Shortness of breath, muscle weakness, emotional fatigue and other symptoms haunt those recovering from covid-19. There are many unknowns.
Thousands of patients who contracted covid-19 have been discharged from hospital and are facing the next phase: recovery.
A long process, which requires a lot of perseverance. Some patients leave the hospital with scars and inflammation that need to be cured. This can cause urinary and metabolic problems.
“Some have intermittent coughs that don’t go away, which makes breathing difficult,” said Dr. Zijian Chen, medical director of the new Post-Covid Care Center in the Mount Sinai Health System, New York.
“Some even use nasal oxygen at home, but that doesn’t help them enough.” He added.
Some patients who have used the ventilator are having difficulty swallowing and speaking. This is due to wounds that formed in the vocal cords where the breathing tube passed. Many patients have muscle weakness because they have been lying in bed for a long time and are having difficulty walking, climbing stairs and carrying objects.
According to Dr. Chen, 40% of patients at the Mount Sinai Center were referred to the neurologist for issues such as fatigue, confusion and anxiety.
“We have patients who come in and say to us, ‘I can’t concentrate on work. I recovered, I don’t have any breathing problems, I don’t have chest pain, but I can’t get back to work because I can’t concentrate ”, said Dr. Chen.
The recovery phase is exhausting for patients, who are already emotionally impaired. This is due to the fact that they spend a lot of time in treatment in hospitals, away from family and away from friends. It is very common for some to experience trauma, depression and even nightmares.
Experts use the term post-intensive care syndrome to describe the challenges faced by recovering patients.
It takes a lot of will and willingness to recover. Experts say that recovering the lungs is possible in a few months, but other problems may be unrecoverable.
Studies at John Hopkins University reveal that patients have prolonged muscle pain. This also affects the respiratory muscles.
Dr. Chen is concerned about the consequences of Covid-19. “A new serious illness or catastrophic event causes symptoms that last a long time,” he said.
Hospitals are investing in recovery programs. Post-covid care is very important to neutralize the victims’ fragility, both respiratory, emotional and physical.
