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What is the difference between hyperventilation, asphyxiation, shortness of breath and asthmatic attacks? Could you shed light on respiratory symptoms that afflict Covid victims? How can one preserve the lungs?Alakanani
Dear Alakanani
Hyperventilation is breathing faster or more deeply than usual. It may happen due to anxiety, nausea, exercise, or due to respiratory disease, or it may be used as part of treatment for brain edema.
Shortness of breath or dyspnea refers to feeling as though you cannot get enough air because the chest feels tight, or there is difficulty breathing or you feel suffocated.
Asphyxia is lack of blood flow and oxygen in the brain, leading to damage or death of brain cells.
An asthmatic attack is a worsening or exacerbation of asthma, where a trigger causes a severe allergic reaction in the airways leading to narrowing of the airways due to muscle contraction, inflammation of the airways and excessive mucus production. This usually causes wheezing, cough and difficulty breathing.
In most people, Covid-19 will cause fever, fatigue, loss of taste or smell and cough. The disease can affect many body systems, and the respiratory systems include cough, sore throat, runny nose, chest pain and difficulty breathing .The lungs are part of the respiratory system; whose purpose is to help you to breath. All cells in the body need oxygen and produce carbon dioxide as a waste gas. When you breathe in, the lungs remove oxygen from the breathed-in air, and this oxygen passes into the blood stream and is supplied to each cell. The waste gas carbon dioxide is then released from the cells into the bloodstream, which carries it back to the lungs and is removed from the body when you breathe out. This process is essential for life, and therefore the health of the lungs is vital.
It is impossible to completely prevent lung problems, but there are measures that can be taken to optimise lung health. One is to engage in regular exercise so as to make the lungs more efficient, which also helps to delay the detrimental effects of aging on lung health and the effects of lung diseases.
Another is to regularly perform deep breathing exercise. Also, avoid exposure to pollutants and irritants like smoke (cigarettes, charcoal, wood, other fuel), mold, dust, synthetic air fresheners and harsh cleaning products. Make sure your living space is always well ventilated. In addition, you can prevent infections by maintaining good general health, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, staying well hydrated, practising hand hygiene, avoiding crowded places, getting vaccinated and early treatment of illness. To prevent Covid-19, practise social distancing, wear a mask, practise hand hygiene and get vaccinated.