Since the beginning of December this year, China’s policy has been adjusted, and the anti-epidemic front composed of the government, medical care, grassroots, and volunteers has gradually shifted to home-based anti-epidemic, and I have become the first person responsible for health. From ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and Lianhua Qingwen capsules for fever and cold, to the discussion of constant coughing and white lungs in the late stage of the new crown.
All of a sudden, the topic of “what is white lung?” was frequently circulated on social media, which aroused widespread concern and at the same time brought a trace of panic.
What is white lung?
“White lung” is not a professional medical term or disease, but an imaging manifestation of the disease. When we do CT or X-ray examination, it is called according to the appearance of the lungs.
According to Jiao Yahui, director of the Department of Medical Affairs of the National Health and Medical Commission, healthy lungs are composed of alveoli with normal ventilation function. Such alveoli are filled with air, transparent on X-rays and CT, and appear as “black”.
However, when there is inflammation, viral infection or even lung tumors in the alveoli, there are exudate and inflammatory cells, the light transmission of the alveoli becomes poor, and the rays cannot penetrate, and white areas appear on the image. When the white image area reaches 70% to 80%, it is clinically called white lung.
In simple terms, white lung does not mean that the tissues and entities of the lungs become white, but that the lungs are severely damaged.
White lung is not a unique symptom of the new crown. Other respiratory diseases can also cause white lung. The common ones are viral pneumonia, such as influenza virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and some bacterial infections. In severe cases, white lung may also occur; In addition, there are some non-infectious diseases that can also cause white lung.
What are the symptoms of white lung? How does it affect the human body?
The early symptoms of “white lung” mainly include prolonged cough, shortness of breath, chest tightness and chest pain, general fatigue, headache, or muscle and joint pain throughout the body, and dyspnea. In addition, most people tend to feel tired, suffer from decreased physical fitness, and slow responses.
“White lung” mostly occurs in the elderly and children. After the elderly or those with weakened immunity are infected with the new coronavirus, the weakened immune person initially responds to the virus slower, resulting in more virus replication. More cells are infected, high levels of inflammatory cytokine signaling are induced, and SARS-CoV-2 components and cytokines enter the bloodstream. Therefore, the alveoli are more likely to seep in a large area, which reduces the lung capacity and leads to the problem of “white lung”.
Moreover, the biggest problem with “white lungs” is that oxygen cannot enter the air-blood barrier through the alveolar cavity, and then exchange air and blood. If people do not get oxygen for a long time, it will not only cause damage to the organs, but also cause death due to inability to breathe.
According to Xie Lixin, Chief Physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of the General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, if a person cannot breathe normally and exchange oxygen with blood, if he stops breathing for more than 4 minutes, it will cause irreversible damage to the human body including the brain. If it takes more than 10 minutes, it may be seriously life-threatening.
Of course, what are the symptoms of the “white lung” we have been talking about, in fact, we just want to know what problems will happen to the lungs after the new crown, and even our human body?
COVID-19 can cause pulmonary complications such as pneumonia and, in the most severe cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. Sepsis, another possible complication of COVID-19, can also cause lasting damage to the lungs and other organs. Newer coronavirus variants can also cause more airway illnesses, such as bronchitis, that can be severe enough to require hospitalization, where oxygen or even ventilators are used for treatment.
Dr. Galiatsatos, MD, USA, said: “As we learn more about SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting COVID-19, we have found that in severe COVID-19, a prominent proinflammatory disease It can lead to a variety of serious diseases, complications and syndromes.”
While most people recover from pneumonia without any lasting lung damage, pneumonia associated with COVID-19 can be serious. Even after the disease has passed, lung damage can cause shortness of breath, which can take months to get better.
At present, the mortality rate of severe white lung patients is more than 40%. Most patients will leave sequelae of pulmonary fibrosis, and the lungs can no longer return to their original healthy state.
How should we prevent white lung problems?
Gong Zilong, deputy chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Wuhan Fifth Hospital, answered in an interview with “Xia Ke Island” that white lung cannot be prevented, but only an early warning. The elderly should pay special attention to “silent hypoxia”, that is, there are no symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath, but the lungs are already severely hypoxic. It is recommended that patients with underlying diseases and the elderly keep an oximeter at home to monitor oxygen saturation in time. Once the blood oxygen saturation in a resting state is lower than 93%, they should seek medical treatment in time.
The new crown has been raging for 3 years, and our understanding of it is not comprehensive, and there are still many questions and difficulties that have not yet been resolved. But regardless of the various problems that arise from it, in the final analysis, we must be the first person responsible for our own health to prevent “new coronavirus infection” and abandon the idea of “early sunshine and early completion”.
Prevention is better than cure, and having a LEEYO sterilizer greatly reduces the risk of infection. Disinfecting and disinfecting to protect yourself is also to protect your family.
Post time: Dec-29-2022