Winter is coming. How should patients with chronic respiratory diseases protect themselves?

Patients with chronic respiratory diseases often have poor basic lung function, and they have a constitution of "lack of positive energy and susceptibility to evil energy" in traditional Chinese medicine. Especially patients with chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis are mostly over 50 years old or elderly patients. Even if they are infected with common influenza, it is an important cause of acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory basic diseases or even death. If they are infected with the new coronavirus, they are more likely to become critically ill patients. Therefore, patients with chronic respiratory basic diseases should improve their awareness of protection, take personal protection, try to reduce going out, wear masks when going out, wash hands frequently, and stay away from crowded places.

The following points need to be emphasized:

1. Do not stop taking medicines that you take (or inhale) for a long time at will. Some patients have run out of medicines and stop taking them because they are afraid to go to the hospital, which causes the disease to relapse or worsen. You can ask your family to help pick up the medicines or ask the hospital to send them by express. If you must pick up the medicines by yourself, try to choose the nearest community clinic, pharmacy or hospital with less traffic. Wear a mask when you go out and wash your hands thoroughly when you get home.

2. In the face of sudden outbreaks, relevant information is flying all over the place, and there are many recommended drugs and folk prescriptions for COVID-19. For such information, you must keep a clear head and remember not to blindly follow the trend. The role of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating COVID-19 is obvious to all, but blindly recommending or using it is not advisable, because no Chinese patent medicine or any Chinese medicine prescription can be taken by everyone. Each person's individual condition varies greatly. For the same disease, the prescription and medication under the guidance of the theory of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment are often different. In particular, patients with chronic respiratory diseases often do not have a single constitution, but are mostly composed of several biased constitutions, or mixed cold and heat, or deficiency and excess, so they cannot arbitrarily follow the trend to choose medicine.

3. When disinfecting at home, try to use less 84 disinfectant. Because its main ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, is irritating to the human respiratory tract, if used frequently, it may induce or aggravate existing respiratory diseases. If you must use 84 disinfectant or other disinfectants containing sodium hypochlorite, be sure to mix the concentration according to the instructions. Avoid using too high a concentration. It should be used for a short period of time to avoid damage to the respiratory mucosa.

4. During the epidemic period, patients with chronic respiratory diseases should live a regular life, eat a balanced diet, relax, not be anxious or afraid, and do some moderate health-preserving activities, such as doing exercises and practicing Ba Duan Jin, so as to protect the positive energy. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "positive energy is stored inside, and evil cannot enter". Keeping the body in the best condition is to reserve positive energy for preventing diseases and enhance the ability to resist epidemic evil.

Note: Please follow your doctor’s advice on specific treatment and medication!

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This article is reproduced from: China Traditional Chinese Medicine Journal, Page 3 Author: Su Huiping

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