Covid 19 after effects4/18/2023 ![]() ![]() Anyone who was infected can experience Post-COVID Conditions. Most people with COVID-19 get better within a few days to a few weeks after infection, so at least four weeks after infection is the start of when Post-COVID Conditions could first be identified. Post-COVID Conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Doctors, respiratory therapists and other health care providers will need to help these patients recover their lung function as much as possible.About Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions “Once the pandemic is over, there will be a group of patients with new health needs: the survivors. But while the lungs are healing, it is important that COVID-19 survivors touch base with physicians, who can help them recover efficiently. “Again, staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters is key, not only to surviving COVID-19, but potentially to ensure the scars to the lungs are not permanent. He notes that doctors and patients alike should be prepared for continuing treatment and therapy. As the leg strengthens and muscle re-grows, patients will experience discomfort from this healing. No one would expect to begin to run right away with the newly-healed leg bone. “It is similar to a leg bone breaking, needing a cast for months, and having the cast come off. “Lung healing in of itself can produce symptoms,” Galiatsatos says. ![]() Over time, the tissue heals, but it can take three months to a year or more for a person’s lung function to return to pre-COVID-19 levels. “There’s the initial injury to the lungs, followed by scarring. “Recovery from lung damage takes time,” Galiatsatos says. So while they survived the infection, the scars left from the coronavirus may be permanent in these patients.”Īfter a serious case of COVID-19, a patient’s lungs can recover, but not overnight. Abnormal healing is seen often in people who have not previously been vaccinated. “While the vaccine’s immunity makes our immune systems ʻsmarter’ by having a ʻplay book’ to fight off the virus strategically with minimal collateral damage, the vaccine’s immunity may also help in the healing process as well. ![]() Proper hydration maintains proper blood volume and healthy mucous membranes in the respiratory system, which can help them better resist infection and tissue damage.”įinally, he stresses, being vaccinated and boosted appropriately at the time of the infection helps ensure the best possible outcome. “Staying well fed is important for overall health. Galiatsatos adds that proper nutrition and hydration can also help patients avoid complications of COVID-19. For example, people living with diabetes, COPD or heart disease should be especially careful to manage those conditions with monitoring and taking their medications as directed.” Also, make sure that your chronic health conditions are managed as well as they can be. “If you have a health issue that puts you at higher risk, make sure you’re doing everything you can to minimize the chance of contracting the virus. There are things patients can do to increase their chances for less severe lung damage, Galiatsatos says. “A patient’s recovery and long-term lung health is going to depend on what kind of care they get, and how quickly.” Timely support in the hospital for severely ill patients can minimize lung damage.Ĭan coronavirus patients lessen the chance of lung damage? Treatment. “Treatment is the third factor,” he says. Their lung tissues may be less elastic, and they may have weakened immunity because of advanced age. Health conditions. Galiatsatos says, “The second is whether there are existing health problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or heart disease that can raise the risk for severe disease.” Older people are also more vulnerable for a severe case of COVID-19. Milder cases are less likely to cause lasting scars in the lung tissue. Galiatsatos notes three factors that affect the lung damage risk in COVID-19 infections and how likely the person is to recover and regain lung function:ĭisease severity. “The first is the severity of the coronavirus infection itself - whether the person has a mild case, or a severe one,” Galiatsatos says. ![]()
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