Health-&-Fitness
Advice shifting on aspirin use for preventing heart attacks
Older adults without heart disease shouldn't take daily low-dose aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, an influential health guidelines group said in preliminary updated advice released Tuesday.
Bleeding risks for adults in their 60s and up who haven't had a heart attack or stroke outweigh any potential benefits from aspirin, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said in its draft guidance.
For the first time, the panel said there may be a small benefit for adults in their 40s who have no bleeding risks. For those in their 50s, the panel softened advice and said evidence of benefit is less clear.
The recommendations are meant for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or other conditions that increase their chances for a heart attack or stroke. Regardless of age, adults should talk with their doctors about stopping or starting aspirin to make sure it's the right choice for them, said task force member Dr. John Wong, a primary-care expert at Tufts Medical Center.
"Aspirin use can cause serious harms, and risk increases with age,'' he said.
Read: Eating chili peppers may prevent fatal heart attacks and stroke
If finalized, the advice for older adults would backtrack on recommendations the panel issued in 2016 for helping prevent a first heart attack and stroke, but it would be in line with more recent guidelines from other medical groups.
Doctors have long recommended daily low-dose aspirin for many patients who already have had a heart attack or stroke. The task force guidance does not change that advice.
The task force previously said a daily aspirin might also protect against colorectal cancer for some adults in their 50s and 60s, but the updated guidance says more evidence of any benefit is needed.
The guidance was posted online to allow for public comments until Nov. 8. The group will evaluate that input and then make a final decision.
The independent panel of disease-prevention experts analyzes medical research and literature and issues periodic advice on measures to help keep Americans healthy. Newer studies and a re-analysis of older research prompted the updated advice, Wong said.
Aspirin is best known as a pain reliever but it is also a blood thinner that can reduce chances for blood clots. But aspirin also has risks, even at low doses — mainly bleeding in the digestive tract or ulcers, both of which can be life-threatening.
Dr. Lauren Block, an internist-researcher at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, said the guidance is important because so many adults take aspirin even though they have never had a heart attack or stroke.
Read: Millions should stop taking aspirin for heart health
Block, who is not on the task force, recently switched one of her patients from aspirin to a cholesterol-lowering statin drug because of the potential harms.
The patient, 70-year-old Richard Schrafel, has high blood pressure and knows about his heart attack risks. Schrafel, president of a paperboard-distribution business, said he never had any ill effects from aspirin, but he is taking the new guidance seriously.
Rita Seefeldt, 63, also has high blood pressure and took a daily aspirin for about a decade until her doctor told her two years ago to stop.
"He said they changed their minds on that,'' recalled the retired elementary school teacher from Milwaukee. She said she understands that science evolves.
Wong acknowledged that the backtracking might leave some patients frustrated and wondering why scientists can't make up their minds.
"It's a fair question,'' he said. ''What's really important to know is that evidence changes over time.''
Mosquirix: WHO Recommends World's First Malaria Vaccine RTS,S
Mosquito-borne disease malaria is responsible for around 435,000 deaths per year, and 80-90% of those deaths occur in rural sub-Saharan Africa. However, there was no vaccine until a few years back to prevent this disease. Finally, after 100 years of effort, a vaccine has become a beacon of hope. The World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed a vaccine to fight malaria on October 6, 2021. After conducting pilot vaccination programs in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, the WHO said it could now be used in children's bodies to prevent moderate to high levels of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions.
Six years ago, Mosquirix based 'RTS, S' proved to be effective and getting endorsed from WHO is considered a historic event.
What is Mosquirix Vaccine?
Mosquirix is a malaria vaccine for children aged 6 weeks to 17 months. Additionally, it can also protect against liver infection due to the hepatitis B virus. However, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) suggests not using the vaccine solely for liver infection purposes.
Read Covid-19 threatens global progress against malaria: WHO
GlaxoSmithKline or GSK invented the vaccine back in 1987. But, they went through many development processes, and today's outcome took more than three decades. However, since the invention Mosquirix has faced some challenges as the protection faded after a few months and required up to four doses.
The European Medicine Agency approved this in 2015. In one experiment, Mosquirix was found 30% effective when applied 4 times to children.
The World Health Organization has set a target of vaccinating 360,000 children each year in three countries. GSK and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have funded about $750 million for the vaccine. Currently, the company is providing 1 crore vaccines free of cost in the ongoing project. Later, they are planning to recoup the money invested through large-scale projects.
Read: UN endorses world's 1st malaria vaccine as 'historic moment'
Since 2019, around 2.3 million doses have been applied to infants in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi on a large scale, which was coordinated by the WHO.
