Areeba Hussain, Author at Spark Health MD

Common Heart Burn Medicines Linked with Dementia in Older Adults

Dementia is a progressive brain disease that can be caused due to a number of factors. It is a non-curable group of disease and many elements can be a trigger factor for it. Mostly seen in the elderly, this disease can lead to memory loss and permanent brain damage.

A team of researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden who conducted a study on heartburn medicine has warned that prolonged use of Nexium, a popular name for the drug omeprazole can have a negative impact on the central nervous system.

The Journal of Alzheimer’s and Dementia published the findings of this study.

According to the study, the formation of acetylcholine, which functions as a neurotransmitter in the body is inhibited by proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used in the treatment of heartburn.

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A researcher from the Department of Neurobiology at the Karolinska Institute said that Alzheimer’s and dementia cannot be treated, the best thing to do is to prevent these diseases.

Acid is transported from the mucus-forming cells by pumps. These pumps are made nonfunctional by PPI drugs which include heartburn medicines like Zantac and Nexium that result in tissue damage due to the reduction of acid.

The studies conducted previously highlighted the link between PPI drugs and dementia but the reason was unclear. In this recent research, six variations of PPI drugs were analyzed using 3D computer simulations.

Neurotransmitters conduct signals among nerve cells only when the adequate amount of enzyme to metabolize it is produced in the body. The outcome of this research showed that the PPI drugs were involved in decreasing the amount of enzyme by binding to it due to which it was not effective.

Some heartburn drugs showed higher affinity to the enzyme which include Nexium, Prilosec, and Losec containing the active ingredient omeprazole and Pariet which has the active ingredient rabeprazole. Some drugs showed lower affinity including Protonix and Prevacid which contain the active ingredients pantoprazole and lansoprazole respectively.

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Taher Darreh-Shori said that more clinical trials need to be done but meanwhile excessive use of heartburn drugs should be prohibited especially among older people and dementia patients.

Acetylcholine is an important motor neurotransmitter of the body and essential for normal brain function. People with other neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in which muscle weakness is a huge factor should avoid taking such drugs as PPIs can be a trigger for such patients.

Doctors should prescribe mild drugs to such patients and that too for a short period of time to escape any negative impact.

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However, Darreh-Shori mentioned that the nervous system has a high tolerance for drugs if they are administered moderately over a short time span. He also said that the drugs are safe to use for the elderly as long as they are used in a small amount for some time.

This research concludes that heartburn drugs pose a risk for millions of elderly to develop dementia but safe use of this medicine does not have a negative effect on the brain.

Vitamin D Supplements can Save from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

A new study published in the journal Neurology (online issue) reveals that vitamin D supplements and calcium reduce the risk of Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Ji-Soo Kim, from the Seoul National University College of Medicine, says that this study suggests vertigo patients to use vitamin D supplements and calcium to prevent recurring episodes of vertigo. It is significantly helpful for people who have low Vit D and calcium- shown by low bone density.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a medical condition that shows up as a spinning sensation followed by dizziness. Normally, it results after a sudden change in the position of the head and is the most common form of vertigo in people.

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There is a surgical alternative for extreme cases where the doctor uses a bone plug and somehow blocks the inner part of the ear which induces dizziness. This plug also stops the semicircular canal in the patient’s ear to respond as per the movements of the head. This surgery has an up to a 95% success rate.

It is treatable by changing the head movements to find out which head position triggers it. This way the risk of recurring Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is reduced.

More than 86% of vertigo patients say that their medical condition affects the quality of their life and work performance. Many of them take an off from work due to a recurring episode of vertigo.

This study investigated 957 vertigo patients which received treatment and were healed. The researchers sorted these people into two groups. In group one, the intervention group, 445 people were added. Their vitamin D levels were measured and recorded to be 20 (ng/mL) or low. They were given supplements of vitamin D and calcium, two times a day. People having healthy vitamin D levels were not given these supplements.

The remaining 512 people were added into group two, the observation group. These people were not given any supplements and no record of Vit D and calcium was obtained.

The group which took vitamin D and calcium supplements experienced fewer events of Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo as compared to the other, observation group.

