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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013456

The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine advised people to consume herbal foods and go in for aromatherapy and Thai massage to relieve stress amid a gloomy situation.

Deputy director-general Dr Kwanchai Wisitthanon said people become stressed due to consumption of negative or worrying information, such as Covid-19, politics and rising product prices.

He pointed out that stress could lead to muscle pain, dizziness, insomnia, high blood pressure and low immunity, especially for those with chronic diseases.

“Also, stress causes people to become frustrated and forgetful, putting them at risk of depression or mental health problems especially if they are under stress for a long time,” Kwanchai pointed out.

The doctor said there were three ways to relieve stress in terms of Thai traditional medicine:

• Consume herbal food such as Gaeng Som, Tom Yum, Gaeng Pa or spicy salad, because turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, basil, kaffir lime leaf and pepper have essential oils which help improve the circulatory system, as well as relieve muscle pain and dizziness.

• Go in for aromatherapy, which includes drinking water topped with jasmine flowers or placing jasmine, ylang-ylang or plumeria on your bed when going to sleep, which will help relax your mind and body.

• Opt for Thai massage to relieve muscle pain and dizziness, focusing on the neck and shoulders. People can get a massage at Thai traditional medicine clinics nationwide.

Kwanchai also advised people to be careful while consuming information, exercise regularly, drink at least eight glasses of water a day, sleep at least 6-8 hours a day, avoid eating high-fat foods, and seek activities to relieve stress, such as chanting, meditation, growing trees or listening to music.

For more information related to Thai traditional medicine and herbs, contact 0 2149 5678, or visit www.facebook.com/dtam.moph or the @DTAM Line account.

Published : March 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013442

The Department of Health suggested people avoid exercising outdoors for extended periods this summer to avoid heatstroke.

Deputy director-general Dr Montien Kanasawad said on Tuesday that the continuously increasing temperature would cause people who exercise outdoors for an extended period to suffer from dehydration and risk heatstroke.

He explained that people who suffer heatstroke will have no sweat but their temperature will increase, while people with heat exhaustion will witness excessive sweating.

Symptoms of heatstroke are being extremely thirsty, fatigued, experiencing nausea, vomitting, having a headache or low blood pressure, being light-headed and rapid breathing.

In severe cases, it might lead to delirium, seizure, unconsciousness, liver or kidney failure, or rapid heartbeat causing shock. It could also lead to a coma or death.

He advised people who exercise outdoors to reduce their workout times, especially when the weather is hot between 11am and 3pm. He also suggested wearing loose clothes for added cooling.

Published : March 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013402

Chinese researchers have discovered that the Covid-19 virus attacks the “master cells” of the immune system, causing immunodeficiency that can lead to organ failure and death.

The Chinese study, which was published in the peer-reviewed “Nature” journal last week, showed that SARS-CoV-2 can enter immune cells called CD4 T directly.

Previously, it was believed that the virus could only enter various cells via receptors such as ACE2 or TMPRSS2.

However, the study found that the virus could enter CD4 in patients’ blood leading to cell destruction, said Chulalongkorn University’s Thira Worathanarat, who flagged up the study in his Facebook post on Monday.

The researchers believe the virus enters CD4 cells via the lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 or LFA-1.

Thira explained that CD4 T are immune cells that coordinate the fight against diseases such as HIV. However, if the Covid-19 virus enters the body and is left untreated to continuously destroy these cells, immunodeficiency and death from opportunistic infections can follow.

He explained that more study was required to find out how severely the body could be affected and what long-term consequences could result from attacks by the Covid virus on CD4 T cells.

Reference:
Shen, XR, Geng, R, Li, Q et al: ACE2-independent infection of T lymphocytes by SARS-CoV-2. Sig Transduct Target Ther 7, 83 (2022).

Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013271

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among Thai women and the second-leading cause among Thai men, according to the Department of Medical Services.

Department chief Dr Somsak Akksilp said that lung cancer is difficult to detect in the first stages and has a high fatality rate.

He revealed that the three main risk factors for lung cancer are:

1. Smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco is the main cause of lung cancer. Smokers are 10 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers. Non-smokers who inhale tobacco smoke are also at risk as there are more than 60 carcinogens in cigarette smoke.
2. Inhaling asbestos: Asbestos is used in industries such as construction, auto-manufacturing (brake pads), and insulation. Those at risk are residents or workers in areas contaminated with asbestos. It can take 15 to 35 years to develop lung cancer if you are exposed to asbestos. Non-smokers who work with asbestos dust for a long time are five times more likely to suffer from lung cancer than the general population.
3. Other reasons: Pollutants such as PM 2.5, benzene and formaldehyde.

However, Somsak notes that most lung cancer patients have no history of smoking or exposure to asbestos. Currently, there is no efficient and cheap way of screening for lung cancer. By the time people get symptoms, the disease is likely to have advanced to later stages.

