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medkarma · 2 years

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How Long Covid Exhausts the Body

Millions of people continue to suffer from exhaustion, cognitive problems and other long-lasting symptoms after a coronavirus infection. The exact causes of the illness, known as long Covid, are not known. But new research offers clues, describing the toll the illness takes on the body and why it can be so debilitating.

Diagnosing Long Covid

Patients with severe Covid may wind up in hospitals or on ventilators until their symptoms resolve. Damage to the body from severe Covid — pneumonia, low oxygen, inflammation — typically shows up on traditional diagnostic tests.

Long Covid is different: A chronic illness with a wide variety of symptoms, many of which are not explainable using conventional lab tests. Difficulties in detecting the illness have led some doctors to dismiss patients, or to misdiagnose their symptoms as psychosomatic. But researchers looking more deeply at long Covid patients have found visible dysfunction throughout the body.

Studies estimate that perhaps 10 to 30 percent of people infected with the coronavirus may develop long-term symptoms. It’s unclear why some people develop long Covid and others don’t, but four factors appear to increase the risk: high levels of viral RNA early during an infection, the presence of certain autoantibodies, the reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus and having Type 2 diabetes.

The Immune System

“Dang, why am I always so sick?”— Messiah Rodriguez, 17

Long Covid patients appear to have disrupted immune systems compared to post-Covid patients who fully recover. Many researchers believe chronic immune dysfunction after a coronavirus infection may set off a chain of symptoms throughout the body.

One possibility is that the body is still fighting remnants of the coronavirus. Researchers found that the virus spreads widely during an initial infection, and that viral genetic material can remain embedded in tissues — in the intestines, lymph nodes and elsewhere — for many months.

Figure: Coronavirus RNA is visible in different body tissues at 500x magnification. Daniel Chertow et al., preprint via Research Square

Ongoing studies are trying to determine if these viral reservoirs cause inflammation in surrounding tissues, which could lead to brain fog, gastrointestinal problems and other symptoms.

Figure: Coronavirus components persist in one patient’s small intestine, 92 days after the start of their Covid symptoms. Christian Gaebler et al., Nature

Researchers have also found evidence that Covid may trigger a lasting and damaging autoimmune response. Studies have found surprisingly high levels of autoantibodies, which mistakenly attack a patient’s own tissues, many months after an initial infection.

A third possibility is that the initial viral infection triggers chronic inflammation, possibly by reactivating other viruses in the patient’s body that are normally dormant. The reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus, which infects most people when they are young, might help predict whether a person will develop long Covid, one study found.

Inside the intricate world of the immune system, these explanations may coexist. And just as different long Covid patients may have different symptoms, they may also have different immune problems, too. Identifying the problems that are central to each patient’s illness will be critical for guiding treatment, said Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale.

For instance, a patient with autoantibodies might benefit from immunosuppressive medication, while a patient with remnants of the Covid virus should receive antivirals, Dr. Iwasaki said. “Depending on what each person has, the treatment would be quite different.”

The Circulatory System

“Something as simple as climbing on a ladder all of a sudden became a mountain.”— Eddie Palacios, 50

Many long Covid patients struggle with physical activity long after their initial infection, and experience a relapse of symptoms if they exercise. Initial studies suggest that dysfunction in the circulatory system might impair the flow of oxygen to muscles and other tissues, limiting aerobic capacity and causing severe fatigue.

In one study, patients with long-lasting Covid symptoms had unexpected responses to riding a bike. Despite having apparently normal hearts and lungs, their muscles were only able to extract a portion of the normal amount of oxygen from small blood vessels as they pedaled, markedly reducing their exercise capacity.

One possible culprit: Chronic inflammation may damage nerve fibers that help control circulation, a condition called small fiber neuropathy. The damaged fibers, seen in skin biopsies, are associated with dysautonomia, a malfunction of automatic functions like heart rate, breathing and digestion that is very common in long Covid patients.

