Hello everyone! In this writing I'd like to discuss the effects of the coronavirus on the lungs. If you've watched my episode on the basic functions of the lung in chinese medicine, you would know the various functions of the lungs including governing Qi and respiration and controlling the channels and blood vessels. Now if you have not viewed my episode on the basic functions of the lung or don’t remember all of the functions, please take a moment and check it out:
Let's discuss what the coronavirus does to your lungs. The coronavirus is considered for the most part a respiratory disease which basically attacks the respiratory tract which includes your lungs. Now, when I say for the most part, the coronavirus does affect other organs throughout the body as well. Others being the heart, the liver, the kidneys, your stomach and intestines, your brain, and overall your immune system. Now continuing to touch on the coronavirus' effects on the lungs, this virus can cause a wide range of breathing problems from mild to extremely critical. Older aged individuals as well as those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and HIV may experience more pronounced symptoms. When the virus enters your body it usually comes into contact with the mucous membranes of your eyes, nose and mouth. From there it begins to enter healthy cells and produce new virus parts whereby it begins to multiply and infect nearby cells. It does this by latching its spiky surface proteins to receptors on healthy cells with a focus on the cells within the lung.
Here's the key reason along with what I've already discussed, why it's important to wear some type of face covering when out in public. The droplets from an infected person's sneeze, cough, or breath can enter your body via the air in which you breathe. These droplets can also land on surfaces in which you touch and then touch your mouth, eyes, or nose which would then give the virus passage to the mucous membranes in your throat.
Tissues and blood vessels within the alveoli of the lungs become damaged which makes it harder for people to breathe. Most individuals who develop this syndrome need to be put on a ventilator because more and more fluids collect in your lungs which begins to impede the ability of oxygen to enter the bloodstream which is a necessity for your organs to survive. The body's natural response to this is to trigger an attempt at faster breaths. When this happens, you're at the critical stage of COVID-19. This virus is showing that it can launch a full body assault causing damage far beyond the lungs. Lack of oxygen entering the bloodstream can cause many organs to fail, for example, when unable to deliver enough oxygen into the body, the heart can come under severe stress and become permanently weaker.
To understand how an acupuncture would treat your lung health and how it is viewed from a Chinese medicine perspective, check out my full video: