[Self-Help After Diagnosis] A pregnant woman diagnosed with COVID-19 12 months into her pregnancy was hospitalized; she relied on a herbal soup to help with cough, sore throat, and loss of voice [R...

As the pandemic continues and confirmed cases surge, the long waiting list for hospital admissions is overwhelming the healthcare system. Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Huang Jingjing, three months pregnant, received a preliminary diagnosis of COVID-19 on February 3rd and waited at home for 12 days before being admitted to the hospital. During this time, she suffered from a cough and sore throat that eventually led to loss of voice. She drank pear syrup while isolating at home to alleviate the symptoms. Now recovered and discharged, she shares tips on how to protect yourself after diagnosis to prevent undue panic.

In an interview with TOPick, Dr. Huang stated that after being diagnosed on February 3rd, she waited 12 days before being admitted to the hospital, where she stayed for 3 days and 2 nights. She was only discharged after meeting the discharge criteria and undergoing testing for two consecutive days. She recalled that on the first day after diagnosis, she had a fever, cough, and a very sore throat, which lasted for two days. On the third and fourth days, she still had a cough and phlegm. By the sixth day, her condition improved, symptoms subsided, she had occasional coughing, less phlegm, and it began to affect her daily life less. By the eighth and ninth days, she felt more than 90% better.

On the second and third day after her diagnosis, she experienced severe throat pain that led to loss of voice. Therefore, her doctor prepared a decoction of snow pear, almonds, and dried tangerine peel at home for her to drink. She considered this a dietary supplement and drank it for about four to five days. She also took some traditional Chinese medicine. On the eighth day after her diagnosis, she took a rapid test, which showed a weak positive result. She was then taken to the hospital for further testing. The doctor stated that the fetus is currently healthy.

How can I treat a sore throat and excessive phlegm?

Dr. Huang pointed out that most young COVID-19 patients will experience mild to moderate symptoms of viral infection. If the three common symptoms of sore throat, loss of voice, and excessive phlegm occur, she recommends drinking "Snow Pear, Almond and Lean Pork Soup".

[Snow Pear, Almond, and Lean Pork Soup]

Efficacy: Soothes the throat and resolves phlegm, clears heat and strengthens the spleen. It is relatively mild in nature and can be consumed by most people.

Ingredients: 1-2 pears, 6g each of sweet and bitter almonds, half a piece of dried tangerine peel, a little lean pork/ribs, 10g of fritillaria cirrhosa (optional if you have yellow phlegm), 1-2 slices of ginger (optional if you are sensitive to cold).

practice:

• 1. Wash the pears, then remove the core and cut them into chunks. No need to peel them.

• 2. Add 6 to 8 bowls of water to a pot, bring to a boil, then add the ingredients and reduce to medium heat. After boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

• 3. Finally, add salt or a little honey to taste.

Dr. Huang was interviewed and explained the efficacy and precautions of the ingredients:

• Snow pear: It is cool in nature and sweet in taste. It can clear heat and generate fluids, moisten dryness and resolve phlegm. It is suitable for patients with dry mouth, sore throat, and cough with yellow phlegm that is difficult to cough up.

• Dried tangerine peel: It is warm in nature and can strengthen the spleen, dry dampness, regulate qi and resolve phlegm. It can also slightly neutralize the coldness of snow pear.

• Almonds: They can relieve cough and asthma, and lubricate the intestines to promote bowel movements. Therefore, this soup is suitable for most patients who have been diagnosed with sore throat, dry mouth and thirst, and cough with phlegm. It can relieve sore throat and cough.

She cautioned that people with a cold constitution should not drink too much pear soup. If a confirmed case has a sore throat, they can drink it daily. However, if a persistent cough with thin, white phlegm persists, it is not recommended to drink pear soup. This soup can relieve sore throat and phlegm symptoms, but it cannot be used as a medicine to treat viral infections.

Fever Relief Tips

Dr. Huang advised that if you have a fever, it's best to drink plenty of warm water, which can prevent high fever and help lower the temperature. She said that she and her husband also took vitamin C powder at home to boost their immunity and relieve cold symptoms.

As he is a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, his family members, under his guidance and according to their individual constitutions, took appropriate cold remedies, Qingwen capsules, and other traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Because they were generally healthy, their family members recovered relatively quickly. However, if there are young children, the elderly, or patients with chronic illnesses in the family, it is advisable to consult with both registered Chinese and Western medicine practitioners before taking any medication.

Dietary recommendations

In addition, Dr. Huang posted on his Facebook page reminding patients that after being diagnosed, their diet should be light, avoiding fried, greasy, hard-to-digest, and heavily seasoned foods. He suggested that patients eat chicken, pork, eggs, white rice, meat porridge, freshwater fish, and various vegetables, as a balanced diet helps maintain good physical strength and the ability to resist disease.

Other precautions for home isolation

She stated on Facebook that, based on her own experience, if you don't have symptoms or your symptoms are mild, you can take a rapid self-test, which may result in a negative result. Once symptoms become obvious, the test will be positive. If you are a close contact, it is best to test daily for 3 to 5 consecutive days; if symptoms appear, you must take another test. If the patient is self-isolating, but family members living with them have not moved out in time, both parties must eat and drink at different times, go to the kitchen/toilet separately, and spray disinfectant after using the toilet; family members and the patient must wear masks 24 hours a day, sleep in separate spaces, and minimize the risk of transmission.

Patients should monitor their body temperature. If a high fever persists, exceeding 39 to 40°C, accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, a feeling of suffocation, coughing up blood, pale skin, or even coma, an ambulance must be called and the patient taken to the emergency room. If the symptoms are not severe, maintaining a positive attitude and self-isolating and resting for 5 to 7 days will allow for a full recovery.

Western medicines such as Panadol and antipyretics should be taken according to the dosage instructions when headaches and fever occur. As for common traditional Chinese medicines, such as cold granules, herbal teas, Lianhua Qingwen capsules, Yinqiao powder, and Sangju drink, it is advisable to consult a doctor before taking them. Pregnant women, young children, patients with chronic illnesses, and the elderly should not take medication on their own; they should consult a registered practitioner of both Western and traditional Chinese medicine for appropriate treatment.