Self-care after Covid-19, what can you do at home?

Self-care after Covid-19, what can you do at home?

by | May 25, 2022 | Cardiovascular, Respiratory

There is no magic pill to fix the problems caused by the assault the COVID-19 infection has had on your body, so self-care is as important in your recovery as working with doctors to manage the treatable medical conditions that Long COVID is causing.

COVID-19 can cause long-term health problems and symptoms that interfere with daily activities. In some cases, these can persist beyond 12 weeks, now referred to as post-COVID-19 conditions, also known as Long COVID, or Post-COVID-19 syndrome.

“As we return to a new normal, clinicians cannot overlook the damage done to their patients’ physical and mental health during this pandemic,” Jonas told Healio Psychiatry. “Thus, patients are forced to care more for themselves. We need to find new ways of providing care and anticipate patient need during and after the pandemic. We need to empower individuals to maintain any healthy habits formed during the pandemic and emphasize strategies that enable them to promote their own well-being — like good nutrition, exercising and stress reduction — alongside guidance from physicians.”

New trends in health care

The shortage of medical staff and available appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of ‘DIY’ healthcare dramatically. DIY (Do It Yourself) healthcare is here to stay and may represent a good portion of the healthcare of many people in the future.

So what is it? Essentially, it’s taking a more active role in your healthcare, using everything from smartphone apps to at-home electronic medical devices and tests.

While it’s obviously far from a cure-all, it’s another tool in the box to managing your health.

Smart home devices proliferating

During the pandemic, many COVID-19 patients have been sent home from the hospital with fingertip pulse oximeters to monitor their own oxygen levels as they recover. Other devices monitor not just your oxygen levels at night but also the overall quality of your sleep.

Blood pressure monitoring has become much easier too, with more compact devices, digital displays and the ability to store readings over time.  You can even perform your own heart EKGs at home, using a smart device like 24-HOUR AI ECG MONITOR, which, paired with your smartphone, help to capture heart abnormalities that hard to detect at regular checkups.

Easily share your data and reports

Most of us are carrying around very powerful little computers in our pockets or purses: smartphones. People are using smartphone apps (sometimes paired with electronic devices) to record, track, and analyze everything from their medications to their exercise, migraines, foods eaten, to record allergy symptoms or digestive ailments, to glucose levels, for diabetics. It’s certainly a lot easier and more efficient than using a pencil and paper, and at your next medical appointment you’ll have the data readily available to share with your provider.

Self-health monitoring with Wellue O2ring

Robyn Gold has embraced one particular DIY healthcare device. The 62-year-old Framingham resident was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago after undergoing an overnight sleep study at a medical facility. She tried and couldn’t adjust to using a CPAP machine while sleeping, which involves wearing a mask that delivers air pressure through the nostrils to keep the airway open. 

“I discovered the Wellue 02Ring and immediately decided to give it a try,” she said. “What makes sleep apnea harmful is that it deprives your body of oxygen. The 02Ring enables me to monitor my oxygen levels overnight and it buzzes me awake when they go below a pre-set threshold,” she explained. “It stores sleep data in an iPhone app so I can pore over last night’s sleep records and review sleep trends over time.”

She noted that her oxygen levels stay high most nights and the 02Ring never wakes her up. When it does go off, the act of waking up restores her normal breathing, and she goes back to sleep. 

“So, although I bought the device to monitor the state of my medical problem,” Gold explained, “for my mild case, it is able to treat it as well. I am very happy with my device! I even discussed the plan with my doctor, and she approved.”

Robyn Gold of Framingham is monitoring and treating her sleep apnea, with her doctor’s approval, using a smart ring and phone app that measures her oxygen levels.

Using O2ring in COVID-19 recovery

Michael E. Turpin wrote a review about O2Ring™ Continuous Ring Oxygen Monitor, “I’m currently on oxygen after about with covid related double pneumonia. This device has been a Godsend. I manage pulse ox with ease. I check it about 10 times a day. It’s comforting to know my numbers are at my fingertips, literally”.

Benjie bought an O2Ring as part of his COVID-19 recovery, “I need to monitor my O2 & PR as much as I can. O2Ring gave me that option plus some. The Reports were a big plus to my needs. As well as the alarm feature. I just wished it can be used in the shower and also use it while charging so I can gather complete 24hrs stat of my system. I recommend this product for post Covid patients still having O2 stability concerns as well as for Sleep Apnea patients to learn more of your illness”, he said.

