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Medical observations that are made during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that visible symptoms of the disease may not appear immediately. A number of patients do not notice any disturbances in well-being for quite a long time, but at the same time, destructive changes occur in the lungs. In some cases, in the absence of clinical symptoms, lung lesions up to 20-30% are detected.
Computed tomography (CT) of the lungs is the only most reliable and effective method for detecting pathological changes in the alveolar tissue in the early stages of the disease. But there are situations when hardware diagnostics is not available. In this case, it is important to know how to independently determine the degree of damage without obvious symptoms of coronavirus and fever. In addition, CT is a rather expensive type of diagnostics, which is not performed out of curiosity for everyone.
With damage to the lung tissue, a patient with coronavirus experiences a number of symptoms:
Fatigue, lethargy, lethargy.
Shortness of breath, wheezing, respiratory failure.
Difficulty inhaling.
Pain in chest even at rest.
Drop in oxygen levels in the blood.
The rate of respiratory movements of a healthy person is 12-20 per minute. Shortness of breath causes an increase in breathing over 25 breaths per minute. It is noteworthy that shortness of breath is observed not only during physical activity, but also at rest, during a conversation, with minimal physical effort.
Pulmonologists observe certain regular changes in the condition of patients with pneumonia against the background of coronavirus infection:
The state of health sharply and pronounced worsens with the defeat of more than 30% of the lung tissue.
Fluorography images do not show changes in the respiratory system. Lesions are determined only on CT.
On the 11-12th day after infection with the virus, the maximum destruction of the alveoli occurs. Despite the pathological process, the patient does not show any particular complaints.
After pneumonia, ground glass syndrome is visualized on x-rays.
After recovery, residual effects are recorded for a long time – shortness of breath, respiratory rhythm disturbance, discolored areas of the lungs in the pictures.
2 ways to test your lungs at home
Reliable way. The condition of the lungs is checked as reliably as possible using a pulse oximeter, which can be purchased at a medical equipment store. The device is worn on the tip of the middle or ring finger. The miniature monitor shows the level of saturation (SPO2) and heart rate. In a healthy person, a normal pulse is fixed – from 60 to 90 beats per minute and an indicator of oxygen saturation of tissues at the level of 94-99%. Decreased rates indicate a violation of the respiratory system.
Indirect way. To check, you need to take the deepest possible breath and hold your breath for 10 seconds. With normal functioning of the lungs, it is possible to hold air for a longer time. Exhalation should be easy, not causing pain in the chest.
How do the lungs hurt?
The lung tissue is devoid of nerve receptors, the irritation of which causes pain. It is not the lung that hurts, but the trachea or large bronchi. Severe chest pain, which is combined with difficulty inhaling or exhaling, coughing, may not indicate pneumonia, but bronchitis or an asthma attack.
What percentage of lung damage is dangerous?
After evaluating the images of computed tomography, the specialist refers the lung lesion to one of the established five degrees of severity. This happens by assigning points to each of the lobes of the lungs, of which there are five in total. The resulting figure is multiplied by 4, which corresponds to a percentage.
Depending on the scale of destruction of the alveolar tissue, the following degrees of lung damage are distinguished:
The first degree is from 0 to 5%. Means that the patient had the disease easily, without complications.
The second degree is from 6 to 25%. The indicators indicate a favorable prognosis for the patient, subject to the implementation of the necessary rehabilitation measures – taking prescribed medications, physiotherapy, breathing exercises.
The third degree is from 26 to 50%. The patient retains the chances for a full recovery with adequate therapy, long-term rehabilitation.
The fourth degree is from 51 to 75%. Doctors note that at 51% the prognosis is conditionally favorable, at 60% they speak of a state of moderate severity. With 70% damage, a patient with coronavirus is constantly monitored by doctors, but this does not exclude the development of severe complications.
Fifth degree – more than 75% of lung damage. With this form of the disease, an unfavorable prognosis for the patient is noted.
The degree of damage is indicated by the doctor describing the CT scans. The survival of the patient directly depends on the scale of pathological changes. During the pandemic, cases of recovery of patients with COVID-19 were recorded, even with the defeat of 90% of the lung tissue.
[Video] 50% lung damage on CT after coronavirus, with polysegmental bilateral pneumonia:
Recovery Predictions
The clinical picture of coronavirus infection, the form of the disease are determined by the general health of the patient, the degree of immunity. In some cases, patients with significant lung damage do not complain of deterioration. We must not forget that the course of COVID-19 can worsen at any time.
The occurrence of an inflammatory process in the lungs increases the risk of complications. The most severe of them are respiratory failure and acute distress syndrome, which most often lead to the death of patients.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the leading cause of death in patients with coronavirus. ARDS is characterized by the development of oxygen deficiency in the blood, which affects all internal organs, the central nervous system. Due to the risk of developing severe complications, patients are subject to hospitalization to receive the necessary assistance, resuscitation.