Usage of Mosquirix
A 0.5 ml Mosquirix injection is given into the muscle around the shoulder or in the muscle of the thigh. The child will need to take three injections in three months with one month gap between each dose. Further, a fourth dose is also necessary after 18 months of the third dose. However, a prescription is required to get the vaccine.
How does Mosquirix RTS, S work?
According to the European Medicines Agency's researchers, the active substance in Mosquirix is basically made up of proteins found on the Plasmodium falciparum parasites' surface. When it enters into the body, the immune system takes it as a foreign protein and eventually builds antibodies against them.
What does RTS,S stand for?
RTS,S is mainly the scientific name of the malaria vaccine candidate. The 'R' means the "central repeat region of Plasmodium (P.) falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP)." The 'T' stands for the T-cell epitopes of the CSP, and the 'S' stands for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
Read Trump's use of malaria drug likely to be welcomed in India
Protecting Your Child’s Mental Health: 10 Tips for Parents
A child’s mental health determines how they feel, behave, think and act. Their cognitive and emotional developments depend on how they process emotions and thoughts from a young age. Unfortunately, the social stigma dictates that ensuring a child’s physical well-being is more significant than protecting their mental well-being. Now, it is high time to reassess this stance and break out of this misconception; because the mental health of children is as important as their physical health. Let’s find out some basic ways of protecting a kid's mental health.
How to Support Your Child’s Mental Health?
Forming the right kind of habits and thought patterns that can protect your child’s mental health is not an easy chore. To help parents succeed in their journey to protect their child’s mental health, this article has brought forth 10 well-researched tips and techniques.
Expressing and showing love
A sense of belonging is created in children when they feel loved, welcomed, and accepted. Often, parents disregard the importance of making it a point to show or express their love as it is in a parent’s nature to love their offspring.
Read How to Overcome Depression Without Medication?
But to a child, a simple gesture of love may go unnoticed until they are reassured of the love and acceptance they are surrounded by.
Embracing them or telling them how much they are loved are, thus, as significant as expressing your love through other gestures of love. When children observe these expressions of love, they grow up to channel their emotions better and form stronger and healthier relationships in the future.
Read UNICEF: Battered by pandemic, kids need mental health help
Validating their feelings
Children often go through bouts of sadness and anger which is considered normal child behavior. As their caregiver, it is imperative to validate all of their feelings. Invalidating or ignoring their emotions hampers their mental health to the extent that they can grow up to be shameful of certain emotions.
Contrarily, if they are encouraged to talk about their feelings, and their emotions are recognized, they feel seen and heard. They become prone to validate their own feelings and begin to develop a sense of self-esteem where they can depend on themselves for mental support. These children are also good communicators of their emotions and hence, can deal with problems better.
Read Mental Health: Types of Mental Illness and supporting someone with a mental health problem
Showing how to deal with problems
A child learns how to deal with adversities from the people they are surrounded by. If the caregivers give up easily in the face of an obstacle or simply choose not to take risks in fear of failure, the child imitates this behavior. Children who develop these behavioral patterns show signs of anxiety and even grow up to be anxious adults with other mental health issues like depression and panic attacks.
On the other hand, if a child is taught that it is okay to fail while solving a problem, that there are several ways to solve a problem or to think of a solution without panicking, that child learns to take care of their own mental health.
Read Memory loss: Types, symptoms, and when to seek help
Asking questions and listening
As a parent, asking your child questions shows that you are interested in their lives. Asking about their day or their interests in life can make them feel more connected to the caregivers. Children long for this bonding and doing so helps to protect their mental health to a great extent. Listening to them without any distraction while they answer is also significant as it shows them the importance they have in their parent’s life.
How to Overcome Depression Without Medication?
Prescribed medicines can be life-changing for many individuals suffering from depression. Many patients use different antidepressants to control symptoms emerging from depression. They sometimes have adverse effects and are costly, depending on their health insurance coverage. There are other non-prescription ways to treat some of the symptoms of depression. People should use those for treating depression without medication or a supplement to the antidepressants.
Non-medicated Ways to Overcome Depression
People should always treat depression symptoms seriously since depression does not mitigate on its own. While there are fairly many things one can do to support their mental health, people shouldn't try those things whimsically. They must speak with their doctor about some of the self-help methods that may assist their therapy.
Read Mental Health: Types of Mental Illness and supporting someone with a mental health problem
Yet still, some practices or habits can keep depression at bay to some extent. Here are some:
Getting More Sleep
Sleep and emotion are inextricably linked. If anyone gets less sleep, his emotions will inevitably wave. So, it's important to get excellent sound sleep every day.
