By Hong Truong, DO
2/4/2020 Written
3/19/2020 Updated
The COVID-19 coronavirus is on the minds of everyone. After hearing news reports of the lockdown happening in China, overrun hospitals, limited resources (hospitals, medical providers, medical supplies), and sold out face masks, it is evident to me that people are starting to panic. As a physician of Osteopathic Medicine who specializes in Integrative Medicine, I do not want you to panic, fear, or feel helpless. I was moved to make this advice guide to give you back hope. It contains some actions you can take now to prevent illness or triage any person at home, using common items that are low risk, low cost, but highly effective. Lastly, at the end, I mention techniques that would be a bit more advanced but doable. These techniques were used to battle the Flu Pandemic (Spanish Flu) of 1918 with great success. Will our hospital systems be ready for an epidemic? In response to any epidemic, I believe we should prepare ourselves.
Disclaimer: This guide for Flu and COVID-19 is not a substitution for seeking medical help. Any advice I give on techniques or home remedies are the ones I have tried on others or personal routines I use myself. These recommendations apply to teenagers and up. Parents of young children and pregnant women, check with your physician. Use this guide at your own risk, although I believe it would be a low risk.
Prevention is Key
Do not panic if you do not have a face mask. Current strategy applies to the Wuhan or Influenza virus. CDC does not recommend face masks for the general public. And remember, just because a person is wearing a face mask does not mean they are sick. Do not panic when you see someone wearing a face mask. You should actually thank them for being considerate.
Protect yourself. Good hand washing and avoiding touching your eyes and nose is the best way to protect yourself. If you will be handling many objects (ID Cards/Cellphones etc etc), you may want to wear disposable gloves. I am hoping by wearing gloves it reminds you not to touch your nose or mouth. Change them when they get sweaty and use proper techniques. Take off one glove and place that glove into your gloved hand. Take off the remaining glove without touching the outside of the glove. If you have to touch your eyes or nose, wash your hands first. Sneeze into your arm crease/elbow crease. Keeping a hand sanitizer/rubbing alcohol bottle in your pocket may not be a bad idea.
If you are sick, stay home!
Keep Healthy
Exercise to sweat daily. Increased temperature improves your body’s ability to fight off infections. More body movement improves lymphatic fluids movement — fluids responsible for fighting off infection and carrying waste products. Lymph is moved with muscle contractions.
Keep all orifices clean. Nasal saline spray is helpful. Humidified air also helps to keep the nasal passages moist and working. If the air is dry it will make the nasal passages crack and then viruses can enter more easily. Drink warm ginger/honey tea for the mouth and throat. Ginger and honey or garlic have natural antiviral and antibacterial properties.
Warm tea will help to wash off any excess mucus in the tonsils, and keeping the body warmer than usual will help fluids move freely in the body and increase your body’s own immune cells.
Get good sleep/rest. Do not exhaust yourself.
What to do when you start feeling that scratchy throat? (May do any of the following. This is a list and and not a sequence)
Nasty cough starting?
Muscle aches
Fever
If you tolerate the fever, let it stay elevated. Above 103-104 F start using fever reducers (Acetaminophen, ibuprofen). Stay hydrated. Your body is fighting off the infection. Usually a person experiencing a sudden fever will feel cold. So the hot water feet soak and bundling up actually makes one feel better. At times you can have a cold cloth on the forehead, but keep the body warm.
Osteopathic Manipulation
If you look up 1918 Pandemic Flu (Spanish Flu), https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2094647, you will come across an article about how osteopathic physicians utilize lymphatic techniques to keep their patients well and alive. If you have a loved one that needs it to be done, search the following techniques for demonstrations. The moves are gentle.
Make sure you put on a protective face mask or makeshift bandana mask. Try not to have the patient cough on you when you are working around the face.
Use the videos as a reference. It is better to be gentle. Do not need to be forceful. Your patient can tell if you are too forceful or not. Do not need to be perfect right now. Thank you to the doctors and medical students that made these videos.
Youtube: OMT Lymphatic Techniques
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB4pjIJflU4 – Great intro and explanation and gives us warnings when not to use these techniques. Jump to 2:50 for demonstration of techniques. Try not to be overwhelmed by the technical jargon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F19vb9PvG3g – Another great intro and explanation. Jump to 1:50 for demonstration of techniques. Only do techniques you understand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4lW9K7v5TA – Rib raising technique. This technique helps people breathe better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Z7iMr8uvQ – Rib raising with the patient lying on their side.
Techniques to really focus on:
Conclusion
Overall, the theme is to get the lymph system moving with massage, movement or any other techniques out there. Try to utilize these suggestions before or at the early onset of symptoms. If things get really bad do not hesitate to call 911/emergency.
People’s lives are at stake, so I ask for the internet trolls to stay away. I hope this guide helps you and your loved ones. Your community and government are working around the clock and help will be there soon.
Hope Integrative Care. Site Design by Infinity Medical Marketing.