People suffering from asthma often have trouble breathing and chest congestion in cold weather. Apart from cold, increase in pollution also proves to be the trigger for this problem.
While dry winds in the winter season increase dryness of the skin, it also causes respiratory problems. Due to pollution along with cold winds, people suffering from asthma have to face many problems including chest tightness and cough. Difficulty in breathing increases as respiratory problems increase. In such a situation, the symptoms of asthma become severe. With the help of these easy tips, people suffering from asthma get help in avoiding cold (asthma care in winter).
How does winter affect people with asthma?
Dr. Avi Kumar, Senior Consultant, Department of Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital, explains that the airways i.e. bronchial tubes of people suffering from asthma get swollen due to cold winds. Due to inflammation the airways shrink i.e. become narrow. Can’t take more air in than this. Due to this, people suffering from asthma often face difficulty in breathing and chest congestion in cold weather. Apart from cold, increase in pollution also proves to be the trigger for this problem.
According to a research published in PLoS One, research was conducted on a group of people from Finland during the cold season. It was found that 82 percent of people suffering from asthma faced difficulty in breathing during the winter season. According to scientific reports, cold weather increases respiratory symptoms and functional disability. Due to this, the number of patients suffering from asthma and allergic rhinitis starts increasing. According to the report, 7 percent of women suffering from asthma and allergic rhinitis saw worsening of symptoms of health problems in winter.
These tips will help in controlling asthma in winter
1. Drink plenty of water
Respiratory infections can be avoided by consuming extra fluids in winter. This helps in thinning the mucus accumulated in the lungs and makes it easier to remove it from the body. To keep the body warm, consume healthy and hot beverages. Apart from this, drinking lukewarm water can prevent the growth of bacteria in the throat.
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2. Consume Vitamin C
To avoid respiratory problems during winter season, consume orange, kinnow, lemon and seasonal fruits. This provides the body with Vitamin C. The amount of antioxidants present in them helps in reducing the increasing oxidative stress in the body.
According to the National Library of Medicine, vitamin C helps reduce oxidative stress in the lungs. Also, asthma attack can be avoided. Vitamin C deficiency is proven to be the cause of pulmonary dysfunction. According to the report of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, include raspberries, amla and guava in your diet to avoid COPD.
3. Avoid going out
To keep the body warm, cover the nose, mouth and head. Also, to protect yourself from cold and pollution, stay indoors and go out of the house only after the temperature becomes normal. With this, increasing stiffness, pain and chest congestion can be avoided.
4. Use a humidifier
Even if you are at home, use a humidifier to reduce the severity of asthma symptoms. Actually, indoor pollutants prevent cough, sneeze and respiratory problems. With its use, the airways remain moisturized, thereby preventing respiratory problems.
5. Avoid baking on fire
Smoke, dust, soil and pollution prove to be the reason for increasing the symptoms of asthma. In fact, the smoke generated by cooking fire increases the level of irritants in the airways. In such a situation, sit at a distance from the bonfire. To keep the body warm, take the help of warm clothes instead of bonfire.
6. Take care of hand hygiene
Maintain hand hygiene to avoid cold and flu viruses. Otherwise one has to face chest congestion. Difficulty in breathing increases as the amount of mucus increases. To reduce the risk of problems like asthma and sinus, wash hands after coming from outside.
7. Avoid wearing too hairy clothes
Too warm clothes also increase allergies, which increases difficulty in breathing. To avoid asthma symptoms, stay away from hairy clothes. Due to this, the fibers enter the throat and cause infection and the problem of cough increases. Select clothes as per requirement to protect the body from cold.