This refers to having regular bedtimes and routine wake-up hours. Setting the bedroom properly will help have a soothing sleep at night. To welcome sleep, avoiding computers, smartphones, or other devices that demand attention will also help.
There are measures one may take to attempt to enhance the quality of his sleep. People should
- Allow themselves some time before going to bed to decompress; do something soothing, and avoid stressful activities or thoughts.
- Set a timely alarm to get up at the same time every morning and go to bed at the same time every night.
- Maintain a regular nighttime regimen.
- Turn off their gadgets and spend some time reading a book.
Read Memory loss: Types, symptoms, and when to seek help
Also, they should try to spend some time outdoors every day, even on days when they do not feel like it. Because light regulates sleep cycles and circadian rhythms, a lack of sunlight may make it more difficult to sleep at night.
Mental Health: Types of Mental Illness and supporting someone with a mental health problem
Proper counseling and treatment can cure mental problems completely like other physical problems. Since mental health complications are not like physical pain, many do not understand when they should actually seek mental health support. Moreover, family or social taboos also stand in the way. With that not, World Mental Health 2021 is going to observe on October 10 with the theme, 'Mental health in an unequal world.' So, when should a person seek help for mental problems? And how to support people with mental health problems? We will get to know about mental health support in this article.
What is a mental health problem?
The actual definition of mental illness varies according to country, culture, and people. Hence, there is no unified definition of mental health problems. However, some common words are used to indicate mental illness. For example, psychological problems, mental health, headache, etc., are used to indicate mental illness.
Read: Memory loss: Types, symptoms, and when to seek help
How to understand if anyone is suffering from mental illness?
When a person's behavior changes drastically, especially the emotional expression changes, which starts to affect the daily activities, in such cases, one should understand that the person is not mentally stable. Apart from these symptoms, there are some specific issues that may indicate a mental health problem. Usually, people with mental illness suddenly become excited. People are also seen keeping themselves away from everyone for a long time.
Staying upset for more than two weeks in a row can be a sign of mental health problems. Quarrels with everyone and don't want to talk to anyone can be the symptoms too. Other symptoms are hearing some irrelevant sounds, unnecessarily doubting, not taking care by stopping doing regular daily activities like bathing or brushing teeth, and dissatisfaction and loss of interest in the activities that bring happiness.
Sometimes, people stop themselves from making any sort of social relationships, thinking negatively about themselves or feeling responsible for everything, decisiveness or loss of concentration, and plan suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Read: Covid-19 Brain Fog: How to improve memory power and brain health after Covid
In some cases, sleep may be reduced abnormally or increase, feel an aversion to food or increased appetite and loss of interest in home, office, or professional work.
However, these problems do not mean that the person has a mental illness. But if anyone has these signs or symptoms, the person should talk to a psychiatrist. After that, the doctor can analyze it and understand whether any action should be taken.
Memory loss: Types, symptoms, and when to seek help
Memory is a very important element to move forward in human life. People may lose memory for a variety of reasons. Sometimes memory loss can occur for a short time and sometimes it can be long term. So, knowing the reasons for memory loss will help prevent it. Further, the proper knowledge of symptoms will help anyone to seek help before the problem becomes worse.
What is memory loss?
Usually, memory loss is defined as unusual forgetfulness. When a person cannot remember new events and cannot recall one or more past memories, a memory loss may occur. It can stay for a short time and then resolve by itself. Or, it can happen for a long time and may not go away and depending on the reason it may get worse overtime. In severe cases, this kind of memory impairment may hamper the daily living activity
Read:Covid-19 Brain Fog: How to improve memory power and brain health after Covid
Type of memory loss
Scientists have found three types of memory loss: short term memory loss, long term memory loss and mild Cognitive Impairment. All of these memory loss problems have their own symptoms and causes.
Short term memory loss
Usually, the short-term memory stores the information for 30 seconds and with the short term memory loss problem people may forget the things that have happened recently. Although it is a normal event for the aging person, it can also indicate something more serious.
Symptoms of short-term memory loss
There are some common problems that might indicate that someone is facing short term memory loss. People with this problem tend to forget recent events. For example, forgetting something that has been seen or read recently and forgetting recent events. Sometimes people also tend to forget that he/she already asked a question.
Read: Covid-19 Antibody Test: What You Need to Know
Long term memory loss
Human brain’s long-term memory stores the information over time. Further, it has unlimited storage of events, facts, etc. However, this unlimited memory can weaken with age, which is normal. With age the brain’s usual processing speed may get slow and sometimes it can be challenging for multitasking. Although the processing speed is reduced, memory, knowledge and skill stay steady. The usual age-related problems include facing trouble finding the right word, losing things often, and occasionally forgetting appointments, names, but remembering them later. These symptoms are totally fine, but losing skills can be a signal of serious problems.
