Uncategorized – mfine Health Blog

Can COVID-19 cause heart damage?

As the pandemic sees numbers climb across countries all over the world, one of the biggest concerns is what kind of impact the virus has on the body and its organs. Whether or not COVID-19 causes long-term damage is a reasonable concern, considering its severity.

Officially named SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus is similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory disease the world has seen in the past since the virus is related to it genetically. This is why it makes sense to look back at our history to understand the after-effects of the disease.

Studies show that previously the viruses of previous epidemics did cause heart damage, and when exacerbated, could result in heart failure or even multiple organ failure and septic shock. Since the coronavirus affects the lungs most severely, the small and delicate air sacs of the lungs can become inflamed. This can cause damage, causing them to fill with fluid or blood, eventually causing blocks in the airway. Even if this is healed, this can lead to irregular healing, resulting in the development of scar tissue. This process then disrupts the transfer and regular flow of oxygen, causing the heart to work overtime as immune responses are already slowed down.

This history tells us that COVID-19 may very likely cause heart damage even in patients who previously had no underlying heart conditions. In cases where patients are completely dependent on oxygen support, intubation, or even life support, the heart is bound to be impacted.

Heart patients should be cautioned to take proper care of themselves during these times and must exercise all possible safety measures which have been outlined by the World Health Organization. Proper handwashing, social distancing, and self-isolation should be observed by all. If a person near you is sick or exhibits any symptoms, it is crucial that they isolate themselves away from other members of the household, and that you get in touch with your nearest medical facilities to get tested. While the disease is not airborne, exposure to the droplets at any level can prove fatal, as witnessed with the rapid spread of the disease over the last several months, resulting in close to 800,000 cases worldwide, and counting.

Apart from the preventive measures proposed by the World Health Organisation, patients with heart conditions should ensure that they eat a balanced and nutritious diet with heart-healthy meals, get enough exercise, and ensure a proper full night’s sleep to keep their health and immunity up and in check.

If you or a loved one struggle with heart conditions, speak to a cardiologist to go over what other precautions you can take and how you can best take care of yourself in these uncertain times.

Types of Polio

Polio is short for Poliomyelitis and is caused by a virus that falls under Enterovirus C family. It is contagious, and people need to be protected from acquiring infections. Polio vaccination is the best protection against the disease. There are two main types of polio which are the Non-Paralytic and Paralytic type of polio. Paralytic type is further classified into two types. About 60 percent of the people acquire Post Polio Syndrome that develops over the years.

The first type is Non-Paralytic polio. It is called abortive polio and people who contract it do not show evident symptoms of polio. Patients with this type of infection often show symptoms like fever, vomiting, back pain, headache and neck pain. It is difficult to diagnose and often overlooked. Sometimes, the virus may affect the nervous system, in that case, stiffness in your back and neck are evident symptoms of non-paralytic polio. However, patients are not paralyzed in this type of polio.

The second type is the Paralytic polio which is a severe condition. However, only a few individuals are affected by this type. The virus directly affects the central nervous system and destroys the nerve cells. The motor cells are also ruptured, and thus, the effective functioning of the brain and coordination is ruptured. In this case, patients are paralyzed. Patients with paralytic polio often show a loss in reflexes, loose limbs and stiff muscles. It is further classified as:

Bulbar polio in which the virus attacks the medulla as a result of which there is a thick nervous accumulation. It leads to difficulty in swallowing and leads to a severe health condition.
Spinal polio is a type in which the infection localizes in the spinal cord. High spinal polio affects the muscles controlling breathing while the low spinal polio affects the lower limbs.

These are the main types of polio and protection against this disease is necessary to avoid the disease from spreading. This can also revert after years of recovery and hence, preventing the infection using polio vaccines is crucial.

Click on this link to know more about the types of Polio and other important vaccines for your child – https://www.mfine.co/vaccination-chart-for-babies-in-india/

Polio Symptoms

Polio is a viral infection that affects the nervous system and is highly contagious. It mainly affects people with a weak immune system. Children below the age of 5 years are prone to infections easily, and thus, it is vital to vaccinate your baby for polio. There are three types of Polio infection, and the symptoms correspond to the nature of polio that has affected you.

Non-paralytic polio is referred to as abortive polio. This type is mainly seen in young children and does not affect the Central Nervous System (CNS). It is a minor infection, and the symptoms are trivial. Generally, people affected by non-paralytic polio show symptoms like fever, nausea, fatigue, sore throat, and headache. Sometimes, it can also cause back and neck pain, muscle stiffness and infection in the membrane. Most of the times, people do not show any symptoms for polio but will still be carriers of the virus. This unnoticed type of polio can be spread without any knowledge of the individuals who are affected, and hence is essential to consult a doctor for polio vaccination.

Paralytic polio affects one percent of the infected individuals. It is a severe condition as the virus affects the nervous system and damages the neural network. In this case, the symptoms range from severe muscle ache and spasms, loss of reflexes and loose limbs.

Post-polio symptoms occur years after you have recovered from polio. Muscle pain and joint weakness gradually increase over the years. Muscle shrinkage, loss of breath, sleep-related issues, difficulties in cold temperature, mood swings and depression are some of the symptoms that develop as the post-polio symptoms. Since this takes years to take form, it is progressive and also difficult to cure. However, it is not contagious.

It is advisable to refer to a doctor before the infection aggravates. Also, proper medication is required for polio infected patients. Thus to avoid complications, vaccinations for polio is available to protect oneself from incurring diseases.

Click on this link to know more about Polio and other important vaccines for your child –
https://www.mfine.co/vaccination-chart-for-babies-in-india/