Lungs
How to heal lungs naturally and improve breathing after recovering from COVID-19?
After recovering physically from COVID-19, patients may suffer from numerous problems. As time goes on, it becomes clear the effects of COVID-19 infections on the human body, especially in the lungs. However, it may take a long time for many to return to normal life. So even after recovering from corona, caution and care are needed. Experts say that the novel coronavirus has a big impact on the lungs, heart, and mental health. Increasing long-term risk. For mental health, a few sessions with a psychiatrist will be good enough. For the lungs, the patient should have patience and take care of it to improve the breathing after recovering from COVID-19.
Post-COVID Effect on Body
COVID-19 emerged as a curse in our world. Coronavirus doesn’t just stop after infecting us, and it may create a long-term effect. However, a regular body checkup can identify any potential long-term effects. The following are the most common effects a COVID recovered patient may feel.
Read Dengue vs. COVID-19: Symptoms, when & where to test, ways of prevention
- Even after being discharged from the hospital, many people may have shortness of breath from time to time. The patient can face problems climbing the stairs or have breathing issues while climbing. Especially, the patients who stayed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are taking longer to return to normal breathing conditions.
- Even after corona has recovered, the patient may have a cough for a few weeks.
- The recovered person may not be able to take regular foods sometimes. Even face problems in chewing or swallowing food. Patients who were in the ICU or given a tube in the throat are more likely to face this particular problem. Further, some people may face problems with their voices and face difficulties in speaking.
- After coronavirus infection, a large number of patients experience mental disorders. Problems like attention and thinking problems, memory loss, and depression can occur.
- Weight with fatigue and constant tiredness. It may take some time to get back to the previous weight.
Most of these problems will be okay over time by taking enough nutrients. But, special care for the lungs is needed for fast recovery.
Read: Knowing your Covid symptoms can help to make informed decisions
Post-COVID Problems in Lungs
Post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis is a complication that occurs in the lungs after coronavirus infection. Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease in which the soft parts of the lungs become stiff, causing sores. As a result, the airways in the lungs cannot function properly.
Most patients with Corona disease have mild symptoms, and many have no symptoms at all. Very few patients face severe complications and are hospitalized. Among infected patients who need oxygen, they are at higher risk of developing post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis. If you have pulmonary fibrosis, a doctor’s consultation is necessary.
Read: Liquid Medical Oxygen and Covid-19 Treatment: Things we need to know
How do you know if you have Problems with Lungs?
Shortness of breath, dry cough, chest pain or pressure, weight loss, mild fatigue, and pain in the muscles and joints after coronary healing are suspected to be complications of the lungs.
To detect pulmonary fibrosis, chest X-ray, computerized CT scan of the chest, echocardiogram, pulmonary function testing, and pulse oximetry should be done.
Without proper treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, long-term complications such as pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries), heart failure, lung cancer, and frequent lung infections can occur.
Read Harmful Effects of Mobile Phones on Children’s Health
Natural Way to Improve Breathing and Heals Lungs after COVID-19
Corona is a respiratory virus. So, first of all, it puts its paw in the lungs, and the body’s oxygen level also decreases. Even if the corona is gone, the efficiency of the body decreases. Although this risk is not immediately relieved, some methods increase oxygen circulation in the lungs. This gradually removes the weakness of the body and restores efficiency.
Deep Breathing Exercises
Hold the breath for a long time, as long as possible with the chest full. After that exhale slowly. As a result, the lung cells are exercised, so there is no permanent damage to them.
Doctors advise sitting comfortably with your back straight. After that, all the air in the lungs should be expelled through the mouth. Then take a deep breath and fill the lungs with air as much as possible.
Read: COVID-19 Delta variant explained: Things to know about this Coronavirus strain
Then hold your breath for as long as possible and blow all the air out together again. This will eventually increase the lung’s efficiency.
Sleeping on your Chest
Coronavirus infection often causes a lack of oxygen in the human body. This is due to a decrease in the efficiency of the lungs. Therefore, if you are lying on your chest or lying on your side, the supply of oxygen to the body increases. Doctors advise not to use any pillow while lying down like this.
Raise your hands while breathing
Raising your hands while breathing is a good exercise for the body parts with breathing. Besides, when you take a deep breath, you can put your hand under the ribs of the chest and feel that the chest is swollen like a balloon. Then you have to push it out again. It can be done several times a day.
Read Clive Wearing: The Man with the 30 Second Memory - Forever Today
Breathing by Closing the Nose
First, close the left with your hands and take a long breath with the right nose. Hold your breath for 5/10 seconds. Then exhale.
Then hold the right side of the nose and breathe in the same way. In the same way, hold for 5/10 seconds and exhale. Practice this way several times a day.
Walk
Try to walk regularly after recovering from the corona. In this way, you can understand the state of breath in your body. Normally, the amount of oxygen in the lungs is less than before, so you will breathe less, which is completely fine in this condition. Walking slowly every day will increase the efficiency of the lungs.
Read: Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga
Caution
Although doctors recommend exercise to increase lung capacity, if someone has shortness of breath, chest pain, or cough, it is better not to do these types of exercises. People with chronic heart or lung disease must consult a doctor before exercising. If you face difficulty in breathing or feel sick during exercise, stop the exercise immediately and take a rest. If the problem is more, you need to contact the doctor.