Symptoms of long-term memory loss
There are few top reasons that indicate a person is facing long-term memory loss. If anyone faces new problems with speaking and writing, such as struggling with vocabulary, this might be a symptom of long-term memory loss. Further, changes in mood or behavior, confused about time or place and facing difficulties completing familiar daily tasks. All these are the most common symptoms of long term memory loss.
Read:The link between the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
Some older people may face problems with memory that are noticeable, but are not serious to affect daily function. This kind of memory loss problem is called mild cognitive impairment. However, mild cognitive impairment is not that severe like the memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s or dementia disease. As a result, people with mild cognitive impairment don’t face personality change problems that are usually faced by the Alzheimer patient.
Covid-19 Brain Fog: How to improve memory power and brain health after Covid
The harmful effects of Covid-19 infections are not limited to the lungs and respiratory tract of the human body. Numerous cases around the world have shown that the multifarious impact of Coronavirus can damage other organs, including the heart, nerves, kidneys, and skin. Apart from these, Covid-19 causes major damage to the brain. The problem may persist in patients with mild Covid symptoms or who have recovered already. For many COVID survivors, the problem might emerge late. In some cases, Covid-19 leaves a long-lasting impression on the brain. The most common problem patients face is brain fog. Let’s discuss some basic issues about post-COVID brain fog.
What is brain fog?
Brain fog is one of the critical problems in the brain. This problem weakens the cognitive capacity of the brain, which makes the patients mentally exhausted. As a result, the brain becomes hesitant to do anything.
While an individual suffers from brain fog, the normal functioning of his/her brain gets disrupted. In this situation, the memory becomes weak, and the way of thinking also changes. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the patient to concentrate. As a result, the person loses his/her regular efficiency at study, professional work, and/or other regular activities.
Read Covid-19 Antibody Test: What You Need to Know
What is Covid-19 Brain Fog?
Experts have found that about 20% of the covid survivors return to the doctor after a few weeks of recovery with brain fog symptoms. Reportedly, these patients did not have any issues with memory or brain before the Covid infection. Post-Covid brain fog may lead to diverse health conditions like strokes, mental disorders, delirium, delusions, fatigue, anxiety. In fact, scientists have found that coronavirus-induced neurological problems are limitless.
What does brain fog feel like?
If someone is affected by brain fog, s/he might experience some common signs and symptoms such as loss of memory, failure to understand any subject easily, failure to pay full attention to any matter, repeatedly falling into confusion, being hesitant for a long time in making a decision, losing patience, etc.
Read Long COVID Syndrome: Long Term Effects of COVID-19
How does Covid-19 affect the Brain?
According to researchers, this 'brain fog' is usually seen immediately after being discharged from the hospital. However, it does not stay too many months if proper measures are taken. Since the first emergence of Covid-19 infection in the human body in December 2019, the disease has turned into a pandemic. Still today, the virus is new to the human body's immune system. This is why the brain becomes overactive after the arrival of this new virus inside the body. Now the question is, how does the Covid-19 reach the brain?
The virus can pass through the hematogenous space or blood as well as the olfactory space (middle of the nose). The body contains certain receptors called angiotensin-converting enzymes, which are found in endothelial cells in the brain and the Coronavirus can easily get attached to that.
The covid affects both sides of the brain. The virus also affects veins and arteries in the brain. When the blood vessels constrict, it hinders the natural flow of blood circulation in the human body. As a result, the supply of oxygen also decreases. Nevertheless, coronavirus has a rapid effect on the brain. The amount of paralysis is much higher in stroke with covid.
Read COVID-19 Third Wave: Things We Need to Know
Improve memory power and brain health after Covid
Following are some of the ways to improve memory and brain health after covid.
Adequate sleep
Daily sleep is very effective in protecting and improving the brain. It is because the brain gets to rest in the middle of sleep. Usually, adults need eight hours of sleep daily, and good sleep makes the brain more efficient. The brain stores the latest information during sleep. And sleep is called a memory charger. During sleep, the memory becomes ready to capture the next memory. However, some patients might face sleeping disorders after Covid. In that case, the doctor's consultation is needed.
Playing memory games
Since the virus damages memory cells, the patient should invest some time each day in memory games, and related activities to recover lost attention and memories. Moreover, the patient should create ways that can stimulate the mind.
