Why are recovered Corona patients experiencing stomach, gut pain? Check how to deal with post-Covid ailment

Covid-19 complications: While fever, severe cough, throat pain and chill are commonly understood to be the prime symptoms of Covid-19, the virus impacts the human body in more ways, including impairing the normal functioning of the gut and stomach. A large number of patients who have either recovered from the disease or suffering from it have experienced gut issues and stomach cramps, according to a report by The Indian Express. Rashi Chowdhary, who is a diabetes educator, in an Instagram video shared that gut issues and stomach problems are being experienced by a large number of patients in their post-Covid-19 phase.

Explaining the probable reason behind the virus attacking the stomach, Chowdhary said that despite Covid-19 being considered primarily a respiratory disease, the infection does impact the gut and stomach functioning. She said that the prime reason behind the problem was the propensity of the virus to latch on to the protein receptors called ACE2 which are present in the maximum number in the gut of the human body.

The entry of the infection in the gut area has serious repercussions as it alters the microbiome of the gut region which might cause inflammation, diarrhoea, indigestion, and abnormal pain while eating. The presence of virus in the gut portion can also cause abdominal pain due to the inflammation of the gut nerves, Chowdhary said. What compounds the problem even more is the fact that the stay of the virus is longer inside the gut portion as compared to the respiratory tract and can take weeks before getting out of the system.

How to strengthen your gut?

The only way suggested by Chowdhary to battle the impact of the deadly virus on the gut is to strengthen the gut microbiota. Here are a few suggestions by Chowdhary to help patients feel better.

1. Removal of all processed food from your diet can go a long way to improve the gut problem. Even though the consumption of fast and processed food is a problem even during normal times, those suffering problems in their gut must avoid processed food at any cost.

2. Consumption of lots of veggies and fruits can also soothe the pain emanating from the inflammation in the gut portion.

3. Drinking an adequate amount of water and fluids is always healthy and can come to the aid of patients suffering from post-Covid ailments. The liquids help remove the toxins from inside the body and can also help supply more oxygen to the organs.