Other tips for recovery from Long COVID.  

Minimizing physical and psychological stressors is essential in recovery from Long COVID.  

Nutrition: Try to eat protein and vitamin-rich foods daily. Avoid chemicals, preservatives, sugars, fast foods, prepared foods, and high histamine foods.

Don’t skip meals. Your body needs protein, vitamin C, and vitamin D to heal from any injury or illness.

Low histamine or low carbohydrate diet is recommended by doctors treating Long COVID (PASC), and many people report a reduction in symptoms within 1-3 days of the diet change, including decreases in sneezing, itching or hives, irritable bowel syndrome, body pain, along with a reduction in swelling and inflammation.

Hydration: A minimum of eight 8 oz glasses of plain water daily is recommended.

Avoid drinks with chemical additives.

You can easily make a fresh electrolyte drink yourself by adding a dash of mineral-rich Epsom salt and a piece of fruit like raspberry for flavor instead of spending money on commercial drinks like Gatorade that contain chemicals and sit in plastic bottles for long periods of time.

Sleep hygiene: Getting 7-9 hours of sleep so your body can repair itself. Your body needs at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep to get into the restorative phase of sleep.

Monitor your sleep with a great assistant

Avoid stimulating activities after dinner like thrilling movies or books, arguments, negative news, or frustrating stimuli.

If you wake up frequently or with a startle, you may be experiencing drops in your oxygen level, which signal your brain to release adrenaline to force you to take a breath.

This could be a temporary inflammation issue or more enduring sleep apnea. Ask your doctor for a sleep study to evaluate your need for a CPAP or BiPAP, a machine that forced air into your lungs when it senses an apneic episode.

iBreeze™ APAP Machine

Stress management: Everything about the pandemic and being sick is stressful, and it can stress every component of your life. The only thing you can control about stress is your reaction to it.

Try to avoid or minimize your exposure to stressful situations: Turn off the news, make family visits that end unpleasantly short, wait for the morning to have intense discussions, and let go of things that annoy you but don’t really matter in the big scheme of things.

Exercise within tolerance: Do not push your body to extremes in any way. For some, this may mean seated breathing exercises or walking to the mailbox.

Pace yourself. Rest when you’re body says to slow down. Gradually build on your activity endurance as your body cues you to progress.

Breathwork: You can literally stop the fight or flight reaction by taking slow deep breaths. This shuts down the adrenaline flow, slows your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, and decreases stress-related histamine release.

When you do this, your blood reroutes back to your brain and nervous system to allow you to think clearly. It also allows your body to use its energy and oxygen to heal your inflamed nerves and organs.

Note

Additionally, health care professionals can make suggestions to tailor the advice for you. The advice in the article should not replace any individualized rehabilitation program or any advice you may have been given by your health care professionals.

Your family and friends can help support you as you recover, and it may be helpful to share this article with them.

Can Pregnant Women Get The COVID-19 Vaccine?

Can Pregnant Women Get The COVID-19 Vaccine?

by | Jan 13, 2021 | MED PROS, Motherhood

Vaccines have come as a ray of hope amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some countries have already started to vaccinate their citizens.

Does that list include pregnant women? This has become the biggest concern for families with pregnant women.

According to the CDC, “pregnant women with COVID-19 are at a high risk of developing severe illnesses that can result in ICU admission.” They may undergo adverse pregnancy outcomes and deliver a preterm baby. That is why COVID-19 vaccines are also being considered not safe for pregnant women. Experts are hinting that pregnant and breastfeeding women should not risk the health of their children by taking the vaccine.

But, there no scientific study that proves COVID-19 vaccines are not safe for pregnant women. It is just an assumption. Doctors say that pregnant women are a vulnerable population and they should not put the child in the womb at risk. For much clarity, vaccines will be tested on pregnant ladies till then they may have to wait to get the vaccine.

Research published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists suggests that pregnant women who meet the vaccination criteria should be given the vaccine even though there is no safety data on COVID-19 vaccine use till now.

While pregnant people still have a complicated choice to make now that some vaccines are authorized for emergency use .

Pros and cons of getting the vaccine if you’re pregnant 

Getting the vaccine means being almost entirely protected from contracting COVID-19. If infected, pregnant people have a higher risk of intensive-care unit admission, ventilation, life support, and death than patients who aren’t pregnant, though the overall risk is still low, a November report from the CDC found. They’re also more likely to deliver prematurely. 