Figure: Chronic inflammation in long Covid patients may damage small nerve fibers. Peter Novak et al., Annals of Neurology

These findings demonstrate that people with long Covid are suffering systemic physical problems, rather than just being anxious or out of shape, said Dr. David M. Systrom, an exercise physiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital who helped conduct the bike study.

“You can’t make up small fiber neuropathy by skin biopsy. That isn’t in somebody’s head,” Dr. Systrom said. “You can’t make up poor oxygen extraction to this degree. All of these are objective measures of disease.”

South African researchers found another circulation problem: Microscopic blood clots. Tiny clots that form during an initial Covid infection will typically break down naturally, but might persist in long Covid patients. These clots could block the tiny capillaries that carry oxygen to tissues throughout the body.

Figure: Platelets in the blood can become hyperactivated in Covid and long Covid patients, contributing to microclots. Etheresia Pretorius et al., Cardiovascular Diabetology

Inflammatory substances called cytokines, which are often elevated in long Covid patients, may injure the mitochondria that power the body’s cells, making them less able to use oxygen. Walls of blood vessels may also become inflamed, limiting the uptake of oxygen.

Whatever the cause, low oxygen levels may contribute to long Covid’s most common symptom, severe fatigue. Some long Covid patients meet the criteria for ME/CFS (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), which often starts after a viral infection. Researchers have found that ME/CFS patients also suffer from a lack of oxygen triggered by circulatory problems. That puts enormous strain on the body’s metabolism and makes simple activities feel like strenuous exercise.

The Brain

“I approach a red light, my brain knows that it’s red, but it’s not reacting to the rest of my body to put my foot on the brake. Do you understand how terrifying that is?”— Samantha Lewis, 34

Even people with mild cases of Covid can experience sustained cognitive impairments, including reduced attention, memory and word-finding. Possible long-term neurological problems from Covid constitute “a major public health crisis,” according to Dr. Avindra Nath, the clinical director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Researchers found a wide range of dysfunction in the brains of long Covid patients. Although it is unclear how often the virus directly penetrates the brain, even mild infections appear to cause significant brain inflammation, according to the researchers, who included Dr. Nath, Dr. Iwasaki and Dr. Michelle Monje, a neurologist at Stanford.

Infections may trigger the over-activation of immune cells called microglia in a way that appears similar to the process that can contribute to cognitive problems in aging and some neurodegenerative diseases.

Figure: Microglia are activated in the brain of a Covid patient, contributing to brain inflammation. Anthony Fernández-Castañeda et al., preprint via bioRxiv. Photos: Myoung-Hwa Lee

Another research group found that long Covid may significantly reduce the amount of blood that reaches the brain, a finding that has was also seen in patients with a related chronic condition, ME/CFS, before the pandemic.

The Lungs

“I couldn’t breathe. It literally felt like someone was sitting on my chest.”— Angelica Baez, 23

Shortness of breath is a frequent symptom of long Covid. But common lung tests — including chest X-rays, CT scans and functional tests — often come back normal.

Using specialized M.R.I. scans, a team of British researchers found preliminary evidence of lung damage in a small group of long Covid patients who had never been hospitalized. Detailed scans of their lung function indicated that most of the patients took up oxygen less efficiently than healthy people did, even if the structure of their lungs appeared to be normal.

The researchers cautioned that a larger group of patients will be needed to confirm the findings. If the results hold up, possible explanations for the observed shortness of breath include microclots in lung tissues or a thickening of the blood-air barrier that regulates the uptake of oxygen in the lungs.

Living With Long Covid

“It’s really not something you can push through.”— Dr. Abigail Bosk

Many hospitals now offer post-Covid clinics or recovery programs, which bring together doctors with experience treating long Covid patients. Given the number of patients, some doctors and programs have long waits for appointments. It can help to plan ahead and try multiple options.

— Survivor Corps keeps a directory of post-Covid clinics.

— Dysautonomia International offers a list of doctors with experience treating autonomic disorders commonly seen in long Covid.

— Body Politic hosts a Covid support group where thousands of long haulers share information and advice on Slack.

— The Long Covid Support Group hosts a community on Facebook.

— The Royal College of Occupational Therapists offers advice for managing post-Covid fatigue.

