In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many
individuals are curious about the proper use of fabric masks. The W.H.O.
release updated Advice on the use of masks in the context of COVID-19 on 5 June
2020.
It has new scientific results on fabrics that can be used for masks. Watch this video to learn more about which individuals should consider wearing a fabric mask, how to wear it and how to maintain it.
The masks help stop the Coronavirus from spreading if
used correctly. However, your face mask is working double duty to protect
everyone: It keeps you from spreading your germs and can stop other germs from
getting into you. However, if used thoughtlessly, the masks can also cause
unwanted side effects. Here are a few and how to prevent them.
1. They
Can Mess with Your Sight - Don't Touch Your Face -
"Wearing a face mask makes the exhaled air go into the eyes," wrote
Antonio I. Lazzarino, Medical Doctor and Epidemiologist, of the University
College London, in a letter to the journal BMJ about the side effects of face
masks. "This generates an uncomfortable feeling and an impulse to touch
your eyes. If your hands are contaminated, you are infecting yourself."
The Rx: Resist the temptation to touch your face and
wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds after contact with substances like
door handles, elevator buttons, packages, or anything else where germs thrive.
2. They
Can Be Uncomfortable - Finding the right fit starts with
using the right cloth. "Cotton material is considered to have better
ventilation and will trap less of the moisture that builds up from breathing
and sweating," reports CNet.
The Rx: Make sure it is "snug, not tight,"
says CNet. "While you want your mask to fit snugly around your face to
help prevent respiratory droplets from escaping or coming in, you don't want it
to be so tight that it hurts your face. Also, if it is too tight, that gives
you less room to breathe well."
3. They
Can Restrict Your Airflow - "Face masks make breathing
more difficult," points out Lazzarino in his letter. "For people with
COPD"—that's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which causes a
decreased air flow—"face masks are in fact intolerable to wear as they
worsen their breathlessness. Moreover, a fraction of carbon dioxide previously
exhaled is inhaled at each respiratory cycle. Those two phenomena increase
breathing frequency and deepness, and hence they increase the amount of inhaled
and exhaled air."
The Rx: "This may worsen the burden of COVID-19
if infected people wearing masks spread more contaminated air," he
continues. "This may also worsen the clinical condition of infected people
if the enhanced breathing pushes the viral load down into their lungs." If
you feel you have COVID-19, you should quarantine yourself away from others and
remove the mask. Contact a medical professional to discuss the next steps.
After reading the article, I found myself with more
questions than answers. So, I began to do some research into how does a
restricted airflow affect ones breathing and wellbeing? The following questions
and answers are the result of my quest for answers to my concerns.
Questions & Answers
Can stress affect oxygen levels?
If you have a breathing problem like asthma or
emphysema, stress can make it even harder to breathe. Under stress, your heart
also pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict and
divert more oxygen to your muscles so you will have more strength to take
action.
What happens if you breathe your own
carbon dioxide?
When CO2 levels are elevated in the body it is known
as hypercapnia. Hypercapnia can occur for a number of reasons, one of which is
rebreathing our own exhaled CO2. Rebreathing CO2 can lead to increased blood
pressure, headaches, muscle twitches, rapid heart rate, chest pain, confusion,
and fatigue. The Better Oxygen Mask for Patient Safety. #thebetteroxygenmask
#patientsafety @One_OxyMask
What happens if carbon dioxide is not
removed from the body?
Buildup of carbon dioxide can damage the tissues and
organs and further impair oxygenation of blood and, as a result, slow oxygen
delivery to the tissues. Acute respiratory failure happens quickly and without
much warning.
What are the signs of co2 retention?
The condition, also described as hypercapnia,
hypercarbia, or carbon dioxide retention, can cause effects such as headaches, dizziness,
and fatigue, as well as serious complications such as seizures or loss of
consciousness.
What is Hypercapnia and respiratory
acidosis?
Hypercapnia and respiratory acidosis ensue when
impairment in ventilation occurs and the removal of carbon dioxide by the
respiratory system is less than the production of carbon dioxide in the
tissues. Lung diseases that cause abnormalities in alveolar gas exchange do not
typically result in alveolar hypoventilation.
It occurs when the oxygen transport across the
alveolocapillary membrane is impaired. Since both oxygen and carbon dioxide
transport occur through the alveolar-capillary membrane, theoretically it
should cause both hypoxemia and hypercapnia. However, hypercapnia is uncommon
due to diffusion limitation.
What is the treatment for hypercapnia?
Options include:
- Ventilation - Non-invasive ventilation, such as a CPAP mask, may help to treat hypercapnia
- Medication - Certain medications can assist breathing
- Oxygen therapy - People who undergo oxygen therapy regularly use a device to deliver oxygen to the lungs
- Lifestyle changes
- Surgery
Hypercapnia, or hypercarbia, is when you have too
much carbon dioxide (CO2) in your bloodstream. It usually happens as a result
of hypoventilation, or not being able to breathe properly and get oxygen into
your lungs. Your body can then resume normal breathing and get more oxygen into
the blood.