It appears that taking these two vital supplements has higher benefits for vertigo patients especially if they are deficient in both these nutrients. The researchers who have worked on this study say that these results are exciting because it will allow doctors to plan a customized treatment plan for every patient, based on his calcium and vitamin D levels.

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Using the supplements along with the medications and controlling tips can make the treatment of vertigo easy, inexpensive, and affordable for everyone.

The only limitation to this study is that not all participants were able to complete the study. Many people missed taking their dosage and some of them were dropped from the observation group. Still, it has given an insight that this approach may be helpful to reduce the onset of vertigo symptoms which are affecting the quality of life in patients.

Heart Disease Are More Common in Women than Men with Almost No Warning Signs

Heart diseases are more common in women as compared to men in the US where a large number of women live with an underlying heart condition. This is a worrisome situation because unlike men there are no warning signs of these heart diseases in women. It adds additional danger to their health because most women are not even aware of their medical condition.

Despite the large number of deaths caused by heart diseases in women, only a few women report having an underlying heart condition. Many of them don’t even know that they have a heart problem and it is only diagnosed when there is a deadly attack.

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source estimates that one in five deaths in US women is linked with an underlying heart condition. A survey report published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.

This survey reveals that even with the high risk of heart diseases in women, most of them don’t even know that they are at an increased risk of a heart attack.

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In addition to this, the awareness of heart diseases is also limited which explains why most of the women are not informed about their condition. They only know about what they are going through when they experience a heart attack or stroke.

With time, the trend of healthy eating and prioritizing self-care is declining. Despite the popularity of health-boosting products, women are not paying attention to their health and this is common in almost all ethnic groups.

The disinterest in a heart-healthy life and awareness of heart health is making the risk of heart diseases in women worse. despite the popular opinion, heart diseases are now common in younger women too.

The awareness regarding heart diseases is much lesser in some ethnic groups. CDC estimates Black women to be at nearly 60% increased risk of heart attacks as compared to white women. Of course, there are more factors involved in this high risk such as socioeconomic factors including health insurance, healthcare expenditures, cost of medicines, and counseling services.

Heart attack in women is different than a heart attack in men. Feeling discomfort is the same in both men and women but they are also likely to experience other signs that are not typically associated with heart attacks such as dizziness, nausea, or difficulty in breathing.

Women having heart diseases may also experience pain in the back, stomach or arms, cold sweats, vomiting, and jaw pain.

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The survey also reports that most women have no awareness regarding these heart diseases especially in non-Hispanic Black as well as Hispanic women. Based on the findings of this survey, it is clear that minority groups need awareness and education regarding heart diseases.

There are some additional risk factors for women with the risk of heart diseases. These factors include hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, inactive lifestyle, diabetes type 2, smoking, alcohol, or family history of cardiovascular diseases.

Women with or without these risk factors should follow the preventive measures for example, they should be encouraged to follow a heart-friendly lifestyle.

This Diabetes Drug May Treat recurring Miscarriages in Women

A medicine designed for diabetic patients may work on treating recurring miscarriages in women, says the new study from the University of Warwick. It is the first treatment that targets the womb lining and increases the stem cells, thus supports a healthy pregnancy,

The complete study findings are published in the journal “EBioMedicine” and are available online. Click here to read it.

The research carried out at Warwick Medical School is a collaborative study between the institution, University Hospitals Coventry, and Warwickshire. It is further supported by the NIHR Coventry and Warwickshire Clinical Research Facility. The research fund has been granted by Tommy’s National Miscarriage Research Centre.

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Recurring miscarriages mean to experience miscarriage twice or more in a row. The recurring miscarriages reduce the likelihood of healthy pregnancies which is why finding a treatment for recurring miscarriages is such valuable for medical experts.

The previous research explains that a reduced amount of stem cells in the lining of the womb contributes to miscarriages. The new study explained that as stem cells protect decidual cells by tolerating the stress and internal inflammation, in return, decidual cells ensure a healthy pregnancy. These cells are normally located around the implanting embryo-like external protection. When the body is under excessive stress or inflammation, it breaks decidual cells and breaks the womb lining leading to a miscarriage.