But getting the vaccine also means taking a bit of a gamble. Researchers don’t have good data on the risks to pregnant people, though healthcare and public health professionals expect that they’re low. 

If they’re in a prioritized group for access, like healthcare workers and nursing home staffers, they need to decide: Get the vaccine despite knowing little about its potential risks to them, or skip it and risk contracting COVID-19, which is more likely to lead to complications and death in pregnant people.

Professional and governmental organizations have so far avoided taking a strong stance in either direction, though experts say the way the vaccine is made suggests it’s safe in that population. 

So how should the expectant parents who are preparing for pregnancy or who are pregnant choose? As there is currently no disclosure of the new crown vaccine instructions, it is recommended that women during pregnancy should consult a doctor, and a professional doctor will assess whether they can receive the new crown vaccine.

Remark about French President Emmanuel Macron’s Testing Positive for COVID-19 and Consequences Afterwards

Remark about French President Emmanuel Macron’s Testing Positive for COVID-19 and Consequences Afterwards

by | Dec 21, 2020 | Respiratory

Spill the tea! Some see it as an trick to get the French to take the epidemic seriously.

In a televised speech, Mr. Macron promised to ease the lockdown when the number of new cases fell below 5,000/day. The French government broke it on Tuesday and suffered the consequences on Thursday.

Macron is young enough to fight the virus. It is expected that he can give weight to COVID-19, rather than continue with the gimmicks.

It is the First Lady who is more worrying. France, after all, has just had two state funerals and can no longer afford hat tricks.

Under French law, if the President’s life is in danger, the speaker of the Senate shall act on his behalf. As is known to all, Macron is an EM supporter, while the Senate is mostly composed of LR supporters (including the speaker Gerard Larcher). In the event of the President’s death, there would be great unrest in the country.

It’s not unusual. In the Fifth Republic, there have been 8 presidents, including two (Pompidou and Mitterrand) who died while in office and one (Charles de Gaulle) who quit voluntarily, so the French presidency is perilous.

By the way, the president shall hold a concurrent post of Copríncep d’Andorra.

Incidence in early July after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Unit: 100,000 people/week

Incidence in early October after 1.5 months after the second wave

Incidence at the end of October after lockdown, 4 times higher within one month

Lifted lockdown at the end of November by ① expanding the range of activity; ② moving to night-time curfew on the number of new cases falling to around 5,000 a day. Incidence on that day

Today’s incidence. The pandemic was not under full control compared to one month before due to premature lockdown lifting. However, this step was willfully pursued by the French government.

Pandemic trend. Half of the cities were locked down and prematurely lifted in the second wave, thus interrupting the downtrend.

How Pulse Oximeters relate to COVID19 and if it’s truly a must-buy

How Pulse Oximeters relate to COVID19 and if it’s truly a must-buy

by | Nov 24, 2020 | Respiratory

Overview:

1. How Pulse Oximeters Work: Detection of Blood Oxygen Levels

2. Benefits and Pitfalls of Pulse Oximetry

 

The continuing battle with the global spread of the novel COVID-19 has emphasized and revitalized the vital role of innovative tools that could help detect symptoms before the clinical condition worsens. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an influx in demand for home monitoring tools, particularly pulse oximeters, since one of the clinical concerns with acquiring a COVID-19 infection is its respiratory effects. Respiratory function, specifically, oxygenation, can be impaired by severe COVID-19 infection. The virus damages the lung, thereby reducing oxygen intake capacity. With pulse oximetry, important data on respiratory parameters are reflected. It could monitor COVID-19 disease progression by measuring the oxygen saturation (SpO2) in a person’s blood.

How Pulse Oximeters Work: Detection of Blood Oxygen Levels

Although people infected with COVID-19 can manifest with varying symptoms, the most common initial symptoms observed in patients are fever, cough, fatigue, and myalgia. Symptoms are then classified as mild, moderate, and severe. Those with mild symptoms and are otherwise healthy are often sent home to manage their symptoms. Pulse oximeters can be useful for these patients. The home pulse oximetry readings can accurately reflect important clinical insight on respiratory deterioration. The blood oxygen level of a person infected with the novel coronavirus may be lower than average. This condition is known as hypoxia. The more severe the infection, the lower the oxygen saturation reading will be. Some patients unknowingly have decreased blood oxygen levels during the early stages of COVID-19. Their clinical status can immediately deteriorate, and they can eventually manifest with shortness of breath, which leads to higher mortality rates. Having a pulse oximeter can detect low blood oxygen levels before the onset of severe symptoms.  

