48% of the diagnosed patients will lose 10 kg of Chinese medicine + exercise to restore muscle strength in one week.
(Photo by reporter Chen Jinlong)” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/UxxCoftIjQJKoSlmrB1OoQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api /res/1.2/3qcE_At4qvFbZyIWQglIrg–~B/aD02ODM7dz0xMDI0O2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/ko/cdns.com.tw/f445e8a30deded10363adeb261bda690″/><img alt="A 70-year-old patient surnamed Wu developed acute sarcopenia following being diagnosed with new coronary pneumonia. Traditional Chinese medicine physician Wu Peiqing and rehabilitation physician Liu Donghuan treated with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, and muscle strength was greatly improved.
(Photo by reporter Chen Jinlong)” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/UxxCoftIjQJKoSlmrB1OoQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res /1.2/3qcE_At4qvFbZyIWQglIrg–~B/aD02ODM7dz0xMDI0O2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/ko/cdns.com.tw/f445e8a30deded10363adeb261bda690″ class=”caas-img”/>
(Photo by reporter Chen Jinlong)
Reported by reporter Chen Jinlong/Taichung
A 70-year-old woman surnamed Wu had a cough and poor appetite following being diagnosed in May this year. She lost 10 kilograms in one week and suffered from “post-coronavirus sarcopenia.” The hospital affiliated to the university has improved following taking medicine and exercise therapy, and now she no longer coughs and her muscle strength has recovered.
Wu Peiqing, a Chinese medicine physician, pointed out that the probability of developing sarcopenia following the diagnosis of new coronary pneumonia is regarding 48%, and the probability of suffering from sarcopenia in hospitalized patients is as high as 69.7%. If sarcopenia is diagnosed and left untreated, the mortality rate increases by approximately 2.1 times.
Liu Donghuan, a physician from the Department of Rehabilitation of the Chinese Affiliated Medical College, pointed out that the cause of post-COVID-19 sarcopenia is loss of appetite, insufficient nutrition and protein intake, and physical inactivity, coupled with an inflammatory reaction in the body, resulting in the second half of the diagnosis. In acute sarcopenia, which is a massive loss of muscle during the year, 10% of muscle loss will cause a decline in immunity, 20% will experience weakness, and 40% may die.
Mrs Wu has no chronic disease. She was 168 cm tall and lost weight from 65 kg to 55 kg following the diagnosis. She often coughs and chest tightness. She walks slowly and gets out of breath when she climbs one floor. She has lost 15% of her muscles during medical examination, and her grip strength has increased from 28 kg before the diagnosis. She became 16 kg (normal value is more than 18 kg) and suffered from sarcopenia. Wu Peiqing pointed out that she had lung heat, wasting qi and yin, and her lungs were still inflamed. The lungs replenish qi to improve muscle strength, and the grip strength also returns to before the diagnosis.
Wu Peiqing said that because Western medicine currently lacks FDA-approved and good drug treatment, it is recommended to use traditional Chinese medicine to treat or prevent sarcopenia. In addition to increasing skeletal muscle mass and inhibiting muscle atrophy, traditional Chinese medicine can also increase appetite in the treatment of sarcopenia or frailty. It is also safe to use in the elderly and has very low adverse drug reactions.
Liu Donghuan also suggested that following the diagnosis, muscle strength exercise prevention and rehabilitation can also be done, including “squatting once morest the wall” to bend the knees to be parallel to the toes, and repeat it for sore feet. It is recommended to do 10 to 30 minutes a day; There are “front shoulder raises and lateral raises” to raise the shoulders forward to 90 degrees, stop for 10 seconds each time, and do 10 times in the morning and evening.
Liu Donghuan pointed out that the number of post-coronavirus sarcopenia in outpatient clinics has increased by 20%, especially the elderly are the majority. He reminded that people have weakness such as difficulty in carrying a 5kg weight, unable to wring a towel, walking at a speed of less than 1 meter per second, and climbing 10 steps of stairs. Difficulty, even walking on flat ground will fall or lose 5% of body weight within 6 months, and the calf circumference is less than 34 cm for boys and less than 33 cm for girls, you can also use your thumbs and forefingers with both hands to form a circle around your calf. If there is a gap, the risk of sarcopenia is extremely high, reminding to be alert and seek medical attention early.