— An essay from Maria Farrell offers advice on how to get well, and the importance of making time to rest.

— ME Action, a group supporting people with ME/CFS, offers advice to long Covid patients on how to manage symptoms.

— Americans with long Covid may qualify for disability benefits, although without conclusive medical results, many people face roadblocks.

— Three leading researchers into long Covid often share information about the latest findings on Twitter: Dr. Amy Proal, a microbiologist at PolyBio Research Institute; Dr. David Putrino, the director of rehabilitation innovation for the Mount Sinai Health System; and Dr. Iwasaki, the Yale immunologist.

— Health Rising covers the latest research into long Covid, ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses in detail.

— Gez Medinger, a video producer, interviews some prominent researchers into long Covid on YouTube.

— A video interview with Dr. Svetlana Blitshteyn, a neurologist and the director of the Dysautonomia Clinic, offers advice for treatment and an overview of current research into autonomic disorders.

— A detailed guide to understanding, treating and living with orthostatic intolerance is available from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

Source: by Josh Keller (The New York Times). Illustration by Violet Frances for Bryan Christie Design. Produced by Jonathan Corum. Additional reporting by Pam Belluck and Amanda Morris.

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medkarma · 2 years

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Want to Fall Asleep in 2 Minutes (or Less)? Steal This Proven Military Sleep Secret

“The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

What Is the Military Sleep Technique

The quick sleep formula has 3 important parts:

Muscle Relaxation

Focussed Breathing

Visualization (Optional But Highly Recommended)

Here Are the Steps Involved:

Free yourself from all the chores and sit on your bed’s edge. Ensure that your bedside light is off and your phone is on DND mode.

Now relax your face. If you haven’t done it before, here’s an easy way — first, tighten your face through a wince, and then let your facial muscles relax naturally. Also, let your tongue drop down in any manner in your mouth.

After relaxing your facial muscles, let gravity pull down your shoulders as if it has no energy of its own. Let your arms hang sideways.

Now, inhale and exhale slowly, focusing on the “swishing” sound of your breath.

You can follow the 4–7–8 breathing method: Count to 4 while taking a deep leisurely inhalation, 7 counts of holding your breath, and exhale through 8 counts.

Allow gravity to soften your thighs and lower legs with each breath.

As your entire body feels energy-less, repeat the phrase “Don’t think, don’t think” as a chant. You can also substitute this chant with any positive affirmation.

Optional but highly recommended: If you’re not good at silencing your mind, visualize yourself sitting at a tranquil place like mountains, beaches, boats, a rocking chair, etc.

Within a few seconds, you’ll drift off to sleep.

Caveat: The effectiveness of this method depends on practice and how well you can silence your mind from the “restless” thoughts of daily activities.

Should You Try Out the Military Sleep Method?

The answer is yes!

If you’re struggling to fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, this method might be for you. It has a 96% success ratio after six weeks of practice.

There are many reasons why you should try out the military sleep method. Here’s why:

I. You’ll Fall Asleep Faster

One of the biggest benefits of the military sleep method is that you’ll fall asleep faster. This is because you’ll be learning how to relax and clear your mind before bed.

II. You’ll Wake Up Feeling More Refreshed

The reason you wake up without zeal and energy is not having a sound sleep.

Since the military sleep method focuses on silencing the mind and relaxing the body, you’ll wake up refreshed in addition to sleeping faster and better.

III. You’ll Be Less Tired During the Day

Tiredness is one of the main reasons why people don’t get enough sleep.

When you use the military sleep method, you’ll be less tired because you will sleep whenever you want during the day. It also means you’ll be more productive and have more energy to do things you enjoy.

IV. You’ll Have Fewer Nightmares

Nightmares are a common problem for people who don’t get enough sleep. When you use the military sleep method, you’ll have a more restful night’s sleep causing fewer nightmares.

V. You’ll Be Less Stressed

Stress is cyclic.

Stress = Sleep Problems = Poor Productivity = Stress

When you use the military sleep method, you’ll be less stressed because it teaches you to relax and fall asleep faster.