Therefore, the best advice is to avoid the risk factors for lung cancer.

Published : March 11, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013198

Pregnant women and those in the postpartum period are more likely to be infected with Covid-19 as 87 per cent have not been vaccinated, the Department of Health warned on Tuesday.

Director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said 224 Covid-19 patients from February 27 to March 5 were pregnant women and women six months after pregnancy.

There were a total of 7,210 patients in the infected group and 110 deaths. They gave birth to 4,013 children, 319 of whom were infected while 67 died.

Some 6,292 of them, or 87 per cent, were unvaccinated, he said, while 398, or 5 per cent, received only a first dose. Another 550, or just 8 per cent, got a second dose.

According to available information, the fatality rate decreases by 10 times for patients who have received two doses of vaccines.

In total, 117,385 pregnant women have received the first dose of vaccines while 105,094 have received a second dose. Some 17,361 have got a booster dose, Suwanchai said.

The Public Health Ministry aims to fully vaccinate 240,000 pregnant women.

Deputy director-general Dr Ekachai Piansriwatchara said infected pregnant women with mild or no symptoms can isolate at home.

They should not come into contact with anyone and be separated from elders and children. They need to have separate utensils, open their room windows for better ventilation and avoid sleeping with other family members in an air-conditioned room.

Ekachai advised isolated pregnant patients to monitor symptoms of vaginal bleeding and fluid leak as well as preeclampsia.

They must lie on their left side for better blood circulation and should not lie on their back if they are just about to give birth.

Infected pregnant women who have difficulty breathing, feel unusually tired, have pneumonia or have a tight chest or chest pain should go to hospital immediately.

Ekachai said infected pregnant patients do not have to undergo a caesarean section as it takes four to five hours to prepare for this. He advised normal childbirth except for special cases.

Infected women who have just given birth and have mild or no symptoms can hold their uninfected newborns, but they need to wear a mask and wash their hands regularly, he advised.

According to Ekachai, breast milk cannot be infected with Covid-19 so new mothers can go ahead and feed their newborns after cleaning their breasts using a cloth and warm water.

However, the doctor warned infected pregnant women not to use Favipiravir or Fah Talai Jone because this could affect their newborns.

Published : March 09, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013171

Keeping track of local and world news, especially the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and economic damage or deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, can affect people’s mental health, a psychology professor said last week.

On the Facebook page Mahidol Channel, Asst Prof Wanlop Atsariyasing said if people follow too much depressing news, they are likely to suffer from “Headline Stress Disorder”. Though this problem has not been recognised as a disease, it can be considered a psychological disorder.

Wanlop lectures on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

He said bad news can affect people both mentally and physically, via symptoms like palpitation, tight chest, insomnia, anxiety, depression and anger.

In the long term, these problems can develop into diseases like hypertension, anxiety disorder and depression.

The professor said people who already suffer from anxiety or depression, those who spend a lot of time online and lack judgement when following the news are likely to suffer from this disorder. The Headline Stress Disorder may also affect those who suffer from physical and mental exhaustion.

To avoid developing this disorder, Wanlop advised people to:

• Limit the time spent on consuming news
• Avoid news media and social media if you are stressed
• Do not believe every headline you read
• Check facts first and always consume news from reliable sources
• Wait for more facts and developments

Wanlop also advised people to consume positive news as well, and avoid reading news reports before going to bed. He also said people should opt for more relaxing activities and fun conversations with friends and family.

He added that people who are overcome with stress and anxiety can call the Department of Mental Health’s 1323 hotline, talk to its chatbot or consult a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Published : March 08, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40013028

World Obesity Day is marked on March 4 every year and aims to raise awareness about obesity and the health impacts it can have.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health”. It is commonly measured through Body Mass Index (BMI), which if taken into account with waist and height ratios, can give more accurate results. A BMI of over 25 is considered overweight and above 30 is categorised as obese. The BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms with height in metres squared.

This year’s World Obesity Day, marked on Friday, follows the theme “Everybody Needs to Act”.

The World Obesity Federation named March 4 as World Obesity Day in 2015 in a bid to create a system where obesity is prioritised as a health issue. It calls on people living with obesity to come forward and share their experiences, and also aims to put an end to the shame and stigma associated with obesity.

Obesity leads to an increased risk of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and those living with obesity are twice as likely to be hospitalised when hit by Covid-19.

According to the federation, more than 800 million people across the world are obese and it is estimated that treating their medical conditions will cost more than US$1 trillion by 2025.

Childhood obesity is also on the rise and is expected to affect at least 250 million children by 2030.

This issue is not limited to rich countries anymore, as it is rising fast in middle- and low-income countries, many of which are also tackling the problem of malnutrition.

