Shaanxi issued a rehabilitation instruction manual for newly crowned infected patients to answer common health questions during the recovery period

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In order to help and guide the self health management of newly infected people in the recovery period, the “Shaanxi Province New Coronavirus Infection Recovery Guidance Manual (First Edition)”, developed by a group of experts organized by Shaanxi Provincial Health and Wellness Commission, was issued on January 2, giving answers to the health problems usually encountered during the recovery period, and giving professional advice on diet, exercise, sleep, disinfection, personal protection and various aspects of key populations such as the elderly, pregnant women and children. Professional advice.

How to judge the recovery period?

One of the three criteria is sufficient

This manual is intended for patients who are recovering from a new coronavirus infection and can be used as a supplement to professional treatment by medical staff. According to the “Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Treatment Protocol (Trial Version 9)” and expert advice, a patient with a new coronavirus infection has entered the recovery phase when he or she meets any of the following criteria and other symptoms have significantly improved: 1. Two consecutive negative nucleic acid tests with Ct values ≥35; 2. Three consecutive days of negative antigen testing; 3. subsided for more than 24 hours.

What are the main health problems during the recovery period?

Shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, decreased sense of smell and taste

According to the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Individual Recovery from New Coronary Pneumonia, combined with clinical observations and population surveys, the following health problems are currently present in people recovering from the disease: shortness of breath, limited physical activity and exercise, decreased strength and fatigue, hoarseness and cough, swallowing problems, smell and taste problems, anxiety and depression and sleep problems, and physical pain.

Shortness of breath: If necessary, oral anti-anxiety medication can be taken for a short time to relieve it. Various positions can be taken to relieve shortness of breath, try which one is effective: prone rest: lying flat with the abdomen facing down (prone) can help relieve shortness of breath; forward leaning sitting position: sitting next to a table, leaning forward from the waist up, with the head and neck lying on the pillow of the table and the arms placed on the table, or sitting in a chair with the body leaning forward and the arms placed on the knees or the armrest of the chair; forward leaning standing position: under the standing position, the body leaning forward, crouching on the windowsill or other stable support surface; back leaning position: back against the wall, hands on both sides of the body, feet about 30 cm from the wall, legs apart.

The following symptoms require prompt medical attention: significant shortness of breath after light activity that does not improve with any position that relieves shortness of breath; a change in shortness of breath at rest that does not improve with any breathing control technique; chest pain, rapid heartbeat or dizziness during certain positions, activities or exercise; weakness of the face, arms and legs, especially on one side of the body.

Cough: Coughing is an important defensive reflex of the organism that facilitates the removal of respiratory secretions and harmful factors. After a new crown infection, the tracheal mucosa becomes congested and edematous, causing coughing symptoms. Suggestions for rehabilitation: coughing medication is not necessary for mild coughs; if the cough is severe and affects rest and sleep, oral cough suppressant medication is required. Try the “stop coughing exercise”. Once you feel the urge to cough, close your mouth and cover it with your hand (to smother the cough); swallow at the same time; and hold your breath for a short while. When you start breathing again, inhale and exhale gently through your nose. You can cook pear soup to drink, it is best not to put sugar, keep the natural sweetness of the pear. If coughing phlegm, you can put a few Sichuan peppercorns when cooking pears, and drink the soup to relieve the symptoms; if the phlegm is white, not particularly much, and it is difficult to spit out, you can put a few peppercorns, which is good for promoting the repair of respiratory tract.

Lack of energy: This is also the most common symptom during the recovery period, which is related to the loss of the organism when inflammation occurs, and also related to poor diet, insufficient energy intake and electrolyte disorders in the body. Those with milder symptoms maintain a regular rhythm of daily life, prioritize their activities and make a reasonable work plan. If the symptoms are mild and there is no respiratory distress, regular treatment of the underlying disease can be accompanied by appropriate treatment with qi-supplementing drugs, such as lily of the valley and orris, to benefit the lung qi and promote the smooth flow of qi. If dyspnea cannot be relieved, it is necessary to go to the hospital promptly. You can use external Chinese medicine treatment such as soaking, take 3 slices of ginger (about the size of a dollar coin) plus 5 grams of moxa and 5 grams of salt, boil for 10 minutes, add water to above the ankle joint, control the temperature at 40-43 ℃, keep this temperature soaking for about 30 minutes, once a day. It is appropriate to sweat slightly, but not sweat profusely. If you have heart disease, the soaking time needs to be reduced by half, do not take too long. If breathing difficulties cannot be relieved, you need to go to the hospital promptly.

