Prevention plays a clear role in keeping your lungs healthy and, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, that has never been more true.
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus that can affect the lungs, which may impact your ability to breathe normally and, in some cases, even cause lasting breathing problems after recovery.
“Infections like COVID-19 come predominantly through the airways,” said Wellstar Pulmonologist Dr. Hitendra Patel, explaining how the virus often enters the body.
Within the first days of infection, COVID-19 starts attacking cells in the respiratory system. In fact, the American Lung Association reported that the lungs are the first organ affected by the virus.
Being infected with COVID-19 can lead to shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and cough — symptoms which can appear suddenly and be severe.
“It’s important people do everything in their power to protect their lung health,” Dr. Patel urged. “This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic and as variants emerge.”
While the world continues to work together to control COVID-19, there are ways you can be proactive and protect your lungs.
Protect Your Lung Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on November 11, 2021
Last updated 03:03 PM December 30, 2021
It’s important people do everything in their power to protect their lung health. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic and as variants emerge.
- Dr. Hitendra Patel
Wellstar Pulmonologist
Ways to keep your lungs strong
Take these steps to help you and your lungs stay healthy:
- Stick it to COVID. COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 infection. Visit a local retail pharmacy or visit vaccines.gov to find a shot. Now, booster shots are recommended for people ages 18 and older. Young adults 16 and 17 may also receive the booster shot, as well. Learn more about booster shots.
- Schedule a wellness check-up. Your primary care provider can help you stay ahead of potential lung problems and provide preventative lung screenings.
- Don’t skip the specialist. Don’t put off care for chronic conditions, such as asthma and COPD. Your primary care physician can refer you to a pulmonologist or other specialist, if needed.
- Say no to smoking. Smoking cigarettes, vaping or any other tobacco use increases your risk of developing lung cancer. Quitting has major benefits for both your overall and lung health.
- Eat a balanced diet. Create healthier eating habits, such as filling half your plate with veggies, to promote better nutrition.
- Create an exercise routine. Regular physical activity can help keep your lungs in shape, even if you are recovering from a COVID-19 infection. “For those who have had COVID-19 and are focused on lung recovery, it’s vital to get back into an exercise regimen and pattern,” Dr. Patel said. “Stay active and use your lungs to the best of your ability. Also, be sure to see a pulmonary physician if you have any concerns.”
- Stay grounded. Find ways to prioritize your emotional and mental well-being, whether it’s meditating or simply taking an evening walk.
- Catch some Z’s. Keeping a consistent and restful sleep schedule can have a positive effect on your overall well-being, including lung health.
Learn more tips to keep your lungs healthy.
Breathing tips to combat stress
Many people have been feeling a heightened level of anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following rhythmic breathing patterns, such as the “4-7-8” method, may help bring a sense of peace.
According to Dr. Patel, “4-7-8 breathing” can be helpful to calm the body, relieve anxiety and promote restful sleep. Simply inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds and then exhale for eight seconds.
In addition, practicing yoga and meditation can help relieve everyday stress. You can also follow our tips to take care of your mental health, or reach out to your provider for additional support.
Don’t wait to take control of your lung health. Schedule a wellness check-up with your primary care provider today.
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Highlights
Lung Biopsy Technology at Wellstar Reduces Complications, Speeds Up Treatment
Innovative technology at Wellstar is offering patients a minimally invasive option for lung biopsies, reducing complications and helping expedite lung cancer treatment.
The Ion system is a robotic-assisted platform for performing lung biopsies. If a lung cancer screening or any other CT scan shows a suspicious nodule, providers will need to perform a biopsy to determine if the patient has lung cancer and how to proceed with care.
“Those nodules may not be cancer, but in certain situations we still need to know what it is,” said Wellstar Pulmonologist Dr. Timothy Udoji. “The Ion technology helps us biopsy those nodules to get an answer so that additional workup can be done immediately. If it is cancer, we want to catch it at an early stage.”
The system uses a three-dimensional spatial recognition technology that helps guide a catheter down the airway, deep into the lung, all the way to small nodules where biopsies can be performed. The robotic catheter maintains its shape and stability throughout the biopsy process significantly improving diagnostic yield compared to other modalities.
“The better the image and the more certainty we have of the spatial location of the catheter, the better we can avoid complications by making sure we are not too close to a blood vessel or the edge of the lung,” said Wellstar Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Daniel Fortes.
During the biopsy, providers can also use the Ion system to mark an area in the lung, making it easier to find later during surgery.
“If something is very small and hard to find in surgery, Ion can be used to mark that area with dye, or contrast, that allows us to find it in surgery,” Dr. Fortes said. “With this technology added to the surgical robotic system in the operating room, we can better identify those lesions and remove smaller portions of lung, also called segments.”
Technology to help provide peace of mind
The Ion system also has further reach than previous technologies and is able to more easily biopsy nodules in the peripheral areas of the lung. For many cancer patients, this will allow them to initiate care earlier and improve their outcomes, as well as give them peace of mind during the treatment process.
“Mental health impacts physical health. We are able to confidently biopsy and identify these nodules and that means a lot for our patients,” Dr. Udoji said. “Now, with this new technology we are able to get a biopsy done much earlier which has huge outcome implications for malignant nodules.”
At Wellstar, cancer care is tailored for each patient. In the Wellstar STAT Clinic for Lung Cancer, patients meet with multiple specialists at once to discuss their care options and create a personalized treatment plan. Specialists in the STAT Clinics, which are located at Wellstar Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone Regional, North Fulton and Paulding medical centers, work with patients to determine the optimal course of treatment and will talk with patients and families about biopsy options, including the Ion system. The STAT Clinics give patients the opportunity to have their diagnoses managed right away, and literature shows that the clinics’ diagnostic and treatment model improves outcomes for patients.