Published : March 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40012986

The Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health published an article on MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children) and “Long Covid” in young ones, saying MIS-C can occur two to six weeks in children recovering from Covid-19.

The exact cause of the syndrome is not known yet, but it appears to be an excessive immune response related to Covid-19, the article said.

Director Adisai Pattatang said MIS-C was first identified in the UK in April 2020.

It was found more in boys than girls, with children aged eight to ten most susceptible. But it was found in only 0.03 per cent of children who contracted Covid.

Symptoms are high fever, rash, red lips, red eyes, lymphadenopathy, vomiting and liquid stools. Some suffer from fatigue, pneumonia or even shock from cardiac arrhythmia.

Fifteen children have been treated at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health but there has been no fatality yet. Seven to 14 per cent of them suffered from cardiac arrhythmia.

The institute has launched a project to monitor child patients with Long Covid.

This condition occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection, usually three months from the onset of Covid-19 with symptoms that last for at least two months, according to the World Health Organisation on October 6, 2021.

These conditions are usually not severe, but chronic.

Patients are given symptomatic treatment.

Department of Medical Services director-general Somsak Akksilp said doctors currently do not know the cause and pathology of Long Covid. They only have a hypothesis that it might be related to a part of the germ which affects the immune system and causes inflammation.

There were many possible risk factors according to many studies, such as being female, old age, obesity, people with underlying disease, having more than five symptoms in the first week, or having severe symptoms in the first phase. However, these factors were not confirmed.

According to the Department of Medical Services, the top 10 symptoms that are commonly found are:

• Fatigue
• Difficulty in breathing
• Coughing
• Insomnia
• Headache
• Hair loss
• Dizziness
• Anxiety / stress
• Short-term memory loss
• Chest pain.

Published : March 03, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40012984

People will need to continue receiving Covid-19 vaccine jabs to stimulate immunity against the virus in the long term, expert virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

He stressed that Covid-19 vaccines can reduce the severity but cannot prevent infection due to the virus’s short incubation period and mutation.

Yong pointed out that using new Covid-19 variants to produce vaccines would not help improve efficiency.

He went on to write that immunity from Covid-19 is “not very high”, while vaccines cannot prevent infection even though they provide high immunity, but this would eventually decrease as time passed.

“Whatever the vaccine, its maximum efficiency is 14 to 28 days after vaccination and this will eventually decline,” he warned, adding that there is no such thing as “the best vaccine”.

Yong said people can be infected with Omicron easily, but they will develop mild symptoms if they are fully vaccinated or have been infected with other variants before.

However, he pointed out that people who were infected with Omicron could spread the virus, adding that children were among new Covid-19 cases even though they were vaccinated.

Yong stressed that children will have to go to school.

“Schools in many countries including Singapore have not closed but are conducting antigen tests on students. Those who test positive are ordered to isolate at home for seven days. They can then return to school without taking any more tests as the chance is low that they will spread the virus seven days after infection,” he explained.

Yong said he would continue to recommend “stimulating immunity” with vaccines even if people have received the third and fourth jabs.

He made it clear that receiving the third jab is necessary to reduce the severity of the disease and enable the body to become “familiar” with the virus.

“The important thing right now is protecting vulnerable people, while everyone must take care of their health and undergo prevention measures in this new normal era,” he wrote.

Life “must move forward”, he added.

Published : March 03, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40012948

The Covid-19 situation is changing so the prevention measures will also change, expert virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

Yong said that Covid-19 at first was severe and had a high fatality rate two years ago. The disease has been changing over time and the severity was decreasing.

“In the first year, the goal was zero or no patients at all, so prevention measures were strict with nationwide lockdowns. However, we realised in the second year that the goal was impossible, so the focus changed to reducing the number of patients to the least possible. This still involved some lockdowns and suspension of some activities.

“This year [the third year], we know that we must live with the disease. The severity is low while the number of patients is high at around 10,000 per day. The fatality rate is down to 1 to 2 deaths per 1,000 patients.

“We are not following the timeline or closing the country anymore. Prevention measures are aimed at reducing severity in risk groups to reduce fatalities,” he said.

For diagnosis, “patients with mild symptoms or those who are asymptomatic need to take only do ATK tests because RT-PCR has a high cost and cannot be done at every place. Only people in risk groups need to be tested with RT-PCR,” he said.

For treatment, “we are not isolating every patient in field hospitals or hospitels as before. Patients with mild symptoms could be treated at home with symptomatic treatment”, he said.

Yong added that only people at high risk need to undergo quarantine for 10 days, with ATK tests on the third and seventh days. “They will be able to work if test results were negative. However, they still need to strictly take care of themselves for five to seven more days,” he said in the post.

Low-risk people could report for work, but they have to protect themselves and monitor their symptoms for seven days, he suggested.

Yong concluded that the measures will always change, according to the situation at that time.

Published : March 02, 2022

By : THE NATION