One month after surgery, there is no need to “abstain” from eating and drinking. But there are two new problems you may encounter at this time: shortness of breath and cough. What foods and supplements are available to help with this?
Shortness of breath that can’t be fixed
Some of the lung tissue is removed during surgery, and although the remaining lungs gradually expand to replace the lost tissue, most people still feel “short of breath” at the beginning.
The most important thing to be aware of at this point is the variety of supplements that are available under the banner of “qi supplementation”. “
The most important thing is to be wary of all kinds of health care products under the banner of “qi-supplementation”. “Qi” is not the same as “qi”. It is clear that reduced lung function due to lung surgery does not fall into the category of “qi deficiency” in TCM, so one cannot expect TCM to help much in improving “shortness of breath”. The company’s main goal is to provide a better solution to the problem.
However, to improve lung function, it is more important to exercise yourself. The study showed that starting exercises such as stair climbing, squatting, and brisk walking as early as possible after surgery can significantly improve long-term lung function. And “what to eat” is actually very little help. Some patients abroad have had surgery in the morning, but in the afternoon they carry their own drainage bottles and trot and squat in the hallway, followed by a nurse practitioner to prevent falls. Admittedly, the Chinese are a little less fit than Europe and the United States, but the Chinese do seem to be a little more “delicate” after surgery. The most important thing is to eat less and exercise more.
Combination of Chinese and Western medicine to ease cough
The second hurdle after surgery is coughing. This is the problem that most patients, especially women, are most likely to have. Some patients wake up with a cough in the middle of the night, and then their throat itches until dawn.
Why don’t you have a cough before surgery, but instead you have one after surgery? This is mainly due to the change in the structure of the airway. The air originally entered the trachea and went into the upper and lower lungs separately. Now there is only one lung lobe and the corresponding bronchial structure has changed, so the impact of the airflow on the tracheal wall is increased, causing an unrestrained cough.
This cough usually clears up within 3 months, but there are things you can do to improve your quality of life. You can use Chinese medicine to reduce phlegm and stop coughing, such as herbs containing Chuanbei and loquat, which reduce the sensitivity of the lung bronchi and have a relatively milder effect than Western medicine. If the effect of traditional Chinese medicine is not obvious, it can also be used with some western medicines, such as cough syrup and codeine tablets, which can be taken for a short period of time. Considering the possibility of drug dependence, long-term application is not recommended.
Dietarily, eat less irritating foods (e.g. chili, pepper, etc.). On the one hand, this can relieve the edema of the pharynx after a prolonged cough, and on the other hand, it can reduce respiratory secretions and relieve the cough.
Co-reviewed by Dr. Dong Song Dr. Xia Jin, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong Province, China
Co-authors: Dr. Wang Xing, Peking University Cancer Hospital