The second week after "positive" is very important! If these 4 symptoms appear, it may turn into a serious condition!

Fever, cough after infection... The first week of fighting the virus is very important. After getting through the "difficult stage", the second week of gradual recovery is actually also very critical.

01 Many experts remind that the second week after "Yang" is also very important

1. There is an "immune disorder period" after "Yang", which will last for 1-2 weeks

Zhang Lei, deputy director of the Respiratory Department of Shanghai Children's Medical Center affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, said in an interview on December 23, 2022 that it is necessary for recovered COVID-19 patients to rest for 1-2 weeks.

Zhang Lei said that after being infected with the new coronavirus, the human immune function will show obvious disorder, that is, the lymphocyte value and function will decrease in the acute stage of infection, and then slowly return to normal as the disease recovers. Most people will have this "immune disorder period" for 1-2 weeks. During this period, other viruses, bacteria, etc. can easily take advantage of the situation and enter.

2. Generally, two weeks after infection, a small number of patients will have a certain myocardial reaction

"Most patients infected with the new coronavirus will experience improvement in symptoms and gradual recovery within 5-7 days, but a small number of patients will have myocardial involvement, which usually occurs two weeks after infection with the new coronavirus. For example, there may be some changes in the electrocardiogram, tachycardia or bradycardia, and sometimes chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations, and even syncope." Zhou Yujie, executive vice president of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, said in an interview on December 26, 2022 that if the symptoms are more serious, you should go to the hospital in time to check whether there are any changes in myocardial enzymes. If the myocardial enzymes are found to have doubled, the doctor will make a comprehensive judgment based on other corresponding examinations to determine whether myocarditis has occurred. If myocardial damage occurs, don't panic. You can manage your healthy lifestyle through the window period and gradually repair it.

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3. Cough lasts for more than 2 weeks and worsens, requiring further evaluation

Xu Kaifeng, deputy director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said on December 26, 2022 that cough symptoms after COVID-19 infection last about 2 weeks on average, and some patients can have coughs for up to 4 weeks. Coughs caused by simple airway inflammation generally gradually subside. If cough symptoms worsen 2 weeks after COVID-19 infection, or if symptoms have not subsided for more than 4 weeks, you need to go to the hospital for further evaluation of possible causes.

Xu Kaifeng reminded that coughing will continue for a while after "Yang Kang", and continued coughing does not mean that the new coronavirus infection is getting worse. However, if the coughing symptoms are severe or persistent, especially when there are repeated fevers or persistent fevers, accompanied by hypoxia (decreased oxygen saturation) or breath holding, and shortness of breath after activities, you need to be alert to pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus and go to the hospital for treatment and chest CT examination in time.

02 If these symptoms appear, the condition may be turning serious

Many clinicians said that people should not assume that they will be fine after a week after infection. They still need two weeks of recuperation and monitoring. Some secondary infections or complications will not manifest themselves until after a period of time. Some patients, especially the elderly and those with underlying diseases, may develop sudden pneumonia or myocarditis and become seriously ill.

The "2022 Shanghai Novel Coronavirus Infection Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines and Graded Diagnosis and Treatment Process" compiled by the Shanghai Novel Coronavirus Disease Clinical Treatment Expert Group and the National Center for Infectious Diseases reminds that patients who meet any of the following conditions can be judged as severe patients:

Adults who meet any of the following criteria:

(1) Shortness of breath, RR (respiratory rate) ≥ 30 times/min;

(2) In the resting state, oxygen saturation is ≤93% when breathing air;

(3) Arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2)/inhaled oxygen concentration (FiO2) ≤ 300 mmHg;

(4) Pulmonary imaging examination shows significant lesion progression of >50% within 24-48 hours.

The child meets any of the following criteria:

(1) Hyperthermia or persistent high fever for more than 3 days;

(2) Shortness of breath;

(3) At rest, oxygen saturation when breathing air is ≤93%;

(4) There is assisted breathing phenomenon;

(4) Drowsiness and convulsions;

(5) Refusing to eat or having difficulty feeding, and showing signs of dehydration.

Lin Minggui, director of the infectious diseases department of Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital, told reporters on December 25, 2022 that there are individual clinical differences in the time of onset of severe symptoms, which may be related to the number of infected viruses, underlying physical diseases, age, vaccinations, and other conditions of the patient. Don't think that everything is fine once the symptoms improve. The virus may not be completely eliminated in the body. During this period of time, generally speaking, our sick bodies cannot withstand strenuous activities and excessive work intensity. Therefore, after infection, you must give your body at least half a month to a month of recuperation and rest time. "The most important thing is to pay attention to your own physical symptoms, to identify and intervene early for signs of turning to severe illness, which is more meaningful for individuals."