No matter what your reason is, learning how to sleep faster can be a huge help when you have less sleep time during exams, project deadlines, business audits, layover flights, social functions, etc.

So, if you’re looking for a way to get more restful sleep, wake up feeling more refreshed, and be less tired during the day, then you should definitely try out the military sleep method.

It’s an easy way to get the sleep you need so that you can feel your best! The best way to determine if this military sleep technique is worth it is to give it a go and experience.

And who knows — maybe you’ll be able to fall asleep in two minutes or less!

“Happiness consists of getting enough sleep. Just that, nothing more.” — Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Source: Darshak Rana (Medium). Image via Freepik.

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medkarma · 2 years

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i hope youre all lying and hyping your cv/resume’s up

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medkarma · 2 years

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start studying up

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medkarma · 2 years

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totally legal things ive collected over the years

beginner’s guide to legally doing things - use this browser for doing legal things - use this free vpn for doing legal things - the vpn’s playstore app - webrtc leak shield - photoshop - paint tool sai - she-ra 1 2 3 4 5 - movies in the us - movies in other countries - suf - ninjago - ninjago movie - pokemon movies - lego city adventures - film ebooks - freddy files (fnaf) - learn greek - toxicity awareness (ebooks) - 3ds emulator - 3ds roms - more 3ds roms - sun and moon rom - tomodachi life rom - even more roms

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medkarma · 2 years

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Student: But why don’t they use rifaximin at the hospital? It’s the best for hepatic encephalopathy.

Resident: Do you think they have the money?

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medkarma · 2 years

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medkarma · 2 years

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medkarma · 2 years

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There’s power in telling yourself ”no we don’t do that anymore” in response to self destructive urges.

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medkarma · 2 years

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medkarma · 2 years

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Selfcarevisuals

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medkarma · 2 years

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hello hello! So I decided to share the things I’ve discovered, along with some stuff I’ve learned in Psychology, about sleeping // getting up early and enjoying the day! I hope you find this masterpost helpful :)

alarms

Don’t use the same alarm every day. Switch it up. Using the same alarm every day will make you really tired of it! It’s ultimately less motivating. Something as simple as switching up your alarm sound from day to day can make you more excited about the morning ahead of you!

Use an alarm sound that makes you happy, not an annoying one! Yes, annoying alarms can sometimes be super helpful. But waking up to them is really not that enjoyable. Using the car honking sound for my morning alarm just makes me irritated and less happy in the morning. It sort of feels like you’re being jerked out of your sleep. Try instead an upbeat song that will make you want to dance, or a song with motivational lyrics (I use Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy on Mondays lmao) Another idea is classical music (here’s a giant classical masterpost), which can be a very renewing way to wake up!

Don’t continuously press snooze. Continuously pressing snooze in the morning to get those extra 8-minute intervals of rest can be really disruptive for your sleep. Seriously, I used to do this all the time and I would always be groggy for at least the first part of the day. It is BEST to sleep for a solid block of time (at least one REM cycle) and then be awake for a solid block of time. Don’t keep hitting snooze! When your alarm rings, count to 3 and just throw yourself out of bed.

sleeping

Adjust your sleep schedule for lots of time in the morning! Yes, this means going to bed earlier! But if you wake up earlier, you will have more of the morning to yourself. Making time for the morning is a great way to do something that makes you happy and get excited for the day to come.

Put your phone on Do Not Disturb. This has helped me so much in trying to fall asleep earlier. For bonus points, put your phone far away from your bed!

FACT: You sleep the best (and wake up more refreshed) when your room is around 62-70° F or 16-21° C.

in the morning

Visualize your day what you’re excited about! You can have as much coffee as you want, but genuinely being excited about the day is the best way to stay awake! Try even writing down one thing you’re excited to do that day! It doesn’t have to be big, sometimes the little things are the best :)

Go out running or do some exercise. Good exercise can yield both physical and psychological benefits!! If you can, running is a great way to start off the day. I like to run in the park near my house, but running down your street works too! If you hate running, or just aren’t up for it, you can try working out from the comfort of your own house (try the fitness channels on Youtube) If you’re brave, take a cold shower after that. (Avoid a hot shower because it will make you drowsy)

If you have time, make a nice breakfast for yourself! (Self explanatory… never underestimate the wonders of good food and coffee.)

helpful resources

Sleepyti.me: This is a sleep calculator that really works! The science behind it is that you will 500% more refreshed in the day if you don’t wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle. Sleepyti.me helps you to wake up at the optimal time so that you don’t interrupt any cycles!

