As winter arrives, the change in the weather can bring a range of health problems. Falling temperatures, drier air, dust and air pollution, and the spread of respiratory germs all raise the risk of illness at this time of year. Children, older people, pregnant women and people with heart disease, diabetes or long-term lung conditions need to take extra care.
Colds, coughs and sore throats: These are caused by a variety of viruses. They spread through droplets from an infected person’s sneezes and coughs and through contact with contaminated hands. Symptoms can include a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache and sometimes fever. The illnesses include the common cold, viral sore throat, influenza and other respiratory infections. Ear infections, sinusitis, worsening asthma and, in some cases, pneumonia can follow.
Get plenty of rest and drink water and other suitable fluids. Lukewarm water can help. A sterile saline spray can be used for a blocked nose. A little honey may ease a cough in anyone over a year old, but honey must not be given to a child under one. Do not take antibiotics without a doctor’s advice.
Asthma and breathing difficulty: Cold air, dust, smoke, allergies and respiratory infections can make asthma worse. Symptoms include wheezing, a tight chest, coughing and difficulty breathing. They can come from asthma, a flare-up of long-term lung disease or breathing problems caused by infection. Severe breathlessness, low blood oxygen and the need for hospital treatment can follow.
Avoid smoke and dust, keep rooms well ventilated and use any prescribed inhaler as your doctor directs. Breathing steam from a pot of hot water can be dangerous. If breathing becomes very difficult, seek emergency care rather than waiting on home remedies.
Itching and chapped lips: Dry air, very hot baths, harsh soap and poor skin care can cause itching and cracked lips. Signs include rough, itchy skin, red patches, split lips and small cracks in the skin. Scratching too much can lead to sores and infection. Take short baths in lukewarm water and apply an unscented moisturiser straight afterwards. Petroleum jelly can be used on the lips. Try not to scratch. See a doctor if a sore shows pus, turns very red or does not clear up.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report