The infection causes swelling and inflammation in the lungs
Of all the organs that are affected the most by COVID, lungs come first. This twin organ suffers the most during the coronavirus attack because of being a part of the respiratory system. As the infection caused by the coronavirus travels, it affects the lungs and airways. Gradually, when it is left untreated, the infection causes swelling and inflammation in the lungs.
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How does coronavirus affect the lungs?
The COVID causing coronavirus invades the cells by attaching to a special receptor called Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE-2). The ACE 2 serves as a gateway for the entry of the virus into the cells following which the virus begins to replicate itself and invades more cells.
In the human body, the ACE2 receptors are found in many organs including heart, stomach and even skin. So far, this is considered to be the best explanation on why COVID affects other body organs despite being a respiratory tract infection.
What are the symptoms of COVID typical to the lungs?
When the COVID has a debilitating effect on the lungs, the patient may experience trouble breathing.
When the lungs get inflamed they get filled with fluids and debris. It makes it harder for the lungs to take in oxygen, as a result of which the normal breathing of the patient is compromised and the person gasps for air.
Other COVID symptoms like fever, cold, headache, stomach pain are also seen in people who are infected with the coronavirus.
How can COVID damage your lungs?
Depending on the host's immune mechanism the coronavirus can either subside giving mild symptoms or else can lead to severe health complications. In case of COVID, the severity of the infection will require the patient to have oxygen or a ventilator support.
COVID pneumonia
Unlike the general pneumonia, COVID pneumonia takes hold of both the lungs. When COVID becomes COVID pneumonia the air sacs get filled with fluid. While many people recover from it without any serious damage to the lungs, the possibility of a serious consequence can not be ruled out. Health experts say even after one recovers from COVID pneumonia, the lung may not be completely healthy to function as normal and it may take months for the patient to breathe normally.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a life threatening condition in which the body's own defence mechanism damages its own tissues. The chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight against an infection actually causes inflammation in the body. This disturbs the coordination among organs. Experts say that even if a person recovers from sepsis, there are chances that the lungs will take more time to heal completely.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
This is a condition where the lungs are unable to provide oxygen to the vital organs of the body. COVID pneumonia progresses to this form of respiratory issue. ARDS is a fatal condition, but if people survive they might have to live with malfunctioning lungs for a longer duration.