3 years ago
Pandemic Yoga: How to strengthen lungs, ease breathing problems with yoga
When yoga finds its way into a conversation, many focus on the weight loss and workout experience of the art. People often tend to overlook the impact of Yoga to achieve healthy wellness and a sharpened mind. During the pandemic, many people are bound to do Yoga at home, since classes are still closed in many parts of the world. The human respiratory system is always at risk, even more so now with the epidemic. Therefore, we need to know how to strengthen our lungs and treat breathing problems through yoga. Here’s how you do it.
Importance of breathing
Breathing is something most never think about, which begs the question “what’s the point of being conscious about it?”. As you are breathing every moment, you may not give much importance to it. However, it is an undeniable fact that breathing is the core activity of literally every exercise you try. And, it has a significant impact on how your external activities are going to affect your brains and vice versa.
Read Best Martial Arts For Fitness
For example, when breathing becomes erratic, the body is most likely pushing its limits - whether that be for fitness or exhaustion.
Yoga poses are designed to ensure that calm breathing can center yourself and a state of intentional peacefulness can improve the mind and body. The ultimate goal is for each breath to be effortless while performing poses that can help catalyze the process.
Meditation may be one of the ingredients for effective breathing, but much comes from the basics of knowing how to inhale and exhale.
Read After Coronavirus: Police adopts yoga for enhanced immunity to disease
What we need to know about the breathing cycle
Inhale
Often considered the first part of a breathing cycle, using your diaphragm and intercostal muscles deliberately is where many may have overlooked. When the diaphragm is used as a tool to let air into the lungs, ribs, and sternum should be raised as an indicator of an effective deep breath. Normally, poses that expose the front of the body are intended to focus on proper inhales so that your body has the full range of motion when it comes to taking the first step. This is why many of the breath-focused poses never have a person facing down or arching his/her body forward.
Read Tips to Get Marathon Level Endurance and Stamina
Exhale
Interestingly, inhaling takes effort, while exhilaration is labeled as the passive process of a breathing cycle. To breathe out is effortless and involves the relaxation of the diaphragm and respiratory muscles. This is primarily the part of the cycle that highlights the sense of calmness often seen in yoga. Each pose is deliberate, meaning that the wrong technique could easily lead to breathing constraints, while proper posture will introduce a sense of serenity.
Read How to choose the best shoes for running
Common mistakes during breathing
Yes, it is indeed possible to make mistakes even when it comes to breathing. One of the most important rules to breathing in yoga is to pace yourself between inhaling and exhaling. When transitioning from one to the other too quickly, the air gets cycled too quickly and your respiratory muscles do not have an optimal time of contraction before relaxation. Much like any muscle that needs to be trained, this is no different.
During this time, it is possibly the best time to move and this coupled can be applied beyond yoga as well. Moving during an inhale will stifle your breathing pattern and cause uneasy heaving which is the furthest thing from breathing calmly.
Read Best Team Sports for Weight Loss
Yoga poses to strengthen lungs and improve breathing
Yogasana
The merging of physical stances and the proper method of breathing is called Yogasana. This is the fundamental building block that makes for experienced yogis who can perfectly balance the body and the mind. While breathing is often referred to as ‘prana’, identifying which 'Yogasana' poses is critical to ensure that you’re getting the optimal opportunities for healthy breathing.
The trick is to get into positions that usually don’t force too much exhaustion out of you so that you can concentrate on pacing each breath. It means that leaning towards cardiovascular activity could be more of a distraction if weight loss isn’t the goal. Here are a few go-to poses to immediately work on your breathing.
Read What Does Yoga Do For Weight Loss?
Sukhasana
This is possibly one of yoga’s most iconic poses on posters and website pages. It is done by holding your left wrist with your right hand behind your back and leaning forward. It may feel strange to do it for newcomers, but the pose helps with blood flow to the lungs and also increases concentration. Better yet, this pose has been known to also ease the respiratory effects of common coughs and colds.
Read Yoga vs Pilates: Which One Is Better For You?
Bhujangasana
Otherwise known as the Cobra pose, this does wonders for the back if done slowly and with a proper warm-up. The first step is to keep both hands on the ground while laying on your stomach. Slowly, you will want to straighten your arms and bend your back upwards and face the ceiling. It has been said that this pose does well for mental calmness and also eases the mind while strengthening it. The extension of the spine helps relieve asthmatic symptoms such as the congested chest.
Read Which Type of Yoga Should You Try?
Matsyasana
It is also called the Fish Pose. The first step is to put your arms under your body. With you lying down and your chest facing up, breathing in while arching your back will allow your breathing to strengthen lung muscles. It provides better circulation and blood flow. It is not one of the most mainstream poses and certainly one to add to your routine if you are looking for the best poses for improving your breathing.
Read Coronavirus Tips: Free Online Yoga Courses for Stress Relief and Better Immunity
Vasisthasana
Vasisthasana is another flu killer that is known for being one of the best poses around for anti-inflammatory and antibiotic purposes. However, it may appear that tilting sideways with your arm up might be uncomfortable. Still, it is one of the best poses to moderate your breathing and clear the lungs from phlegm congestion. If you are in a pinch and are looking for one that can help with short-term effects, this pose is definitely worth a try.
Read Wellbeing during COVID-19: How yoga can help you during quarantine
Bottom line
So far we have discussed a bunch of breathing techniques and yoga poses to strengthen lungs and ease breathing problems. However, it is recommended to take advice from a doctor and a Yoga expert for choosing the right pose for you.
3 years ago