The study assumed a new class of diabetic medicine called “gliptins” to be helpful in this regard. It acts by targeting an enzyme that recruits the stem cell circulation in a pregnant mother’s womb. To verify this, the research team studied this enzyme (DPP4) and checked if inhibiting this enzyme through sitagliptin (from class gliptins) improves the womb lining during pregnancy or not.

In the clinical trials of this study, 38 women from ages 18 to 42 were studied. All of them had a history of recurrent miscarriages where most of them had five miscarriages on average.

Each one of them was treated with oral sitagliptin and a placebo continuously for three menstrual cycles. The biopsy samples of their wombs were obtained before and after the completion of this study to find changes in stem cell amounts.

The research team was astonished to see an increase in stem cell count in 68% of women who followed the complete course of diabetic medicine, sitagliptin. On the other side, there was no such change in the placebo group. However, they showed a 50% decrease in their cells inside the womb’ lining. There were noticeable side effects of using sitagliptin.

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This experiment opens a new line of treatment with sitagliptin to treat recurring pregnancies. The research team is hopeful that this drug would show positive results in clinical trials after which, it may become the first-ever, target specific medicine to treat recurring miscarriages.

Stem cells play a unique role in all healthy pregnancies where they strengthen the womb lining and contribute to a healthy pregnancy. When these stem cells are insufficient in the count, it makes womb lining more susceptible to become weak and increases the chance of miscarriage.

If stem cell count is increased by Sitagliptin dose, it may help decidual cells to protect the lining from stress and inflammation. Also, it may become an effective treatment for treating recurring miscarriages in women.

Rich People Sleep Longer and Better Than Poor (NEW CDC Report)

High-paying jobs, businesses, and high-profit companies need more responsible and active people to meet all the requirements which give an assumption that these people experience poor sleep at night. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that rich people sleep longer than poor and their sleep quality is better than others.

The new report initially posted by CNN explains this unique association between sleep regulation and earnings. The results are obtained from surveys conducted for the US population. This data was obtained between 2011 and 2014 and asked questions about sleep hours, quality, and sleeping habits. The results of this survey are now publicly available.

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The survey questioned nearly 140,000 adults US citizens who helped to complete the questionnaire. About 55% of these people were living near or below the poverty line shown by their earnings. These people were able to get the medically prescribed 7-8 hours of sleep.

On the other side, those who were at high paying positions experienced more sleeping hours. Their ‘richness’ was estimated by comparison of their earnings above the poverty line. Reportedly these people were 400% above the poverty parameters. Nearly 66.6% of these people reported enjoying relaxing sleep for the whole night.

The poverty line with reference to the US population is measured by earnings and family size comparison. For example, for a single person it is around $11,670 per year and for a 4-person family, it could be around $23,850.

There was no further research on why rich people sleep longer than the poor people but some evidence suggests that it is linked with the working hours. Most rich people get help in their childcare and house help to proceed with daily activities. Also, they prefer living in homes that are more comfortable and easy to rest; for example, the temperature of their bedroom is set perfectly, their mattresses are super easy, bed linens are always fresh, etc.

But there was no research in what are the outcomes of having these sleeping differences between these two classes of people. Usually, uninterrupted sleep and poor quality of sleep could vastly affect work performance, relationships, and health of a person. Having a public health crisis like the current coronavirus pandemic also affects sleeping patterns majorly. This effect could be the same on the rich as well as poor people.

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The previous studies indicate that a shortage of sleep and sleep deprivation can affect many health problems such as obesity, anxiety, diabetes, and hypertension. Combing all these risks together, these simple-looking problems could end up at something destructive i.e. cancer, heart attack, etc. This way, it affects the quality of life and increases the risk of early death.

This survey report highlights the significance of investigating this matter in detail. If rich people sleep longer than the poor, there could be more than just one factor i.e. working hours. It is necessary to conduct similar studies on a larger population to get a better picture of this situation. Based on results obtained from a larger population, the real reason behind sleeping more despite having more demanding work positions could be explained.

