The second wave of COVID19 has shattered the lives of millions of Indians. Seeing people standing in long queues for oxygen cylinders is a nightmare come true. The last time we saw people standing in such a long queue was in front of the ATMs during the demonetization. Only this time, it is not about money but about saving lives. The situation is so worse that, every now and then, a COVID19 patient runs out of oxygen and dies of asphyxia. Gasping for air is a terrifying experience. Only Asthma patients and a few other people with breathing difficulties could relate to it.
Short of Breath
As it is said, COVID19 is a respiratory virus. Death, as caused by the COVID19 infection, is due to lung failure or multiple organ failure. Either of the conditions occurs with the lack of oxygen supply. Gas exchange is vital for life. And according to pulmonologists, the coronavirus obstructs lung function, thus affecting the gas exchange.
Although all the doctors belonging to distinct branches of medicine are unanimously putting up a fight against the COVID19, the role of pulmonologists has been paramount. It is clearly reflected in the recent online search analytics. In recent times, we encountered an unusual spike in the number of people searching for the best pulmonologists on ThreeBestRated®. The searches increased to nearly 300% in the past few months. It is synonymous with the rise in COVID19 cases in India right now.
The specialists
If saving lives is one thing, helping patients recover without the chances of any long-term illness is another thing. This is where the lung specialists come into action. Pulmonologists’ role is critical in post covid recovery treatment and rehabilitation. COVID19 affects people at varying intensities. Research reveals that in a few instances, COVID19 patients may develop some long-term respiratory and musculoskeletal illnesses. Pulmonologists save such patients from the vulnerability of the disease and aid them to lead a healthy life after recovery. And the proning technique shared by pulmonologists to raise the oxygen levels is indeed a breakthrough in the battle against the COVID19 pandemic.
The Silver Lining
While the situation may look bleak, hearing stories of octogenarians recovering from COVID19 gives us a ray of hope. And we are unanimously indebted to all the doctors and healthcare workers who risk their lives every day to save ours. The earth still remains a better place to live because of the selfless nature of millions of doctors across the world.
