Coronavirus has been a global health crisis for more than two years now. While there are constant updates on how to prevent and treat COVID-19, we are also beginning to see the effects of the COVID-19 virus after the active infection has cleared.
The complexity of how the body adapts to fight an active COVID-19 infection, and how this affects us in the long term, has started to come to light and many suspect that it will take time to truly understand how long COVID-19 syndrome can affect people.
In this blog, we hope to simplify the information and give you the most important aspects of it, so you follow post-COVID care steps for yourself and your loved ones.
A quick look at COVID-19
First, let’s discuss COVID-19 in brief…
As all of us know, there are a wide number of people infected with COVID-19, with symptoms such as fever, cough, cold, sore throat, etc. This virus majorly affects the lungs and can cause difficulty in breathing and sometimes lung changes as well.
To treat this infection, people are given antibiotics, vitamin supplements and in severe cases, steroids are also given. This is the mainstay of active COVID-19 treatment.
If you have any questions regarding COVID-19, then I recommend you read our blog, “Coronavirus: Prevention, not panic!”. Let us now look at how post-COVID-19 infection can manifest itself!
Why Post-COVID care is important?
Studies have suggested that approximately 70% of patients experience persistent symptoms even after being recovered from COVID-19 infection. This is called “Post COVID Syndrome” or “Long COVID’’ and is due to a “prolonged inflammatory response”.
Long COVID leads to health issues such as cough, weakness, fatigue and many more that we will be taking a closer look at today.
It becomes important for you to take post-COVID care seriously so that you can treat the following:
- Post-COVID weakness: People experience tiredness and weakness as a long COVID health issue. A number of people also report weight loss during COVID-19 that may or may not include muscle loss which ultimately causes weakness.
- Difficulty breathing/ palpitations: Heavy breathing, shortness of breath and high heart rate are some of the symptoms reported by patients. This is sometimes in a resting state but can happen during physical activity as well.
- Joint pain: Being recovered from COVID-19, some people report joint pains. This is most commonly seen in the knee joint but can also include the wrist and other joints as well.
- Chest pain: As COVID-19 majorly affects the lungs; discomfort, pain or heaviness in the chest is one of the most common long COVID symptoms that persists. However, one should pay attention if the pain is present on the left side and radiating to the left hand or jaw, as it might be related to heart issues.
- Brain fog/ anxiety: Some patients report heightened anxiety or increased forgetfulness following the active infection.
- Loss of taste and/or smell: Loss of smell and taste might happen during COVID-19 or even post COVID-19. The loss is temporary but might take up to 3 months to return.
- Gastric problems: People report instances of diarrhoea, gas and acidity issues. Gas and acidity could be either due to the excessive intake of medicines or due to disturbed meal patterns.
- Sleep issues: Due to complaints of body aches, heaviness in the chest and other health issues, people are finding it difficult to get sound sleep. People are also feeling low and stressed due to lockdowns which could create sleep issues.
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: People have had to stay in isolation to prevent the spread of infection leading to higher levels of stress and loneliness. Stress might be related to a person’s health concerns, work troubles and could be related to a family members’ health as well.
- Cough- Dry cough is commonly reported by most of the patients who recovered from COVID-19. It mostly increases with continuous talking but can also be present (off & on) throughout the day.
These post-COVID symptoms can be managed when dealt with in the right way. Visit our website- Zyla.in or download the Zyla app to know more…
Did you know?
An examination of electronic health records in the USA showed the risk of developing a new psychiatric illness following COVID-19 was higher compared with those recovering from other medical illnesses like influenza.
Now that we have an overview of how long COVID presents itself, let us take a closer look at its complications.
Post-COVID syndrome complications
The complications can range from minor to major ones. While COVID-19 primarily affects the lungs it has also been seen to affect organs like the kidneys, heart, and brain in the following ways:
1. Heart:
COVID-19 infection can damage the heart muscle and as a result, lead to an increased risk of heart-related complications. While for some people, blood pressure and pulse readings can be higher, people with already compromised heart health can experience symptoms like:
- Chest discomfort
- Chest pain radiating towards left hand/ shoulders/ jaw
- Excessive sweating
- Irregular heartbeat
2. Lungs:
Pneumonia associated with COVID-19 can damage the alveoli in the lungs which can further lead to long term breathing problems and acute infections.
3. Brain:
- Covid-19 can cause blood clots which can lead to a stroke.
- It may also increase the risk of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s Disease, seizures, or paralysis.
- People may complain of forgetfulness post COVID
4. Kidney:
Kidney health may also be compromised. Especially people with diabetes are at risk of facing kidney health issues post-COVID. Patients may report the following symptoms:
- Foamy urine
- Swelling in feet and hands
5. Diabetes:
Diabetic patients are reporting higher and sometimes uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Especially those who were put on steroids during COVID-19 treatment. Some patients have been started on injectable insulin in order to manage high blood sugar levels.
For diabetics, if post-COVID care is not taken, then some usual symptoms like these are seen:
- High blood sugars
- Excessive thirst
- Tingling or numbness sensation in hands or feet
- Excessive hunger
- Extreme fatigue
- Frequent urination
For more details, read our blog, “Coronavirus and Diabetes”.
Aside from the above complications, some out-of-range lab test parameters may also be seen such as:
- Low Hb
- High liver function tests
- Low platelet count
- Disturbed electrolytes
In order to keep the above parameters within normal range, it is really important to know the right food to eat, the right type of exercise and the course of the right medications. All the 3 things in combination may help in improving the parameters and boosting energy levels.
As these post COVID syndrome complications can affect your body long term, it becomes very important for you to take care of yourself throughout COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 phases. But how can you do that? Let’s see…
Guidelines for people recovering from post-COVID-19
Let us take a look at some lifestyle measures you can easily incorporate in your daily routine in order to manage long COVID-
- Steam inhalation- Steam inhalation helps in clearing the mucus and reducing congestion in the nose or chest. This helps in improving your breathing capacity and the health of your lungs.