A pulse oximeter like the Wellue OxySmart™ is designed as a clip that fits on a person’s fingertips or toes. The Wellue O2Ring™, on the other hand, is a ring-like device that the patient can wear. Both devices make use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light detector. When the oximeter is attached to the fingertip, the LEDs and the light detector capture blood flow from the small vessels. From this, the device can then measure the percentage of oxygen-carrying blood within seconds. The pulse oximeter also has a monitor that displays the SpO2 rate and a pulse wave, representing the pulse rate. It can be used to determine how much oxygen a patient needs and when they may need it.

Not only could pulse oximeters like Wellue OxySmart™ and O2Ring™ Continuous Ring Oximeter record SpO2, but it could also document the corresponding pulse rate, heart rate, perfusion index, and movements of a person. There is merit in knowing these health parameters, especially SpO2. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends oxygen saturation levels of 92–96%. Anything below this range indicates a severe case of COVID-19 infection, which may require urgent hospitalization for immediate oxygen supplementation and critical care. It is where data collected from a Wellue OxySmart™ and O2 Ring™ Continuous Ring Oximeter can be life-saving.

The use of these devices by generally healthy people and patients diagnosed with mild COVID-19 symptoms cannot aid in establishing whether or not there is a need for them to be hospitalized. However, people can monitor their clinical status even in the comforts of their homes since these devices can instantly analyze the user’s condition.

Benefits and Pitfalls of Pulse Oximetry

Pulse oximeters are not foolproof. The method or technique of measurement can affect the oxygen saturation that will be recorded. Improper placement of these devices can inaccurately reflect oxygen levels in the blood. The best reading can be achieved with a strong pulsatile flow from the site of measurement, granted that the wearer has warm hands and is relaxed.

However, both Wellue OxySmart™ and Wellue O2 Ring™ Continuous Ring Oximeter are FDA-approved wearable electronic devices that can monitor oxygenation continuously, remotely, and noninvasively. The data is gathered in real-time. It is then seamlessly uploaded to a mobile, tablet, or computer app, which can be viewed by the wearer and conveniently shared with a health care provider. This feature will eliminate the need of the user to physically go to the hospital or clinic if it’s only for a check-up. With the data from these devices that they can easily muster, they now have the option to talk to health professionals through online consultations and still have an updated and monitored analysis of their current health condition. Doing so could mean having a smoother and easier online consultation experience. Home monitoring of blood oxygen levels can prevent premature and unnecessary visits to the emergency department and simultaneously optimize in‐person health care utilization. Especially during a pandemic, having an at-home device would be the best option to minimize the risk of getting infected.

Wellue O2 Ring™ Continuous Ring Oximeter allows wearers to capture their SpO2 levels overnight while they are sleeping. The ring vibrates to alert the wearer once their blood oxygen levels fall below the optimal range. This can be particularly helpful in monitoring oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients while they sleep. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and overall sympathetic tone are decreased during sleep. COVID-19 patients who are already critical would not be able to tolerate a fall in sympathetic tone since this can further aggravate hypoxia. The ring oximeter readings can be used to assess oxygenation in patients under critical care. It can help detect early decompensation and subsequently allow healthcare professionals to deploy resuscitative measures.

All in all, pulse oximeter readings may not reveal the severity of the disease process, and patients should, therefore, always seek further medical evaluation if they are experiencing any COVID19 related symptoms. They should not solely rely on these devices to detect medical conditions such as COVID-19, COPD, pneumonia, asthma, and other disease entities with a failure in oxygen supply. Pulse oximeter devices are used mostly for conveniently monitoring the wearer’s current health condition. It is also a great tool to determine the consistency of their health, as well as a warning device that can help the patient be more conscious of their health insights.

References:

  1. Shenoy, N., Luchtel, R. & Gulani, P. Considerations for target oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients: are we under-shooting?. BMC Med 18, 260 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01735-2

  • Shah, S., Majmudar, K., Stein, A., Gupta, N., Suppes, S., Karamanis, M., … Patte, C. (2020). Novel use of home pulse oximetry monitoring in COVID‐19 patients discharged from the emergency department identifies need for hospitalization. Academic Emergency Medicine. doi:10.1111/acem.14053