Decreased sense of smell and taste: Virus invasion of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract will cause the taste cells to be affected, which will lead to an affected sense of taste or even loss of taste. It may also invade the sensory cells in the nasal cavity, causing the patient to be insensitive to odors, and in severe cases, loss of smell may occur. Suggestions for rehabilitation: Brush your teeth twice a day to ensure oral hygiene. Conduct olfactory training, including smelling lemon, rose, clove and eucalyptus twice a day for 20 seconds each time. Try adding herbs and spices to food, such as cayenne pepper, lemon juice and fresh herbs. However, this needs to be used with caution, as it may aggravate gastric reflux.

What to pay attention to in daily life?

Keep warm in advance when bathing

Ensure adequate nutrition, regular rest and good sleep. Nutritional balance, easy to digest, high quality and high protein, fresh vegetables and fruits in appropriate amounts every day, quit smoking, limit alcohol, coffee or strong tea, and maintain adequate sleep. Those who have poor appetite or taste disorder can eat less and more meals or prepare diet according to personal preference.

After the symptoms of acute fever have subsided, you can take a bath if your physical strength allows. When bathing must pay attention to do a good job of insulation measures in advance, the room temperature should be appropriate, the bath water temperature should not be too high, it is recommended that the bath time is shorter than usual to avoid accidents.

What to pay attention to when exercising back to work?

There is an obvious cough and sore throat do not rush to exercise

On the basis of regular living and ensuring adequate nutrition and sleep, recovering patients can decide whether to start exercising according to their heart rate, body temperature, breathing and other recovery conditions. If there is no obvious discomfort, you can gradually increase the intensity of activities after 1-2 weeks, such as walking up and down the stairs, brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing, until you return to your normal state of activity before the disease. The patient can gradually increase the intensity of activity after 1-2 weeks, such as walking up and down stairs, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing, until the patient returns to normal activity before the disease.

During the recovery period, if you have obvious symptoms of cough and sore throat, do not rush to exercise. If chest pain, palpitations, dizziness and other symptoms occur during exercise, stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention if necessary. For patients with pre-existing basic cardiopulmonary disease and patients with residual symptoms of weakness, chest tightness and dyspnea, strenuous exercise or heavy work should be avoided for 2 weeks, and low-intensity exercise can be maintained for at least 1-2 weeks, and then higher intensity exercise when the body gradually adapts. Severe shortness of breath with mild activity, sudden onset of paroxysmal or unsuspected panic attacks and palpitations require extra caution and immediate medical attention if necessary.

At the beginning of your return to work, the pace of work should be slowed down slightly. Start with lighter work and gradually return to your normal workload and work status, avoiding stress, overtime and late nights. If possible, it is best to stand up and rest for 10 minutes after working for about an hour, and to relieve the discomfort of the back and shoulders and lower limbs by drinking an appropriate amount of water and moving the limbs.

What should the elderly pay attention to during the recovery period?

Contact with friends and relatives and eat small and frequent meals

During the recovery period, there is often a certain degree of fatigue, which lasts longer in the elderly because of their weaker physical strength compared to young people. It is necessary to get enough rest, avoid exertion, and ensure sleep. In the early recovery period, you can choose activities that are less physically demanding according to your ability to move. If you feel tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, dizziness, or heavy sweating, stop and rest immediately, and seek medical attention if necessary.

Increase the intake of high-quality protein such as milk, lean meat and eggs, different categories of vegetables, fruits and other nutrients, and choose a light and easy-to-digest diet while ensuring daily eating habits. Many elderly people have poor appetite after infection and can have small and frequent meals. Older adults should pay special attention to hydration. It is generally recommended to drink 1500-2000 ml of water per day, and follow the advice of a physician if heart and kidney function are impaired.

During the recovery period, it is important to maintain normal social interaction and have more contact with friends and relatives via phone and video to truly express feelings, such as anxiety and fear. Caregivers should pay special attention to the emotional reactions of the elderly.

Keep the emergency number of the nearby hospital at home for timely consultation. If you have chronic diseases, you need to take regular medications, closely monitor changes in blood pressure, blood sugar, finger pulse oxygen saturation and other indicators, and use a home oxygen machine for one hour a day if you have the conditions. If the condition is unstable for a long time, please consult a doctor in time to avoid accidents.