COVID-19 is still an illness that is being learned about. However, like other respiratory illnesses, it can result in lasting damage to the lungs for some patients. As more knowledge and insight are becoming known, it is being clear as to how this illness impacts the lungs during and after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Specifically, this is in relation to both the short-term effects as well as those of a long-term nature.
What COVID-19 Does To Lungs
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that affects your respiratory tract including the lungs. It can be the cause of a variety of different breathing problems with varying ranges of severity, ranging from mild to critical.
Furthermore, it can cause complications within the lungs such as pneumonia and in more serve cases acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or sepsis. Unfortunately, it can add additional complications as it can cause lasting damage to the lungs and potentially other organs as well.
Implications Of COVID-19 Pneumonia
Pneumonia is where the air sacs in the lungs become inflamed. Specifically, these air sacs are known as the alveoli. These can become filled with fluid which results in breathing difficulties. The severity of these breathing difficulties can vary from person to person, resulting in a requirement for hospital treatment for some people where they require oxygen, a ventilator, or other medical treatment.
When people contract pneumonia due to COVID-19, it has a tendency to impact both of the lungs. With the air sacs now having fluid, it directly limits the ability for oxygen to be breathed in and causes shortness of breath, coughing, tightness in the chest, and other symptoms.
Despite all these challenges, the majority of people will recover without any lasting damage from having pneumonia. The COVID-19 pneumonia can still be severe. Additionally, even after you recover from the disease, it can still take months for the lungs to recover from the stress and injury they went through. Specifically, people may still find themselves with breathing difficulties for months to follow before seeing noticeable improvements.
Sepsis
Another illness that can be associated due to COVID-19 is sepsis. This occurs when infections spread throughout the bloodstream and cause tissue damage. As all the main organs work in harmony, sepsis causes the cooperation between them to fail. Furthermore, the systems then start shutting down one after the other. People who recover from sepsis can have lasting damage to their lungs and other organs.
If you are looking for a lung doctor to help treat any lung illness you may have, look no further than the lung doctors at Pulmonary Medical Consultants. To learn more about what we can do to help, call us today at 281-357-1300.