WhiteNoise: A free app, WhiteNoise gives you a ton of different tracks and calming sounds to choose from that will play from your phone all night and will help you sleep.

Pacifica: If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, try Pacifica. It’s a free app that has helped me a ton with my stress. You can also use it to talk to others who are feeling the same stress (for free!)

I hope you guys found this masterpost helpful, and feel free to add on! :)

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medkarma · 2 years

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Microsoft announces it will shut down ebook program and confiscate its customers' libraries

Microsoft has a DRM-locked ebook store that isn’t making enough money, so they’re shutting it down and taking away every book that every one of its customers acquired effective July 1.

Customers will receive refunds.

This puts the difference between DRM-locked media and unencumbered media into sharp contrast. I have bought a lot of MP3s over the years, thousands of them, and many of the retailers I purchased from are long gone, but I still have the MP3s. Likewise, I have bought many books from long-defunct booksellers and even defunct publishers, but I still own those books.

When I was a bookseller, nothing I could do would result in your losing the book that I sold you. If I regretted selling you a book, I didn’t get to break into your house and steal it, even if I left you a cash refund for the price you paid.

People sometimes treat me like my decision not to sell my books through Amazon’s Audible is irrational (Audible will not let writers or publisher opt to sell their books without DRM), but if you think Amazon is immune to this kind of shenanigans, you are sadly mistaken. My books matter a lot to me. I just paid $8,000 to have a container full of books shipped from a storage locker in the UK to our home in LA so I can be closer to them. The idea that the books I buy can be relegated to some kind of fucking software license is the most grotesque and awful thing I can imagine: if the publishing industry deliberately set out to destroy any sense of intrinsic, civilization-supporting value in literary works, they could not have done a better job.

https://boingboing.net/2019/04/02/burning-libraries.html

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medkarma · 2 years

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Tips For Studying When You're Burned Out:

(ideally, you shouldn't even be studying if you're burned out but we live in a shitty world and sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do)

don't look at your assignments as something you have to do. that leads to frustration and constant anxiety over procrastination. instead, think of them as something you want to do!! do them well for the sake of doing them well, not because you have a deadline in two hours.

start with the least emotionally taxing stuff first, like readings or some math warm-ups to get you into the groove. it'll help you ease into the right mindset so you can work properly.

use lifeat.io if you're on a computer!! they have amazing virtual study spaces which have helped me focus whenever i'm in a less-than-ideal situation with a lot of noise and distraction.

listen to calm music if you're the type that needs headphones in to do anything. a good example would be lofi hip-hop or some uplifting classical music. angsty indie is fine, but crying in the middle of your economics essay probably isn't the best use of your time.

if you've been working on something for a few hours and don't understand the topic, take a break and do something else (don't scroll through social media, you'll end up losing an hour or so procrastinating). recharge with a warm drink and let your brain reset. you're more tired than you know.

khan academy and photomath are your best friends. use any and ALL online resources you have, it'll save you a lot of energy!!

if you absolutely can't cope up/know you can't prevent the inevitable, please, please email your prof beforehand!! state clearly the reason why you're not able to complete the work they assigned and what you're going to do to make it up. most of the time they'll be understanding and extend your deadline.

but if your prof is that 5% which doesn't care about your mental health and/or thinks you're slacking off, you probably should have a conversation with your mentor and re-evaluate whether being in that class is the right thing for you.