What are the symptoms of not enough
oxygen in the blood?
Symptoms of low blood oxygen levels:
- Shortness of breath.
- Headache.
- Restlessness.
- Dizziness.
- Rapid breathing.
- Chest pain.
- Confusion.
- High blood pressure.
What happens if carbon dioxide levels in
the blood are too high?
Respiratory failure is a serious condition that
develops when the lungs cannot get enough oxygen into the blood. Buildup of
carbon dioxide can also damage the tissues and organs and further impair
oxygenation of blood and, as a result, slow oxygen delivery to the tissues.
Source: https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/national-heart-lung-blood-institute-nhlbi
What are the early signs of respiratory
failure?
Signs and symptoms of respiratory failure may
include shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and air hunger (feeling like you
cannot breathe in enough air). In severe cases, signs and symptoms may include
a bluish color on your skin, lips, and fingernails; confusion; and sleepiness.
Can you recover from acute respiratory
failure?
Many people with ARDS recover most of their lung
function within several months to two years, but others may have breathing
problems for the rest of their lives. Even people who do well usually have
shortness of breath and fatigue and may need supplemental oxygen at home for a
few months.
What happens to the body during
respiratory failure?
When a person has acute respiratory failure, the
usual exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs does not occur.
As a result, enough oxygen cannot reach the heart, brain, or the rest of the
body. This can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, a bluish tint in the
face and lips, and confusion.
What are the complications of respiratory failure?
Complications of acute respiratory failure may be
pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal (GI), infectious, renal, or
nutritional. Common pulmonary complications of acute respiratory failure
include pulmonary embolism, barotrauma, pulmonary fibrosis, and complications secondary to the
use of mechanical devices (ventilator).
What is the treatment for acute
respiratory failure?
Doctors typically use this method of delivering
oxygen until they can slow, resolve, or reverse the underlying cause of
respiratory failure. Other acute respiratory failure treatment strategies
include medications, such as antibiotics to treat infections and diuretics to
reduce the amount of fluid in the lungs and body.
How long does it take to recover from
acute respiratory failure?
On average
this is 7 to 14 days. Beyond this time, doctors may suggest
a tube be placed directly into the windpipe through the neck (tracheostomy) by
a surgeon. Usually the doctor believes it may take weeks more to recover from
ventilator support.
Source: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/ards/ards-treatment-and-recovery
What are the signs of worsening
hypercapnia?
Severe hypercapnia symptoms include:
- Confusion.
- Coma.
- Depression or paranoia.
- Hyperventilation or excessive breathing.
- Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Muscle twitching.
- Panic attacks.
What does hypercapnia feel like?
Hypercapnia is excess carbon dioxide (CO2) build-up
in your body. The condition, also described as hypercapnia, hypercarbia, or
carbon dioxide retention, can cause effects such as headaches, dizziness, and
fatigue, as well as serious complications such as seizures or loss of
consciousness.
What are the symptoms of too much carbon
dioxide in the body?
Hypercapnia, or hypercarbia, as it is sometimes
called, is a condition arising from too much carbon dioxide in the blood.
- Severe symptoms
- Confusion.
- Coma.
- Depression or paranoia.
- Hyperventilation or excessive breathing.
- Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Muscle twitching.
- Panic attacks.
How do you lower co2 levels?
Installing and maintaining a good ventilation system
will help reduce CO2 levels. As the system brings in fresh outdoor air, the CO2
will naturally dilute and become less concentrated, keeping the indoor carbon
dioxide within safe levels.
What would cause high co2 levels in the
blood?
Hypercapnia, or hypercarbia, as it is sometimes
called, is a condition arising from too much carbon dioxide in the blood. It is
often caused by hypoventilation or disordered breathing where not enough oxygen
enters the lungs and not enough carbon dioxide is emitted.
How does the body get rid of carbon
dioxide that has accumulated in the lung?
When you exhale, this moves stale air with high
carbon dioxide levels out of your lungs. Air is moved into your lungs by
suction.
How do you remove carbon from your
lungs?
Ways to clear the lungs:
- Steam therapy. Steam therapy, or steam inhalation, involves inhaling water vapor to open the airways and help the lungs drain mucus
- Controlled coughing
- Drain mucus from the lungs
- Exercise
- Green tea
- Anti-inflammatory foods
- Chest percussion
How do I get more oxygen in my blood?
5 Tips to Increase your Blood Oxygen Naturally
- When the weather allows, open your windows. Access to fresh air is essential for breathing more easily
- Grow green things. Introducing live plants into your home will increase available indoor oxygen
- Exercise
- Practice mindfulness
- Eat fresh, iron-rich foods
On July 15, 2020 Rebecca Klar from The Hill publication reported that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is prohibiting local municipalities across the state from mandating that masks be worn in public to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
Further Info: The Angle - What they're not telling you - https://youtu.be/RBlyh96yL7Q
Medical Disclaimer
All content found in this article was provided for
informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of
your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may
have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice
or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
The information herein is provided on an "as
is" basis. If you think or suspect that you may have a medical emergency,
call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately.
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