direct support for cellular energy production.
We commonly combine NAD+ infusions with other nutrients including glutathione, magnesium, and B vitamins as part of a broader IV protocol for Long COVID patients.
Naturopathic Integrative Support
Alongside procedural treatments, we build a naturopathic foundation: comprehensive lab evaluation (inflammatory markers, autoantibody panels, coagulation studies, microbiome assessment), anti-inflammatory nutritional protocols, targeted supplementation, and autonomic nervous system support for POTS and dysautonomia symptoms.
This whole-person approach allows us to identify and address contributing factors — including gut dysbiosis, hormonal disruption, and nutrient deficiencies — that compound Long COVID symptoms.
Your Provider
Dr. Jonathan Birch, NMD, RMSK
Naturopathic Medical Doctor · Founder, Purety Family Medical Clinic
Dr. Birch has been working with Long COVID patients since 2020 — among the first naturopathic physicians in California to offer therapeutic plasma exchange and EBO2 ozone therapy specifically for Long COVID. He holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and is board-registered in musculoskeletal sonography (RMSK).
Common Questions About Long COVID Treatment
Serving Long COVID Patients Across California
Our Santa Barbara clinic is accessible from across Southern and Central California. We offer telehealth consultations for initial assessments — in-person visits are required for TPE and EBO2 procedures.
Related Long COVID Research
All Articles
Ready to Address Your Long COVID?
Book an initial consultation — in-person in Santa Barbara or by telehealth. We'll review your history, discuss treatment options, and determine which protocols are most appropriate for your symptom profile.
(805) 500-8300