Is COVID-19 pushing your body towards lockdown?

Life, as we knew it, has changed in various ways since the country went into lockdown on March 25. Those working from home are now juggling assignments and the dishes. Homemakers are labouring twice as hard. Late-night screen time to relax means some of us are waking up late, or not getting enough sleep at all.

Struggling to put together meals, a lot of us are resorting to quick junk food, or skipping them altogether, thanks to back-to-back video calls. The cleaning and the makeshift office set-up on the couch are translating to backaches, stiff necks and swollen ankles. And of course, if all of this wasn't enough, there's that nagging thought at the back of the head: when do we go back to our normal lives?

According to medical website Practo, tele-consultations on their platform have witnessed an average spike of over 100 per cent week-on-week since the lockdown kicked in. While around 53 per cent of GP e-consults were related to the Coronavirus, indigestion, body ache, eye problems and irregular periods are some of the many concerns that they have received.

Specialists tell us what is causing these ailments and how we can tide over the difficult times.

A trying period

One in every three consults that came from women was for gynaecology-related issues, like irregular periods, pregnancy complications, birth control techniques and miscarriage, the Practo report stated. Dr Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist with Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, says, "Irregular eating habits and lack of movement is leading to weight gain, thus creating hormonal imbalance. Stress owing to multiple reasons is increasing cortisol levels, which affects the flow of progesterone and affects the period cycle." She adds that there is a rise in unwanted pregnancy rates, too.
What to do: Try cardio workouts like zumba or aerobics and stick to a diet containing less oil and sugar. Dr Siddhartha also advocates respirating to contraception avoid unwanted pregnancies.

Digest that

Dr Roy Patankar, gastroenterologist and director, Zen Multispeciality Hospital, says he gets four to five patients daily, reporting problems like indigestion, acidity and constipation. "The most common issue right now is gastroesophageal reflux - when acid from the stomach refluxes into the food pipe. There is sour liquid in the mouth, a burning sensation behind the chest and bloating of the upper abdomen. This is caused by spicy food, inadequate activity, lying down immediately after meals and tension." Since vegetables are not available all the time, there is lack of fibre in our diets, leading to constipation, he adds.
What to do: "People are eating raw garlic, onion and lime every day, thinking that these prevent COVID-19. Since we are used to eating these items cooked, it's causing gas and acidity. Take these items in moderation," Dr Patankar advises, adding one should include fibres like oats and muesli in their diet. "Have a glass of water before and after each meal and squeeze in some exercise."

Eye on screen time

"I've seen a sudden surge in stress-related problems that affects the eye. I've encountered at least six patients in the past 20 days for uveitis, which implies inflammation in the middle layer of the eye. The common symptoms are pain, redness and blurring of vision," says Dr Nikhil Sardar, ophthalmologist, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital. Among non-serious problems, people are reporting dryness in the eye - a direct effect of increased screen time, thanks to work from home and surge in social media and OTT platform usage.
What to do: "One can use lubricating eye drops in case of dry eyes. But if irritation persists for over 48 hours, contact your doctor," says Dr Sardar.