However, it is also recommended for a healthy person. All the nerves of the brain, including the memory part of the brain are activated during the play. Which eventually combats the problem of memory loss and helps in increasing the memory power.
Read How Long Will Your COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccination Protection Last?
Exercise for brain
The more the patient uses the brain, the more the brain will work. The human brain has a wonderful ability; this ability is known as nerve flexibility. With the right stimulus, the human brain is capable of forming new neural pathways and changing existing connections. That is why the patient should work on learning something new. Thus the brain will get something new to work on.
The new information eventually helps to increase the cognitive ability, which will increase the strength of nerve flexibility. In this case, puzzle-solving, scrabble, and sudoku can be good exercises for the brain. Possibly those tasks will greatly help to improve the brain activities like focusing, concentrating, power of thinking, memorizing, decision making, etc.
Healthy diet
20% of the sugar and energy from the food goes to the brain. The brain functions totally depend on its glucose levels. If the level of glucose-intake changes, various cognitive problems might arise. When a person eats his/her favorite foods, it releases the chemical dopamine into the 'reward area' of the brain resulting in a happy feeling in the mind. Brain cells are made up of fats. So one should not remove oil and fat from the food list. Furthermore, almonds, oilseeds, fish, etc., are good for brain health.
Read Coronavirus: How to get your smell and taste back after COVID-19?
Aerobic exercise
The hippocampus area of the human brain works to retain memory in the brain. According to scientists, exercise increases the memory of the brain along with the body. And new cells are born in the brain. Exercise makes the hippocampus excited and swollen which eventually improves the process of retaining memories.
Avoid drugs and alcohol
Drugs and alcohol adversely affect the brain. For Covid-19 survivors, consumption of alcohol and drugs is strictly prohibited. So, avoiding these substances will provide the brain a chance to heal.
Meditation
It is harder to find a more beneficial practice than 'meditation' to keep the brain well. It helps the mind to increase concentration. Moreover, meditation is a very powerful way to deal with stress. Apart from these, listening to music, vacation, reading books, and cognitively stimulating activities can help brain development after Covid-19.
Read How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
Bottom Line
As the Covid-19 is a comparatively new disease, adequate research initiatives have not been done yet. Covid-19 infection might affect the brain, memory, and cognitive abilities in diverse ways. The type and level of damage caused by post-covid brain fog might be different for different patients. However, following a proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle the Covid survivors are expected to retain their memory and cognitive abilities. However, the recovery period may vary from person to person.
Covid-19 Antibody Test: What You Need to Know
Terms like antigen, antibody test, Covid-19 test, plasma, RTPCR, rapid test kit, ventilator, lockdown, social distance, etc., have become part of our daily word choice in this Covid-19 pandemic. While these words have become a part of daily life, people tend to get confused between the antibody test and the Covid test. Usually, the antibody test is done to check if the body has developed antibodies against certain diseases. Let's discuss some basic facts about the Corona Virus antibody test.
Basics of antibody
The human body produces antibodies to fight off the infection when it senses the presence of an external invader, such as a bacterium or virus. Antibodies are basically Y-shaped proteins and white blood cells produce them. This protein helps to fight against harmful germs and get cured.
Read: Long COVID Syndrome: Long Term Effects of COVID-19
IgM and IgG antibodies are produced in the body of an infected person who has normal functioning of the immune system, which can be detected by serologic tests or antibody tests. IgMs are usually formed within one to two weeks of infection, but these are lost very quickly. IgG antibodies, on the other hand, take about 6 weeks to form, but they last longer.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some Covid-19 patients may detect antibodies in the first week of infection. In other Covid-19 patients, it may take up to three weeks for antibodies to be produced against the coronavirus.
That is why the patient should wait up to three weeks after the symptoms to test for the Covid-19 antibody. Further, the CDC report states that testing for antibodies three weeks after coronavirus infection can detect both IgM and IgG antibodies.
Read: COVID-19 Third Wave: Things We Need to Know
What is the antibody taste for Covid-19?
Covid-19 antibody test, which is also known as serology test, is a way to measure if someone had been infected with coronavirus in the past. However, the antibody test cannot identify if someone is currently infected or not. To check the present condition, one should do the antigen test diagnostic test for Covid-19.
However, a positive antibody test will not ensure that the person will not get infected again. If someone has an antibody in the body, it is very difficult to say how long the antibodies against coronavirus will last. According to the CDC's website, it is still rare for Covid-19 to be infected twice, but people are also getting infected twice or more than that. However, the CDC suggests that coronavirus antibodies may provide immunity, at least in the short term. So, after a certain period, the antibody test may not show a positive result.