- Gargling- Gargling with warm saline water helps in relieving throat pain and inflammation. Water will help lubricate the throat and reduce irritation. It also helps in relieving congestion and cough by drawing out viruses and bacterias to the surface so make sure to spit the water out.
- Drinking hot water with tulsi/ ajwain- Drinking hot tulsi or ajwain water helps in improving chest congestion or nasal congestion. It also helps in reducing the dry cough and the inflammation of the lungs.
- Chest physiotherapy- These exercises can help in strengthening the muscles of the lungs, reducing chest discomfort and other issues.
- Breathing exercises- This helps in improving the lung capacity of our lungs and helps you breathe properly.
- Spirometry breathing exercise- Spirometer is a device used for assessing how well your lungs are working. You can perform the exercise if your doctor advises you.
- Short morning and evening walk- A short walk twice daily helps in improving lung capacity but you should not force yourself to walk more than your capacity as this can lead to weakness/ fatigue.
For more such tips on post-COVID care, visit our website- Zyla.in or download the Zyla app. We can help you have a smooth and speedy recovery!
Post-COVID care: Food
Diet also plays a very important role in post-COVID care i.e. managing the long COVID symptoms and other complications/ health issues. Eating a well-balanced diet rich is the key to a smooth recovery.
1. Anti-inflammatory foods
These help in reducing the inflammation thus relieving the symptoms. Foods such as ginger (adrak), turmeric (haldi), garlic (lehsun), black pepper (kali mirch) etc are a few examples of anti-inflammatory foods.
2. Zinc and magnesium-rich foods
Nuts and seeds such as almonds (badam), walnuts (akhrot), flax seeds (alsi ke beej), pumpkin seeds (kaddu ke beej), sunflower seeds (surajmukhi ke beej) etc are very good sources.
Other than these green leafy vegetables, banana, chickpeas, milk, curd and paneer also provide good amounts of zinc and magnesium.
3. Vitamin C rich foods
All the citrus fruits like lemon, orange, mosambi, kiwi, tomato are great sources of vitamin C. One can have 2 fruits on a daily basis to improve the intake.
4. Protein-rich foods
Dairy products like milk, curd, buttermilk paneer, pulses and legumes, soy and soy products are good sources of vegetarian protein in our diet. Those who are non-vegetarians can have egg whites in their daily routine.
Other non-vegetarian foods like fish and chicken can be added only if the person is able to digest as COVID-19 also causes weak digestion. Mutton should be completely avoided as it is rich in unhealthy fat and can cause disturbances in liver and heart health.
5. Hydration
During COVID-19 it is very important to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated as there are chances of dehydration due to high fever. Post-COVID also it is equally important to maintain hydration in order to maintain electrolyte imbalance.
A number of people report disturbed electrolytes to post COVID that can cause fatigue, lack of concentration, cramps, so drinking 2.5–3 litres of water should be followed as a practice.
NOTE → Before you follow the above post-COVID care guidelines, please make sure that any of the food items are not restricted by your doctor.
Some FAQs related to post COVID
1. Is fever normal post-COVID recovery?
Yes, one can continue to have a fever post COVID. Research suggests that the body continues to react to the remaining of the virus even after the active infection has been cleared by the body. While it is not usually a cause of concern, we recommend consulting your doctor for more information.
2. How to improve lung health after being recovered from COVID-19?
We recommend including a few post-COVID care steps in your routine for this:
- Do steam inhalation 2–3 times a day and you can add ajwain or Vicks in that water.
- Maintain proper hydration and drink warm water.
- Do short walks in the morning and evening but do not push yourself to do more. Do as much as you can do with comfort.
- Take advice from a physiotherapist or yoga expert on breathing exercises.
3. When will the loss of taste and smell recover?
It could take as long as 3 months to restore the sense of taste and smell following an active infection and a minimum of a few days.
4. Are post-COVID people at risk of developing diabetes or high BP?
Usually, it has been seen that people who have increased blood sugar and high blood pressure during or after COVID-19 usually have their levels drop back into the normal range. But one should also consult a doctor or nutritionist for their opinion.
For more information on diabetes and COVID-19, I recommend you read our blog, “Coronavirus and Diabetes”.
5. Is chest pain normal post COVID?
There can be many causes for chest pain such as gastric issues, anxiety, muscle strain or in some severe cases, heart issues. With heart involvement, the chest pain usually occurs on the left side and radiates to the left arm/ shoulder or jaw. Make sure to always consult a doctor for any concerns.
Prevention is always better than cure! Stay healthy at home during Coronavirus pandemic to stay safe. Get yourself vaccinated as post-vaccination, symptoms are observed to be less severe. Our blog, The effectiveness of Coronavirus vaccine has more information that can clear your doubts.
If you have COVID, read “How to recover from COVID-19 at home” to know if you can recover from COVID-19 at home or not and if yes, then how!
With post-COVID, people might have multiple symptoms and some might face serious health complications as well. So it is very important to keep an eye on symptoms to monitor their progression, include lifestyle changes and seek timely help from your physician in order to prevent any major complications after COVID.
If you’re dealing with post-COVID 19 symptoms, do not worry! Zyla is here to give you the personalised post-COVID care and treatment that you require. You can enrol in our Post COVID healthy recovery plan.
Zyla has a team of doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists and psychologists who can help you have a speedy recovery. Visit our website- Zyla.in or download the Zyla app now to start your healthy journey.
Stay strong! Stay healthy!
Source: https://blog.zyla.in/why-post-covid-care-is-important-zyla-health-e66f46afb705.
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