Coronavirus Treatment Evolution – What we now know about how to treat COVID-19
You may be hearing about coronavirus on a daily basis, but do you know what to do in case you develop symptoms? There’s no telling whether you will get mild or severe symptoms when you get infected. Fortunately, we have learned a lot about treatment over the past several months.
Mild Symptoms
If you develop a fever, dry cough, and body aches and think you may have COVID-19, you must stay home. Call your primary care family medicine provider and let them know of your symptoms. Your family medicine provider may recommend that you get tested to make sure you know the cause of your symptoms. Follow your family medicine provider’s instructions to help make your recovery more comfortable. Monitor your symptoms closely.
According to the CDC, people with mild symptoms of coronavirus can recover from home. Take care of yourself and do what you can to be healthy and help your body fight the virus. Rest, eat nutritious food, take your vitamins, hydrate, take a fever reducer, sleep, and do light exercises. Most people with mild symptoms feel better after a week. Most people who get COVID-19 have mild symptoms. As such, there is no need for prescription medication while they recover in most cases.
Moderate to Severe Symptoms
In the case you have severe symptoms, treatment may be necessary. Your family medicine provider may prescribe medications to help with symptoms, but not to treat COVID-19 itself. While the world awaits a vaccine, so far, only one medication has been approved by the FDA to treat COVID-19, and that is Remdesivir. This is only for patients who are hospitalized. A corticosteroid called dexamethasone is also used for patients with severe symptoms who need a ventilator. Convalescent plasma therapy or using the blood of people who recovered from COVID-19 is also used to help reduce the severity of the symptoms and help patients recover. If you have severe symptoms, your family medicine provider will determine which (if any) of these treatments can help you.
If you develop severe symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, a consistently high fever, or if your lips turn blue, go to an emergency room immediately. Remember, only patients with severe and life-threatening symptoms are admitted to the hospital.
The FDA is expediting the development of COVID-19 treatments at this time. In the meantime, mind your hygiene, follow social distancing guidelines, and do what you can to strengthen your immune system.
Family Medicine Provider in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Our primary care providers, Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and Shariffa Gunawardene, ARNP are dedicated to providing personalized care and treatment. They are focused on restoring you to your optimal health. In light of the pandemic, we closely monitor patients who are COVID-19 positive and those who are showing symptoms but have not been tested. We understand that these are scary times, which is why we provide personalized care and support backed by medical science. If you have questions or if you would like to schedule an appointment with a primary care provider, call (561) 434-1935 or use our online request form.