Read: How Long Will Your COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccination Protection Last?
A recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine suggests that coronavirus antibodies may not provide protection in the long run. The researchers found that antibody levels decreased within two to three months of curing Covid-19, especially in asymptomatic Covid-19 patients. However, it was a small study, analyzing only 36 symptomatic cases and the same number of asymptomatic cases. So, an antibody test after two to three months may not locate the antibody in the body.
What is the purpose of Covid-19 antibody testing?
Antibody testing lets the researchers and doctors know how the body reacts to the virus as well as collect the symptoms. Furthermore, it also gives data on the frequency of the infection. However, the antibody test should not be done to decide if anyone can take the vaccine or not.
Who is eligible for the Corona Virus antibody test?
If someone is infected with Covid, the antibody may take time to build in the body. So, testing on the most recent patient will not be wise. If someone is just diagnosed with corona or treated in two to three weeks, it will give positive results on an antibody test. So, it is suggested that antibody tests can be done four to six after being cured.
Read: Coronavirus: How to get your smell and taste back after COVID-19?
How to do the Covid-19 antibody test?
This test is very easy to do by taking a few drops of blood from the tip of the finger. Moreover, it does not take much time; the test can be done in 15 minutes. Nevertheless, this test is to be used in different countries to find people who are free of infection, and those people can be out of the house. Antibody tests will be very effective, especially for health workers. But making the test kit is not so easy. The US FDA approved antibody tests last year.
Types of antibody test
So far, two types of antibody tests are available, binding and neutralizing antibody tests. The binding test uses the purified proteins of SARS-CoV-2. In this method, individual antibody types, like IgG, IgM, and IgA can be identified. Hence, SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies can be found at the same time through the binding antibody detection system.
Read: What we know about Covid-19 booster shots
On the other hand, the neutralizing antibody detection tests find the functional ability of antibodies. These kinds of the test monitor the inhibition of viral growth in the cell when raised with plasma or serum. The neutralizing antibody is categorized into three types, virus neutralization tests (VNT), Pseudovirus neutralization tests (pVNT), and Competitive neutralization tests.
Antibody test result
Usually, the Covid-19 test result is explained in four ways. If there is a positive IgM, then the patient may be considered infected at the moment; if there is only IgG, then it may be that he is recovering from the infection, and it is possible that he will not be infected in the future. If both are positive, it can be assumed that the patient is at the end of the infection. And if none shows up, the patient is not infected. Sadly, this last statement is not always correct. It may be that the antigen used in this test does not recognize the patient's antibodies. Again, the patient may have been infected, but not enough time to make antibodies.
Read Liquid Medical Oxygen and Covid-19 Treatment: Things we need to know
Is the coronavirus antibody test easy?
The health care workers have a mixed response to this question. Even if the kit works, there is a possibility of false-positive and false-negative results in the COVID-19 antibody test. If a small number of people in the population (say 4.5%) are infected, there is a 50% chance that they will actually be positive. On the other hand, if 30% of the people are infected, and positive results are obtained, in 90% of the cases, it will be true. It was also thought that people who had been infected would have enough antibodies in their blood to fight the virus if they were given to an infected patient.
Read How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
Cold Shower vs. Hot Shower: Which is the better option?
When the body and mind get tired after endless work all day, at that time, there is no alternative to shower to strengthen the body and mind. When it comes to showers, usually two options are there, a cold shower and a hot shower. Studies have shown that whether it is a cold shower or hot shower, both have multiple benefits. Let's get to know the details.
Benefits of Shower
There are many benefits to a regular shower. It increases the performance of the lungs and brain; various physical problems, including controlling the level of blood sugar, are solved through bathing.
Many people support taking a shower in the morning and at night. Actually, time doesn't matter; taking a shower once a day is recommended, especially for those who go out to work.
Read: Long COVID Syndrome: Long Term Effects of COVID-19
However, People who stay at home or do normal activities from home may not need to take a shower regularly. Because no sweating keeps the skin normal, dirt accumulation in the body is less, and the risk of spreading a bad smell is also limited.
The benefits of a shower precisely depend on taking a shower in cold or hot water.
Benefits of Cold Shower
Regular bathing in cold water is helpful for the human body, which can cure multiple diseases. Not only that, but it also increases the overall performance of the body. The benefits of taking a cold shower are given below.
Boosts lung activity
While taking a cold shower, or dipping in a cold bathtub, swimming pool, or even in the pond, humans usually stop breathing for a moment. The moment the oxygen is running out, the person immediately tries to pull in oxygen. In this way, the performance of the lungs increases significantly.