Diagnosing ADHD in Young Children- Do’s and Don’ts Explained

The cases of ADHD have been drastically increased in the last few years but without any diagnostic tool, it is hard to predict who is at risk. Diagnosing ADHD in children is almost impossible as there is no screening test for it, like other diseases. But the health care experts suggest various ways which may help to identify if there is an underlying problem.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder commonly known as ADHD is a chronic condition which shows up as hyperactivity, inability to focus, impulsive behaviour, etc. considering it is possible for healthy individuals to be disinterested, hyperactive, or demotivated too, it is hard to draw a line between ADHD and non-ADHD people.

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The symptoms typically appear in childhood when a child is unable to complete or perform a task like other children of his age. While some children naturally take more time than others or some children are more energetic and quicker than the rest, most parents are unable to understand if their child has ADHD or not.

Diagnosing ADHD in children is a huge problem because most of these young children are likely to have short attention periods and they get excited about every other activity. Sometimes this develops into a habit and remains intact even when they grow up but for other people, they become somewhat ‘stable’ as they age and find distinctive interest areas. Just because one child is different doesn’t always mean that he has ADHD which is why drawing a distinction between typical childhood nature and ADHD symptoms is critical and challenging.

Contrary to popular opinion, a child with ADHD doesn’t show it everywhere. It is possible that his symptoms are triggered only in a certain environment or with certain factors such as classroom setting, examination room, playground, etc. There are multiple factors involved which means there is also a possibility that he may be different at other places i.e. home or with friends.

If a child has an older sibling with ADHD or any other case of ADHD in family, his chances to develop it are increased as compared to those without a family history. In addition to this, early life medical conditions such as premature birth, low birth rate, etc also affect the chances of developing ADHD in children.

Health care experts suggest parents look for common signs which may be linked to ADHD, for example.

Distraction
Mobility
Impulsive responses
Calculative actions
Safety concerns
Attention span
Levels of distraction
Hyperactive behavior

If a child shows all of these or some of these signs, it is better to get a complete medical evaluation from the nearest healthcare provider. Diagnosing ADHD in children is a multi-step process which may include medical exams, language test, response check, and other methods. Based on the behavior of a child, a doctor is able to diagnose if he has ADHD or not.

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Sometimes the doctor asks parents, friends, or relatives to answer questions related to the ADHD suspected child or fill a questionnaire regarding information about his or her’s attitude. Considering how all these people think about the actions of a suspected child helps to evaluate his condition. As mentioned before, it is possible for a child to show these signs only in a specific setting. For that reason, talking to the nearest people around him, other than his parents may be a useful thing.

American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the American Psychiatric Association have developed guidelines on diagnosing ADHD in young kids. These guidelines are available online which may help parents to decide if their child needs medical evaluation and how to manage an ADHD-affected child.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is Not One But Two Different Medical Conditions (New Study)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which is often considered as one disease may be two different medical conditions, according to a new study. Some people are likely to have autoantibodies in their blood whereas other patients lack them, based on these two sub-types it is possible that the outcome of the Rheumatoid arthritis is different in different patients.

The findings of this research are now published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

Dr. Xanthe Matthijssen from the Leiden University Medical Center is the lead researcher and first author of this study. He says that there are high chances that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has two sub-types with patients with or without having autoantibodies.

This disease is common in middle to old age patients. But even with the timely diagnosis and treatment, only a limited number of people respond to the treatment and get better. These people are those having autoantibodies while others, lacking it don’t get any better.

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Autoantibodies are similar to antibodies that the immune system produces. But the autoantibodies are released in case of a defective immune system.

These autoantibodies production causes severe inflammation inside the body and targets healthy body growth. When a person has rheumatoid arthritis (RA), his immune system identifies his healthy joints cells as defective and attack them.

The research from previous years makes it clear that both subtypes of RA have some differences. Based on this evaluation, those who don’t have the RA linked autoantibodies in their blood are called autoantibody-negative RA.

The differences based on RA autoantibodies may put a person to various long-term disabilities, no response to the treatment, and delayed recovery. The researchers analyzed 1,285 patients having RA during 1993 to 2016. Their data was obtained from the Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic study.

The period between these years, the information on their symptoms, response to treatment, and deaths were obtained on annual basis. The study also noted which patient was RA autoantibodies positive and negative.

