It’s a big chance we or someone we love will contract the coronavirus. When that happens, what can we do to fight and recover from it? Let us consider four recommendations that are proven to help.
1# Sleep Face Down
Specialists say sleeping face down can help improve symptoms. Researchers from China conduct a study with coronavirus patients on ventilators and found that lying face-down put less pressure on the lungs.
The study led by Professor Haibo Qiu, it indicates that some patients do not respond well to high positive pressure and respond better to prone positioning in bed. In other words, lying face down improves breathing in severe COVID-19.
2# Clear Your Lungs
About 14% of COVID-19 cases are severe, with an infection that affects both lungs. As the swelling gets worse, your lungs fill with fluid and debris. There are three things you can do to clear your lungs:
- Controlled coughing.
- Postural drainage.
- Chest percussion.
Controlled coughing
Controlled loosens mucus and moves it through your airways. Follow these steps:
- Sit on the edge of a chair, and keep both feet on the floor.
- Lean forward a little and relax.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose, and fold your arms over your belly.
- As you exhale, lean forward. Push your arms against your belly.
- Cough 2 or 3 times as you exhale with your mouth slightly open. Make the coughs short and sharp. Push on your belly with your arms as you cough. The first cough brings mucus through the lung airways. The next coughs bring it up and out.
- Inhale again, but do it slowly and gently through your nose. Do not take quick or deep breaths through your mouth. It can block the mucus coming out of the lungs. It also can cause uncontrolled coughing.
- Rest, and repeat if you need to.
Postural drainage
Postural drainage means lying down in different positions to help drain mucus from your lungs.
Hold each position for 5 minutes. Do it about 30 minutes after you use your inhaler. Make sure you have an empty stomach. If you need to cough, sit up, and do controlled coughing. Follow these steps:
- Lie down on a bed or the floor. Use pillows to help you with different positions.
- To drain the front of your lungs.
- Lie on your back. Make sure that your chest is lower than your hips. Put two pillows under your hips. Use a small pillow under your head. Keep your arms at your sides.
- Then follow these instructions for breathing: With one hand on your belly and the other on your chest, breathe in. Push your belly out as far as possible. You should be able to feel the hand on your stomach move out, while the hand on your chest should not move. When you breathe out, you should be able to feel the hand on your belly move in. This is called belly breathing. You will use it in the other drainage positions too.
- To drain the sides of your lungs.
- Do this step as you lie on one side. Then turn over and do it on the other side.
- Place two or three pillows under your hips. Use a small pillow under your head. Make sure your chest is lower than your hips. Use belly breathing. After 5 or 10 minutes, switch sides.
- To drain the back of your lungs
- Lie on your stomach.
- Place two or three pillows under your hips. Use a small pillow under your head.
- Place your arms by your head.
- Use belly breathing.
Chest percussion
Chest percussion is done by lightly tapping your chest and back. The tapping loosens the mucus in your lungs. Follow these steps:
- Cup your hand, and lightly tap your chest and back.
- Ask your doctor where the best spots are to tap. Avoid your spine and breastbone.
- It may be easier to have someone do the tapping for you.
3# Move
If you get Covid-19, you should rest more often and not overexert yourself. But try to move: get up, take a shower, get dressed. Fight the corona, and don’t give up.
4# Stay Hydrated
When you are dehydrated, it becomes harder for your body to clear the secretion from your lungs. Drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Drink water every hour. At a minimum, you should drink 2 – 4 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes.
Monitor yourself for signs of dehydration. Increase your fluid intake as needed to ensure that you are passing light yellow urine every 3 – 4 hours.
More importantly, keep your doctor updated about how your situation develops.
Take care and be safe.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute medical advice.
Source:
https://www.mottchildren.org/health-library/za1357https://anhi.org/resources/printable/dehydration-infographic-for-patients
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
