Mysuru: Winter is here and with the cold weather, comes along an array of health issues. However, some simple mantras can help us fight these issues with ease. Dr Sathish Kumar MG from Columbia Asia Hospital, Mysuru Consultant Internal Medicine says that washing hand thoroughly can help keep the immune system strong and hence that must be made a routine. This apart, one must cover mouth and nose to avoid dust, drink more fluids and follow a healthy diet to stay healthy.
“December is here and winter has arrived, along with it comes seasonal flu, colds and other ailments. It’s a myth where many people believe that cold is caught by not keeping yourself warm during winter or being exposed to chilling weather. Cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract when the virus particles are inhaled. The common cold is spread through infected person’s sneeze, speech and from loose particles from the nose while wiping. The virus can be spread by touching surfaces contaminated with respiratory secretions” added Dr.Satish Kumar
Five common health problems in winter, prevention and care
A sore throat: Painful, scratchy or dryness in the throat which later leads to pain are some of the most common symptoms of a sore throat. It is mostly caused due to infections and weather circumstances.
Asthma: It is a lung disease, in which inflammation and narrowing of the airways occur. Sneezing, coughing, chest tightening are some of its symptoms. There are two types of asthma, allergic- which is caused due to exposure to an allergy, such as dust, pollen, paint dust, smoke. Non-allergic: Caused by cold, flu, stress or extreme weather.
Painful joints: Orthopedicians say that in cold weather, the human body will conserve more heat, and more blood would be circulated to heart and lungs. So when this happens the arms, shoulders, knee joints blood vessels will contract leading to pain.
Flu: Flu also called Influenza, which is a severe illness caused due to contagious respiratory viruses. The symptoms vary from mild to severe which at times can result in hospitalization and rarely death. Usually, young kids or older people whose immune systems are weak and are often targeted to flu.
Heart attack: Elderly people are more at risk due to drop in body temperature (hypothermia) in the colder months. The heart is affected by increased heart rate and blood pressure, where the heart needs to function harder to keep the body warm. These changes increase the risk of blood clots or thickening of the blood vessels which leads to heart attack and stroke.
Prevention and Care
Regular exercise especially such as yoga and swimming is beneficial for the long run. Use of antibiotics and self -medication is to be avoided. Vaccination recommended for elderly, children and people with chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes
