Your GP has listed the most common side effects after COVID-19 – even in mild patients

The family doctor Jurga Dūdienė listed the main residual phenomena after COVID-19 on her Facebook account on the social network and advised how to regain strength faster after suffering this infection.

Here is the text of Dr. J. Dūdienė:

„How to regain strength after COVID-19 infection

We can no longer find a family doctor who has not recovered from COVID-19. “Doctor, I don’t understand, but I’m tired of just drying the dust, I have to sit down and breathe,” are the words of a thirty-year-old mother. “I can’t breathe easily enough as I walk, and when I go up to the second floor, I feel short of breath,” “treated at the hospital.” do everything, that’s probably why she’s angry … “Here are the real situations in our daily practice now.

I delved into several large clinics, m. Dr. describes the “post-COVID-19 syndrome” with colleagues around the world. The sad thing is that this sometimes occurs even in non-chronic patients with coronavirus infection, even with mild symptoms. Of course, this is more common in the elderly with chronic illnesses. Recovery from the disease can take from 2 to 4 weeks to several months. But definitely SMALLER MOVES!

The most common residual events are:

• fatigue, which can be “profound” when doing light housework, such as handling clothes or dusting, or walking a dog, even after resting;
• shortness of breath, even during light physical activity, decreased stamina;
• dry cough, without expectoration, rare;
• muscle, joint, chest pain;
• headache, dizziness;
• memory impairment, decreased concentration, poor sleep;
• after treatment in intensive care units, after DPV (artificial pulmonary ventilation): post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, depression may develop. It is necessary not to ignore this condition and seek help in a timely manner.

Everything is quite regular and due to the long-term consequences (it is good that they are RARE) -depending on which organ the coronavirus affects- pulmonary fibrosis may develop (scars, arrhythmias, risk of heart failure, due to a bleeding disorder (viscosity ) – damaged small blood vessels, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke, as well as heart rhythm problems or heart failure.

Incidentally, similar long-term postinfectious syndromes (decreased physical and mental activity, fatigue, persistent rest), described in the medical literature for many years, and the consequences of SARS infection (or phenomena caused by HBV viruses , HCV, CMV). And headaches, dizziness, and long-lasting fatigue are the companions of many patients with tick-borne encephalitis (for example). Or cardiomyopathy after the flu is a long-known complication.

Now much is written about the following COVID-19 Rehabilitation of the syndrome: after the serious forms in the world (both in our country (I hope) it will go well) is carried out under the supervision of rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists.

I found the following 6 steps (relevant for manual workers and those with mental / creative work):

Exercise – physical activity. A necessary condition is to increase the load gradually, done regularly on a daily basis. Training for abdominal breathing is highly recommended. Exercise INHALATION: EXHALATION = 2: 4. Resistance should be trained constantly, if during physical activity and intense speech, shortness of breath, shortness of breath begins, stop (stop moving, stop talking), focus on calm inhalation-exhalation. I even changed the focus of your state to the horizon, to the image. Help with shortness of breath: Sit down to lean forward.

Nutrition – Healthy, healthy and regular food, rich in vitamins and minerals. Weight changes during COVID infection vary, increasing / decreasing. There must be vegetables, proteins! (eggs, poultry, curd, vegetable proteins); food is not fried, it is not smoked, it is really important (easily digestible, cooked, boiled). It is also appropriate to continue with all food supplements and vitamins taken during illness.

Memory exercises (COVID-19 violates the memory center). For the recovery of thought and attention – educando – puzzle puzzle; memory games / exercises or even memorizing poems, singing songs, everything that makes the mind work. Increasing the workload is also important, from tasks requiring ease to “sharp mind.” Quality sleep is especially important! Prevention of anxiety.

Understandthat you do not get back to your rhythm of life as soon as you return from the hospital or after an outpatient treatment as soon as you write ‘The COVID infection is over’. Assess your expectations, slow down (a possible transition period) to get back on previous work tracks.

keep in mind pay attention to alarming signs, including prolonged headache or severe fatigue, anxiety, request an examination

Priimkit helps even in simple household matters – it will help to fight exhaustion and gradually restore your energy.

Bear in mind that you have just overcome an illness (such as COVID-19, as well as any other serious infectious disease) that has severely damaged your immune system, and it would be very wise to return to daily work gradually rather than diving directly. at a crazy pace ”.