Out of all these patients, nearly 823 people were autoantibody-positive RA. The other 462 participants were RA autoantibody-negative.

But in those negative and positive groups, the onset of symptoms gradually decreased in passing years. However, the remission rate was significantly increased, without using medicines in the autoantibody-positive patients and wasn’t observed in the autoantibody-negative patients.

This loss of connection between disease activity and the long-term effects in RA patients suggest that the response to treatment of RA in both categories of patients is somewhat different.

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The study authors suggest that it would be the right thing to categorize RA into two sub-types; one with autoantibodies (type 1) and without autoantibodies (type 2).

Most research on RA focuses on the autoantibody-positive patients completely ignoring that there are other patients too for which their proposed suggestions and treatment plans may not work the same way. Research on the autoantibody-negative patients will help medical practitioners to identify new methods and medicines to improve their condition.

Tai Chi to Relieve Coronavirus stress in Home-Ridden People

Any news on coronavirus lockdown end is no way near which is making the home-ridden people stressed even more. The social distancing and anxiety of being home is a serious mental health concern as the medical experts have warned people about it.

Considering the gyms and fitness centers are closed, there is nowhere to go, the only way to alleviate the stress is by following home-based meditating practices. In this regard, yoga, Tai Chi, and many other activities would help to reduce stress and induce a healthier life.

Berit Østerås is a physiotherapist who teaches at NTNU’s Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science. He says that there is sufficient data to suggest that exercise and meditating practices have hidden benefits on mental health.

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She also says that any activity which a person does with a conscious presence improves his attention span, cognition, and focus. The body movements, breathing responses, and focus points all make these activities much more effective than any other thing.

In addition to this, activities like Tai Chi gives a person complete control over himself. It helps him decide better and take better decisions. Østerås says that activities like Thai Chi improve concentration and allow a person to be in his best form. This effect is variable in every person for example, in some people, it helps them to achieve more consciousness.

The good news is that Tai Chi doesn’t require any extra effort or equipment. You don’t even need to assign a room for it. You can do it anywhere, indoor or outdoor, alone or with any family member or even with a friend through a video call. So it is practical and easy to do even if someone is home-ridden during this coronavirus lockdown.

For some people, reregulation of the emotions is responsible for causing stress and depression. So it suggests that reducing the stress is also linked with regulating the emotions and the methods to do it might be different for everyone. Some people like more physical activities such as weight lifting but for others, it might be more of emotional balance.

Tai Chi is an ancient technique that is originated thousands of years ago in China. Today its use is more of relaxing exercises where different body moves are performed really slow along with controlled breathing.

It is also called Tai Chuan and unlike other famous Chinese martial arts, it is non-competitive and more of a self-care plan with gentle moves and stretching. Each of its postures completely merges into the next and there is no pause in between. This non-stop movement ensures a constant motion of the body.

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Tai chi is generally low in impact and it doesn’t put pressure or stress on muscle and joints. It is gentler which makes it safe for everyone and even old age people can also do it. when it is performed correctly, Tai Chi has hidden benefits on human health. It reduces stress and prevents anxiety disorders. It also improves mood, boosts energy, enhances body flexibility, and add muscular strength. And it is not hypothetical, there is scientific evidence to prove all these benefits.

Research published in the JAMA Internal Medicine, explains that all participants of this study who were suffering from anxiety along with a chronic disease were able to relieve stress when they opted Tai Chi for three to twelve weeks. the best effects were observed in patients who spent 30 minutes per day doing Tai Chi.

It suggests that people who are unable to do exercise or are stressed because of coronavirus lockdown should try doing Tai Chi, yoga or any similar relaxing exercise to improve their physical and mental health.

Basic hygiene Practice is the Only Way to Control Coronavirus

Medical experts believe that following a basic hygiene practice is the only way to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Initiated from Wuhan, China this virus has spread to dozens of countries infecting more than 1,000,00 people and 3400 deaths. CDC has shared the guidelines to control the spread of coronavirus that include washing hands properly, covering mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing, avoiding public interaction and contact with an infected patient or surface. However, these guidelines need a little more specification.

