Neurological Patients Should Be More Sensitive To Covid-19!

There is no evidence that the coronavirus alone causes neurological diseases, but it is known to exacerbate and worsen existing neurological diseases.

There is no evidence that the coronavirus alone causes neurological diseases, but it is known to exacerbate and worsen existing neurological diseases. Expressing that Covid-19 worsens diseases such as epilepsy, ALS and Parkinson's, experts state that individuals with neurological diseases should show extra sensitivity apart from the sensitivity developed by the society. Experts recommend that elderly patients, especially, do not interfere with their exercise, nutrition and doctor controls, even from a distance.

Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital Neurology Specialist Dr. Celal Salçini evaluated the effects of Covid-19 on neurological diseases.

Neurological effect alone is not clear yet

Stating that Covid-19 is one of the new diseases, Neurology Specialist Dr. Celal Salçini said, “Therefore, although we seem to have information, the neurological effects of the disease are not yet clear. But now we know that it causes odor loss, causing medical tongue anosmia. Anosmia actually means loss of smell and entered the diagnostic criteria. Therefore, patients are asked whether there is a loss of smell. "There are studies about which diseases it causes and triggers, but we cannot say that Covid-19 alone causes a neurological disease."

Elderly patients are important

Stating that neurological diseases should be evaluated in a wide range, Dr. Salçini said, “In this wide spectrum, neurology covers all kinds of diseases, from muscle diseases to lumbar hernia or numbness in the hand and arm. Therefore, our main problem is that it affects neurological diseases, which are chronic, elderly, in need of care, general condition, and generally have problems including internal medicine. It can disrupt the general condition in patients with pneumonia-like diseases ”.

Covid-19 affects ALS disease badly

Noting that Covid-19 worsens diseases such as breathing, respiratory weakness or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) very quickly, Dr. Celal Salçini continued his words as follows:

“Because these diseases are in the groups that we call muscle disease, muscle disease or muscle junction disease. Since the muscle power capacity is low in these patients and the respiratory muscles are affected, there is no need for pneumonia caused by Covid-19, influenza or swine flu pneumonia can also be adversely affected by any pneumonia. Therefore, we see the same situation in Covid-19 and we can say that it quickly worsens patients. We know that coronavirus is a disease with two presentations. At first, pneumonia affects chronic patients. This is already an expected process, as the losses are caused by pneumonia due to many chronic diseases. But then there can be events that we call stokin storm that can affect the healthy brain very easily. This is a situation like an allergic reaction and we can lose patients as a result. "

It can worsen existing neurological diseases

Reminding that a 1.5-year-old girl with epilepsy deteriorated and died due to Covid-19, Salçini said, “The coronavirus can exacerbate or worsen many of the existing neurological diseases. It is known to disrupt the general situation and the coronavirus causes brain involvement. We know that this virus worsens epilepsy, dementia and Parkinson's disease. Of course, some of them have deterioration due to the general condition disorder, and in some of them, there is a pathological disorder that may occur when the nerve affects the brain cells. "There are some hypotheses, although we are not entirely sure."

Neurological patients should be more sensitive

Stating that neurological patients need an extra sensitivity apart from the sensitivity developed by the society, Salçini said, “Because most of them are chronic patients, that is, they do not have temporary diseases. Long-term illness and most of our patients are elderly. Most of them use drugs, sometimes multiple drugs are used. Therefore, these patients should take more precautions than normal individuals against the transmission of coronavirus because their general condition is impaired, their livers are tired, they have kidney polymers, and their age is advanced, "he said.

They should pay attention to their exercise and nutrition.

Pointing out that especially elderly neurological patients should pay attention to their exercises, nutrition and doctor follow-up while taking precautions, Salçini said, “We often see that many problems arise when they do not follow the doctor and stay still. End zamAttempts are made to assist patients remotely, via digital platforms or by video chat. In this way, it is ensured that they do not leave the house when they are not needed.