03 In the second week after "Yang", you must do these 3 things

After a week of discomfort, many people began to enter the recovery period. Combined with the "Expert Guidelines for Health Management of Patients Infected with Novel Coronavirus During the Recovery Period (First Edition)" and expert advice, it is important to do these three things during the recovery period!

1. Eat

• If you have a poor appetite after "Yang Kang" or have taste disorders, it is recommended to eat small and frequent meals;
• Maintain a diverse diet, pay attention to both meat and vegetables, and a combination of coarse and fine foods;
• Eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, soy, milk, and cereals;
• Eat fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat in moderation, preferably fish, shrimp, poultry, and lean meat, and eat less fatty meat;
• Eat a light and non-greasy diet, and avoid spicy, irritating, fried, and greasy foods;
• Ensure adequate water intake, preferably boiled water, and drink less or no sugary drinks. Drink 1500-2000 ml of water every day.
• Rationally use medicated food for diet and therapy. Combined with the characteristics of winter climate, it is recommended to use snow pear monk fruit water, corn silk and orange peel water, white radish honey water, walnut, scallion and ginger soup, pear soup, yam, winter melon and lotus seed porridge, coix seed, poria and yam porridge, etc.
• It is best to quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption after "Yang Kang".

3 "Guarantees" for Recovery Diet

01.

Ensure energy intake: Eat a little staple food at each meal and gradually increase the amount. You can start with easily digestible fine grains, such as porridge, noodles, and noodles, then transition to softer rice noodles, steamed buns, and add some coarse grains when your stomach is better.

02.

Ensure high-quality protein intake: Protein mainly comes from animal foods such as milk, eggs, lean meat, fish and shrimp. First choose those that are easy to digest and absorb, such as eggs, and then choose steamed fish and shrimp.

03.

Supplement trace elements: Make sure there are vegetables at every meal and eat fruits every day to help supplement vitamins and trace elements such as potassium and sodium.

Note: For people whose gastrointestinal function recovers slowly, especially the elderly, they can take some supplements on the basis of three meals, such as complex micronutrients, enteral nutrition solution, and protein powder.

——Yu Kang, Director of the Department of Clinical Nutrition, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

2. Movement

• Start with low-intensity activities, such as walking, Ba Duan Jin, simple daily housework, etc. Reduce the intensity of exercise appropriately. Generally, the intensity of exercise is reduced to about one-third of the original.
• If there is no obvious discomfort, you can gradually increase the intensity of your activity over a few weeks, such as going up and down stairs, brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing until you return to your normal activity state before the illness.
• If you experience chest pain, palpitations, dizziness or other discomfort during exercise, you should stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention if necessary.

The “5 stages” of exercise training during rehabilitation

Rehabilitation exercises during the recovery period can be divided into 5 stages and carried out gradually. Each stage must be maintained for at least 7 days before entering the next stage.

Phase 1: Prepare for resuming exercise. Examples include breathing exercises, gentle walking, stretching, and balance exercises. Stretch your muscles while sitting or standing. Each stretch should be performed gently and held for 1 second.

Stage 2: Low intensity activities. For example: walking, light housework/gardening work. You can gradually increase your exercise time by 10-15 minutes per day.

Stage 3: Moderate intensity activities. Examples include brisk walking, climbing stairs, jogging, introducing inclines, resistance exercises.

Stage 4: Moderate intensity exercises that involve coordination and motor skills. Examples include running, cycling, swimming, and dance lessons.

Phase 5: Return to baseline practice. Resume normal exercise/sports/activities as you did before COVID-19.

Note: If you have difficulty or your symptoms regress, you can go back to the original stage.

3. Sleep

Some people may experience difficulty falling asleep, short sleep duration, shallow sleep, and frequent dreams during the recovery process.

• Get more sun exposure and do some low-intensity exercise, such as walking, if your body can handle it. Especially in the afternoon every day, going outdoors to receive half an hour to an hour of sunlight is an important way to quickly rebuild your biological rhythm.
• Try to stop using electronic devices like phones and tablets an hour before bedtime.
• Minimize your intake of nicotine (such as smoking), caffeine, and alcohol.
• Try relaxation techniques that help you fall asleep, such as meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness or bathing, aromatherapy, Tai Chi, yoga, and music. You can also use Chinese medicine bathing and other methods.
• When you return to work, start with lighter tasks and take a 20-30 minute lunch break if possible.
• If insomnia is really severe, you can also use sleeping pills, but it is recommended to use them under the guidance of a doctor.

Source: Beijing Evening News Comprehensive Health Times

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