It is necessary to know that coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads through droplets that travel in the air. The droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze can travel to a maximum of six feet on the nearest surface and may live up to many days. The World Health Organization shares that it is possible to get coronavirus infection even by touching these infected surfaces where these respiratory droplets settle.

Paul Biddinger is the director of the Emergency Preparedness Research, Evaluation, and Practice Program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He says that coronavirus infection is transmitted when a person sneezes or coughs near a person. This is the simplest explanation of how coronavirus spreads.

He emphasizes practicing good hand hygiene. if a person has an urge to sneeze or cough, instead of covering the face with hands, it is better to sneeze or rough on your elbow.

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Although the basic hygiene practices seem easy and obvious it is necessary to know that they are effective and important. Washing hands with any germicidal soap for at least 20 seconds reduces the chances of catching any virus from surfaces. Biddinger states that most people are careless about their hand hygiene.

It may sound silly that a person is watching a YouTube Video on how to wash hands properly during the coronavirus pandemic. However, knowing how to wash your hands can save you from the virus, he adds.

The hand sanitizers are only helpful if they contain 60% or more content of alcohol, confirms the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, note that hand sanitizer doesn’t work if a person’s hands are dirty and he needs to wash them anyway.

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The importance of washing hands for preventing a disease’s spread is proven by research, for example, a study from 2006 reveals a 16% decrease in respiratory illness by frequently washing hands. Another study from 2008 showed that it contributes to a 21% reduced risk of disease.

The guideline also includes, not to touch the face, eyes, and nose after touching any surface or after contact with a person. It is necessary to know that avoiding face touching helps in controlling the spread as a respiratory virus is much likely to spread through the eyes, nose, and mouth maybe.

COVID-19 After-Effects Make a Woman Go Vegetarian Because of Weird Taste Buds

The 34 years old Pasquale Hester calls her life ‘miserable’ as she can no longer enjoy her favorite food after recovering from coronavirus. Hester is suffering from weird COVID-19 after-effects which have made her unable to eat anything except raw veggies and mild cheese. Anything else that she eats, she feels as if she is eating petrol made food.

This woman was infected with coronavirus in March after which her senses of smell and taste were affected. Much later, the researchers acknowledged these two as common after-effects of COVID-19 but for most people, these senses went back to normal after some time.

In case of Pasquale Hester who works at a child behavior center manager in the UK shares that she has only left with a few dietary choices as she can’t eat anything other than this. Health experts believe she is suffering from a distorted sense which is medically called parosmia which has made her life turned upside down.

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Pasquale shares she never considered being a vegetarian because she loved meat and couldn’t possibly give up on that. But this virus has changed her life leaving her with no choice than to eat veggies only. She expresses that she hasn’t really enjoyed eating in months and now she feels almost hopeless. All her favorite foods are no more enjoyable to her as she can’t eat them.

She experienced a change in her smelling sense and taste buds when the coronavirus first emerged in the UK. But other than these, the only symptom that she experienced was ‘nasal congestion’ which doctors assumed was hay fever and not coronavirus.

After three months, when her tasting sense returned, she noticed that something is terribly wrong as she can no longer eat anything. Everything especially the fried food gives her a pungent chemical-like aroma making her feel as if she is eating or drinking petrol.

She searched online for her the reasoning of her symptoms and eventually reached to a Facebook support group for COVID-19 patients where all of the patients were experiencing similar symptoms after recovering.

After her case has been highlighted, the NHS has added these side effects in official information on COVID-19. Although NHS reports that these senses get back to normal within a few weeks or months, in the case of Pasquale they are not getting better, only going worse every day.

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Pasquale shares that she never thought that her sense of taste is gone forever. After months of the pandemic, when the cases were finally declining and the lockdown was lifted, she thought that her senses are still not coming back. Although she can still smell some foods they don’t smell normal or right as before.

She also narrated how she was near a McDonald’s and the smell of fried food made her lose it. she is unable to feel the real taste of food calling the taste that she feels is paint-like, or petrol like. She is even experiencing toothpaste to be extremely disgusting that she is unable to clean her teeth. She says there is no way that other people can relate to her condition hoping that doctors will be able to help her someday.