Read: COVID-19 Third Wave: Things We Need to Know
Beneficial for each organ
As soon as the body comes in contact with cold water, the lymph vessels begin to compress. As a result, blood flow in the parts increases. Whenever this happens, the body's overall performance begins to increase as more oxygen reaches each organ through the blood. Eventually, this process reduces the risk of contracting various diseases.
Keeps mental exhaustion away
Taking a cold shower in the morning increases the secretion of certain hormones in our body, which remove mental fatigue and bring the stress under control in an instant. In addition, two chemicals called endorphins and noradrenaline are secreted from the human body during the cold shower. When these two chemicals are released from the body, tiredness is eliminated. As well as the body's performance begins to increase.
Read: How Long Will Your COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccination Protection Last?
Weight loss
There are two types of fats in our body, brown fat, which helps keep the body warm and white fat, which is not good for the body. Doctors always suggest this second type of fat melting. Incidentally, brown fat becomes very active when bathing in cold water.
As a result, as the body's energy deficit is eliminated, calories begin to burn. Eventually, the excess white fat accumulated in the body is reduced, and the body becomes fat-free. However, this will be done overnight. A regular cold shower can start the process.
Increases muscle strength
Bathing in cold water not only increases muscle strength but also reduces any pain. That is why doctors recommend taking a bath in cold water after a workout.
Read:Coronavirus: How to get your smell and taste back after COVID-19?
Benefits of a hot shower
The most frightening thing during winter is taking a shower, and many people run away from bathing for fear of the cold. However, bathing in any season is useful for staying healthy and beautiful. Hence, a hot shower becomes the savior in the winter. But, anyone can take a hot shower in any season.
Bathing in hot water is quite beneficial for the body. Alternatively, it is harmful if the water is too hot. The water should not be overheated; bathing should be done in comfortable, warm water at a tolerable level. If the temperature is right, a hot shower may bring peace. Read on to know the top benefits of a hot shower.
Calorie loss
Bathing in hot water burns calories. Studies have shown that if anyone remains under tolerable, hot water for one hour, it will burn 130 calories; the same amount can be burnt within minutes 30 minutes of walking. But, burning calories through the hot shower should not be an alternative to exercise.
Lowers blood sugar
Research from Loughborough University says that bathing in hot water can lower blood sugar levels. As per the study, participants were asked to take a bath in hot water after taking a meal. It has been found that submerging the body in hot water for one hour lowers blood sugar levels by 10% compared to cycling.
One of the possible reasons for low blood sugar levels during the hot shower is the release of heat shock protein. But this should not be a way to reduce blood sugar instead of exercise.
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Good for sinus problem
If the sinuses are dry or closed, taking a bath with hot water can be beneficial. The vapor from hot water weakens the mucus and opens the sinuses. Regular bathing in hot water is important if anyone faces sinus problems.
Reduces the risk of stroke
Research published in the journal Heart suggests that bathing in hot water may reduce the risk of stroke. Researchers analyzed the lifestyle and health data of 30,000 people and found that taking regular hot water baths reduced the risk of stroke by 26%.
Researchers believe that the heat coming from the hot water can reduce blood pressure and eventually increase heart rate. As a result, it maintains the perfect blood flow to different parts of the body.
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Reduce the blood pressure
If anyone has high blood pressure, they can consider taking a bath with hot water because the warm temperature of the water can lower blood pressure.
Cold vs. Hot Shower: Which is the better option?
While cold and hot showers are both beneficial for the human body. So, it will not be wise to signify one over another. Hence, it is better to take a shower, depending on the situation. For example, take a hot shower during the winter and take a cold shower in summer. Ultimately, taking a shower every day should be the decisive goal.
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Long COVID Syndrome: Long Term Effects of COVID-19
Although most patients with COVID-19 recover slowly within a few weeks, some people may have symptoms and complications of COVID for a long time. Many can suffer from a few weeks to a few months. Besides lungs, corona virus damages the patient's heart, kidneys, liver, circulatory system, and nervous system. There is hardly any organ left in the patient's body where the coronavirus does not carry out its destruction. This article will discuss the signs of Long COVID and long term effects of COVID-19.
Symptoms of Long COVID
Even after being COVID-19 negative, some symptoms of long COVID can last for several weeks to a few months. The commonly known symptoms of long COVID include: weakness, breathing problems, cough, bone or joint pain, chest pain, muscle aches, headache, palpitations, odor and tastelessness, loss of appetite, amnesia, inattention, sleep problems, stomach problems, hair loss, body rash, etc.
