※ It has been two years since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Korea. The number of patients who were infected with COVID-19 and then recovered is now looking at 1 million people. We deliver everything from A to Z of the aftermath of life after Corona 19, called 'long covid'.
According to the research results of the National Medical Center, 87% of those who have experienced any sequelae at least once up to a year after a full recovery from COVID-19.
How many symptoms and to what extent each person experiences it will vary, but most will experience it.
The most common symptom is fatigue.
This is followed by shortness of breath, hair loss, phlegm, etc. in that order, and there are cases where people suffer from loss of taste and smell, attention disorder, headache, and brain fog.
▲ [Exclusive] 87% suffer from the aftereffects of Corona, but the promise of support is 'decreased' (last month 28th, SBS 8 News)
There is a guide that has just been distributed by the government for everyone to refer to in the process of recovering from these sequelae.
It was created by reviewing guidelines published by the National Institutes of Health (NIHR) in the UK, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Evaluation (NICE) in the UK, and the European Branch of the World Health Organization (WHO).
①Breathing management ②Voice management ③Oral management ④Cognitive management ⑤Fatigue management ⑥Exercise management It is divided into 6 parts.
1. Breath Management
After getting COVID-19, many people experience difficulty breathing.
This can be improved by slowly increasing the amount of activity, but the guide explains that breathing exercises can help restore lung function.
There are two ways to exercise.
① Diaphragmatic breathing exercise ② Lip closing breathing exercise
First, the diaphragm breathing exercise is an exercise method that adjusts the diaphragm according to inhalation and exhalation.
Inhale through your nose while letting your stomach swell and exhale slowly through your mouth, repeat for 1 minute.
When performing breathing exercises, there are postures from step 1 to step 4, and if you do not feel short of breath, you can move on to the next step.
The lip pinch breathing exercise is a way to decrease the frequency of breathing and increase the volume in each breath.
Inhale through your nose for 2 seconds and slowly exhale through your closed mouth for 4-5 seconds.
2. Voice Management
Some people who have difficulty breathing may also have difficulty raising their voices.
This problem may occur while using a breathing apparatus during the treatment process for COVID-19.
1) Try to hum a hum in a line that is not burdensome.
2) Do not raise your voice or shout.
3) Drink a little water often.
3. Oral Care
Swallowing as well as speaking can be difficult if you have a breathing apparatus, especially a breathing tube.
This is because the muscles you use to swallow may be weakened.
If swallowed incorrectly, food can enter the lungs and cause suffocation or pneumonia.
If you have any of the symptoms below, it is recommended to be cautious, especially when swallowing.
1) Frequent coughing, like choking when eating or drinking
2) A feeling of choking while eating
3) Weak and wet voice
So how should we manage it?
First of all, it's basically important to eat food slowly, little by little, and chew it well before swallowing it.
It is better to share small portions over several meals than to eat large portions at once.
If you hear saltiness from thin food, it is better to eat a little more spicy food, and it is recommended to maintain an upright posture for 30 minutes after eating.
In particular, drinking water through a straw is easy to swallow, so it is best to avoid it as much as possible.
Another thing, there are many people who temporarily lose their sense of taste or smell after contracting COVID-19.
It is also a good way to take care of the following cautions for such people.
1) Try strong scents like cinnamon, mustard, or vinegar.
2) Try foods with different textures and temperatures.
3) Concentrate on the taste, feel, and shape of food in your mouth.
4. Cognitive Management
After getting COVID-19, you may have difficulty thinking.
Some of you may feel a bit embarrassed while working or studying because your head is dazed and your memory and attention are low.
You can use the information in this part.
First of all, it is important to remove as much interference as possible.
For example, you can use earplugs to create a quiet environment that is conducive to work or study.
When reading, it is good to use a piece of paper or a notebook to cover part of the fingerprint, or to read it by pointing it with your finger.
Second, you need activities that stimulate your brain.
Solving puzzles, playing word/number games, memory exercises, reading, and new hobbies that are different from the old ones are helpful.
Start with challenging but achievable tasks and work your way up the difficulty.
Third, use a reward strategy.
By having the necessary tasks ready to remind you, such as a cell phone alarm or memo, you can increase your chances of using this strategy in your daily life, such as cooking, gardening, and shopping.
Finally, you can easily get tired of this process, so you should break it down into smaller steps and expand your activities one after the other.
**The following part 2 deals with how to cope with fatigue after a full recovery from COVID-19 and what kind of exercise is good.
**Details of the guide can be found on the website of the National Rehabilitation Center (www.nrc.go.kr).