How proning helped this 82-year-old Gorakhpur woman beat COVID-19
Octogenarian Vidya Devi from Gorakhpur beat the coronavirus by using the proning method, which helped her increase the oxygen levels to 94 from 79.
Recently, while doctors are strongly asking people to double mask to help lower the COVID-19 spread, other preventive methods such as "proning" are also advised to keep the oxygen saturation level high amidst a severe oxygen crisis.
Proning is a method where the patient lies on the bed stomach down, which is said to raise the oxygen saturation levels in the blood.
Using this method, an octogenarian named Vidya Devi from Alinagar, Gorakhpur, improved her breathing. With the support of her son Shyam, she won the battle against COVID-19 in a span of 12 days.
Vidya Devi’s oxygen saturation had dropped to 79. Her second son Hari Mohan was monitoring her health in her room, and within four days, brought her oxygen levels to 94 with the use of proning.
“While being infected, one day her oxygen levels reached 79. Everyone in the family got worried. Despite this, we did not give up. We asked her to sleep in the prone position with her stomach down towards the bed. Gradually, the situation improved and the oxygen level rose to 94 in four days. She is now fully healthy and her oxygen level is 97 these days,” Hari Mohan, told News 18.
He added that despite all the family members being tested positive, they never lost hope. They took the necessary precautions and medicines, and now the entire family has recovered from the disease, according to India.com.
Lying on the chest helps the body get air into all parts of the lungs. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health had shared a step-by-step guide for proning.
Proning is an effective method to increase the oxygen levels of patients whose levels are dropping. In fact, in these trying times, when there is an acute shortage of beds and oxygen cylinders in many parts of India, this medically accepted method can help bring back the oxygen levels in the patient.
Edited by Suman Singh