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Although COVID initially attacks the lungs, the lungs are not the only target. It can also affect the other parts of the body. Depending on which organ is affected, the signs of Long COVID will be different.
What are the long term effects of COVID-19 infection upon health?
Heart
Coronavirus infection can damage the heart. Even after recovering from COVID-19 infections, tests may show damage in the heart. In the later stages of COVID, numerous cardiovascular complications might occur, including rapid heartbeat, heart failure, and heart attack.
According to a report from June 2020, 20-30% of COVID patients were admitted to the hospital with the effect on their heart muscle. Therefore, it behooves upon the COVID-19 survivor patients to take care of their heart's health through regular medical checkups as per consultation of heart specialists.
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Lungs
In COVID, the lungs are damaged to varying degrees. If a healthy lifestyle is maintained, the lungs start healing after COVID recovery. It is almost completely cured most of the time. However in some cases, the damage in lungs is aggravated when the affected area is wide. This is called lung fibrosis. It means that the patient may suffer from long-term complications of the lungs.
Several days after the COVID has healed, even a few months later, a CT scan of the lungs shows evidence of fibrosis or hardening of the lung tissue. These patients suffer from various problems ranging from shortness of breath to poor health, weight loss, lack of oxygen, etc.
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Brain
COVID-19 can cause bleeding problems in the brain (stroke), convulsions, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and other issues, which is now proven by research. Scientists predict that the incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's will increase in those affected by corona.
Furthermore, the probability of dementia or amnesia will increase among COVID survivors. Scientists have named some of the problems of post-COVID patients as brain fog. It means that the patient will never get back to the old memory. However, this kind of health condition is rare.
Read: WHO calls for more research into post-Covid complications
Problems with blood vessels and blood clots
COVID increases the risk of blood clots in various blood vessels in the body. This is one of the major complications of COVID. For that, people at risk are given blood thinners in the hospital. But even if the patient gets better from COVID, this risk can stay for a long time. So, we see many people being hospitalized again with heart attack and brain stroke as post-COVID complications. In addition, blood clots in the lungs, kidneys, and leg veins can cause various health issues.
Weakness and mental problems
Physical weakness and fatigue are not uncommon for many, even patients whose symptoms were mild and who were in isolation at home. However, the problem is more common among the people who required a high-dependency unit (HDU) or intensive care unit (ICU) for corona and whose symptoms were severe.
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Most patients with coronavirus face a variety of psychological problems and disasters after recovery. Depression, restlessness, posttraumatic stress syndrome, tendency to forget, mild temper tantrums, irritable mood, etc. are some of them.
Various digestive problems
After recovery, many people suffer from various stomach illnesses for a long time. Some of them include flatulence, abdominal pain, constipation, loose stools, loss of appetite, etc. However, suffering from loose stools is most common. This happens due to the impact of COVID-19 infection and eating habits. However, in most cases, the consumption of additional antibiotics creates digestive problems.
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Kidney and liver problems
Especially those who are already suffering from various kidney and liver diseases may experience further health problems. Kidneys or liver can get damaged or become dysfunctional due to the temporary or long-term effects of the COVID-19 infection. Therefore, liver or kidney patients need to be careful during the post-COVID period.
Sleeping problems
Corona sufferers may experience health problems in their lungs, heart, brain, or other organs of the body, which can have a temporary or long-term effect on their sleep. They might face problems in falling asleep easily or waking up repeatedly. Many COVID survivors can have nightmares in their sleep. Besides these, Sleep disturbances may occur due to stress. Again, lack of normal sleep increases physical and mental problems.
Read How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
Who suffers most?
Surprisingly, Long COVID Syndrome does not depend on the severity of the patient's COVID-19 infection. From acute COVID to mild COVID patients, anyone can have it. However, the elderly and those with other chronic diseases are more likely to have long COVID. However, young, fit, and healthy people are also seen facing the long COVID effects.
Final words
Recovering from COVID-19, or tested corona negative, or getting discharged from the hospital does not mean the end of all suffering. The patients are experiencing multifarious health issues such as, Post-COVID diabetes, surprising fluctuations in blood pressure, problems in body-organs like thyroid, pancreas, etc. Many people are suffering from Long COVID, many are dying of new complications even after tested COVID-negative. COVID patients can fall into complications before they understand anything well.
Corona Virus constantly astonishes scientists. As the days go by, something new is being learned. Since COVID-19 is still a comparatively new disease, enough research hasn't been done yet. To date, it is not entirely clear what the consequences of this disease will be.
Therefore, prevention is still the main weapon. During the post-Covid recovery stage, each patient need to be extra careful about the health and stay under the supervision of regular doctor.
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