The Ion system is currently in use at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, where the team has completed 500 procedures. Learn more about lung cancer care at wellstar.org/lungcancer.
Newsroom
Wellstar Experts Demonstrate the Latest Robotic Technologies Used in Lung Cancer Care
Only 3.8% of those at high risk for cancer in Georgia are screened, according to the American Lung Association’s 2023 State of Lung Cancer report. To help enhance awareness and share the latest robotic technologies with healthcare professionals and community members, Wellstar held a Lung Cancer Showcase February 21 at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest in Cobb County. The event was held in a mobile laboratory with mock operating rooms and robotic surgical systems.
During the event, attended by several medical experts, Dr. Theolyn Price, Wellstar thoracic surgeon, and Dr. Timothy Udoji, Wellstar interventional pulmonologist, demonstrated how they use the Ion robotic bronchoscopy and da Vinci Xi surgical robotic system consecutively under a single anesthesia event to locate, biopsy and treat patients with early-stage lung cancer.
As she demonstrated how to control the da Vinci robot’s spider-like arms to perform surgeries, Dr. Price said, “See how I can use this clutch to move my arms up and down?” From there, she explained in detail how she cut away the cancerous tissue.
Dr. Udoji told participants how he uses the Ion robotic navigation bronchoscopy system to perform biopsies on potentially cancerous lung tissue, “This blue line shows exactly the pathway leading to the nodule inside the patient’s lung.”
The Ion robotic bronchoscopy system has safety features that ensure the instrument does not cause complications in other parts of the lung. Physicians can navigate and biopsy nodules in almost any part of the lungs.
Surgery is just one part of the treatment journey for some patients. Wellstar oncology nurse navigator Pam Plasket said, “We are dedicated to removing barriers to care and treatment. We promptly schedule appointments, connect patients to financial assistance and social support resources, and address transportation, housing and food insecurity needs.”
Wellstar nurse navigators know that shortening the journey for the patient is key and provides personalized care. At the Wellstar Specialty Teams and Treatments (STAT) Clinic, the goal is to move lung and esophageal cancer patients from diagnosis to initiating treatment within 14 days, which is facilitated by the multidisciplinary team of experts individualizing their care.
“It’s a privilege to help them. They have all my contact information and can reach out to me, and so can their caregivers,” Plasket said.
In addition to nurse navigators, several other teams were present to share information, including genetics, screening and lung cancer care. At Wellstar, patients have access to a suite of integrated services encompassing incidental lung nodule management, dedicated lung cancer screening and multidisciplinary lung cancer clinics (STAT Clinics).
Dr. Bill Mayfield, medical director of the Wellstar incidental lung nodule and lung cancer screening programs, explained, “Our goal is to broaden Wellstar’s ability to find lung cancers early and save more lives.” Additionally, patients with lung nodules not diagnosed with cancer but at high risk are monitored through regular lung cancer screening CTs or serial chest CTs if they do not qualify for lung cancer screenings.
Showcasing technologies and sharing the strengths of a comprehensive lung cancer program is just one step the team takes to enhance awareness of this unique and special program, available to all patients, from early detection to advanced treatment. Lung Cancer Awareness Month is held in November, but the team continues to increase outreach efforts year-round to build connections with consumers and educate the communities we serve.
You may learn more about the Ion robotic bronchoscopy and da Vinci Xi surgical systems online and read about our expert approach to comprehensive lung cancer at wellstar.org/lungcancer.
Left photo: Pam Plasket, Wellstar oncology nurse navigator, speaks with participants at the recent Lung Cancer Showcase. Right photo: Dr. Theolyn Price, Wellstar thoracic surgeon, explains how she uses the da Vinci robotic system to perform lung surgeries.
Highlights
Accessing COVID-19 Medications with Wellstar
If you test positive for COVID-19 and are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, your Wellstar care team can help you get back to feeling better with Paxlovid.
Paxlovid is an antiviral medication that can be prescribed to patients who are 12 or older and weigh at least 88 pounds. It’s best to start the medication as soon as possible, and you must begin taking it within five days of your first symptoms. Paxlovid is a pill you can take at home.
Read the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s fact sheet about Paxlovid.
Where to get care
If you are feeling sick, you have several options for care. Learn more about the types of care available at Wellstar and what is right for your health needs.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 with a home test and have mild symptoms, you can speak with a provider using WellstarON, our virtual urgent care service. The WellstarON provider will evaluate your symptoms and work with you on a personalized care plan, including a prescription for Paxlovid if appropriate.
Patients who have tested positive with a home test can also call their Wellstar primary care provider about a Paxlovid prescription or visit a retail pharmacy to be assessed by a pharmacist.
Wellstar retail pharmacies and many other pharmacy locations can fill Paxlovid prescriptions. Your Wellstar provider can send your prescription to your local pharmacy.
Find a location that offers COVID-19 testing and treatment. At these locations, patients are either tested on site or can bring in a positive test result from another testing site or an at-home test. Eligible patients will receive a prescription and can have that prescription filled on site.
Getting vaccinated
As new variants of COVID-19 emerge, it’s important to remain vigilant. You can do your part to “stick it to COVID” and keep yourself and the community safe by getting vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccine is available at a Georgia Department of Public Health location or your local retail pharmacy. Find a vaccination site near you.