stay safe and take care of yourself lovelies, you'll make it through this!! <3

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medkarma · 2 years

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hello pals!! this is a masterpost of half (or so) of the reference posts i reblogged/made. i tried uploading this masterpost as just one big masterpost but i had over 250 links so that failed and here i am again. here is part one, encapsulating studying + certain subjects which will be followed by part two (slightly more general) here! enjoy ✨

studying, school, + learning

what i’ve learnt throughout my years of being a student

notes, studying, and self-study resources

self-study resources

starting a studyblr

college + uni

how to get studying

online study guides

good habits

exams!

study management

school is starting soon

back to school (1)

back to school (2)

back to school (3)

back to school reminders

50 things to know for back to school

get prepared for a new school year

school resources

final grade calculator

writing emails to professors

cheap textbooks etc!!

save money on textbooks

school

first week of school stuff

testing effect

make studying fun

high school tips

101 study tips

types of learners

lazy kid’s guide to good grades

catching up on missed work

university tag

igcse resources

sat tag

act tag

ap tag

ib tag

a-level revision tips

diy school supplies

test taking tips

a complete guide to studying (well)

time to study!

groupwork (1)

groupwork (2)

tips tag

study effectively from textbooks

studying better

surviving your least favourite class

studying a subject you hate

success

doing research

understanding the question

pomodoro

study tips

tactile learning

how to concentrate

concentration

exam day

ultimate study masterpost

study tips for exams

school survival

studying on the go

how to read academic journal articles

how to study smart

how to remember anything in 3 steps

distraction-free studying

motivation

my study instagram + study blog

+ motivation links

motivation masterpost

stay motivated

get that homework done!

reaching goals

getting motivated

motivation through anime

writing

writing tag

recover an unsaved draft

uni writing resources

add citations!

annotating (1)

annotating (2)

advice for writing papers

writing helps

essay writing tips

how to write an essay

writing term research papers

active vs passive voice

writing masterpost

academic writing resources

essay checklist

reduce your word count

essay writing links

how to write and execute a huge piece of work

summary writing

the discursive/argumentative essay

the narrative essay + the descriptive essay

note-taking

note-taking in class

cornell note-taking

cornell (2)

lecture notes

illustrating notes

banners

maintaining good notes

note-taking

sticky notes

flashcards

colour-code + highlight effectively

colour-coding

studying from textbooks

study guides

upgrade your notes

illustrate your notes

mind maps

note-taking for different lecture types

ribbon drawing

smart highlighting

lettering ideas

how i take notes

note-taking tips

aesthetically pleasing notes

fake cursive notes

languages + literature

the ultimate english masterpost

shakespeare

literature masterpost

annotating

studying a foreign language

100+ legal sites to download literature

approaching poetry analysis

write a killer unprepared text essay

literary analysis research papers

classics

how to ace lit

reading lit

write a rhetorical analysis essay

practice oral comprehension!!

how i study for english lit

poetry analysis (1)

poetry analysis (2)

how i learn languages

self-studying languages

languages tag

how to open a new book

literary devices

literaty devices w/ printables

literature masterpost

grow your vocab

a guide to vocab

language learning tips + resources

SUPER IMPORTANT FOR POLYGLOTS

tips + tricks for learning a language

chinese

english

french

german

greek

italian

japanese

korean

latin

maltese

polish

russian

spanish

swedish

humanities + other subjects

studying humanities subjects

gathering materials for a humanities research paper

philosophy

philosophy tag

psychology tag

politics + government

women of wwi

ap world history

coding

design resources

sciences + math

how to memorise diagrams

biology (1)

biology (2)

studying biology

biology help

biology note-taking

anatomy + physiology

physiology

physics

ap physics

chemistry (1)

chemistry (2)

chemistry note-taking

studying chemistry

maths tag

how to study for math

how to study math (1)

how to study math (2)

math (1)

math (2)

math (3)

10 tips to excel in maths

avoid carelessness in calculations

succeed in math without really trying

math resources and links

algebra (1)

algebra (2)

precalculus

geometry

space + astronomy (1)

space + astronomy (2)

hope this helps + please check out part 2 as well!! ilysm 💗

ps here is a list of all my masterposts just in case 🐝

- helena xx

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