Where winters bring in the joy of Christmas and the excitement of new year it surely has got a lot more in the bag. Some of us might like to enjoy a hot cup of tea in that mild winter sun and get in those bulky blankets for an afternoon nap. As soon as chilli winters knock upon the doors, it is also the call for various health issues and conditions such as common cold, flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, allergies, diarrhea and many more. Some must love the winter season but the health problems related to this season can be a little serious at times. Combating these problems and preventing them is really important but can be tricky at times but can be done easily by taking some simple measures. Where this winter season is full of joy and beauty for some it can be really problematic for others. As said, we should embrace all the changes that come our way and should embrace it well. Let's get on the joyous ride this winter season and learn about some of the common winter health problems along with ways to prevent them with Dr. Gaurangi Shah, Consultant- General Medicine at P.D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC, Mahim, Mumbai.
Common Winter Problems
Where cold, flu, allergies along with cold sores and asthma are some of the problems that can commonly be observed amongst people as soon as the winter season kicks in. It becomes really important to prevent these issues and to tackle them at an early stage in order to avoid any kind of discomfort. Here we have listed down some of the most common winter issues along with their solutions, but first let us see what Dr. Gaurangi Shah has to say about this- "Along with common cold, flu, allergies there are other health issues that can be observed in people with underlying lung diseases such as bronchial asthma or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). These diseases tend to exaggerate over time during the winter season. These people need aggressive treatment and as we know that covid has brought in so many things such as the use of masks which wouldn't allow the allergens to enter your system. This helps in protecting us from the acute infection from getting exaggerated into a disease. Everyone should adopt a habit to keep their airways clean with the help of regular breathing exercises or pranayam or with the help of steam inhalation gargle. It Is important to keep your nose and airways clean as far as possible so that you do not end up with respiratory symptoms."
Let us take a step ahead and learn about some of the common winter issues and their solutions.
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#1. Flu
Where the winter season is commonly known as the flu season, these flies tend to spread at a rapid speed through air in winters which might make your immune system slow down a bit. As the air outdoors is less humid in this season l, the virus tends to live indoors and it becomes easier for it to get into people's system through the air passage or to land onto their eyes.
In order to save yourself from the flu in winter seasons make sure that you strengthen the immune system by consuming a balanced and nutritious diet along with regular exercise and keeping yourself hydrated.
Also Read: How to Differentiate Between COVID, Seasonal Flu And Swine Flu? Doctor Explains
#2. Joint Pain
If you are someone who has gone through a fraction, ligament tear or any kind of joint pain, then winters can be quite painful for you. As the temperature drops, the joint pain tends to increase along with the increased pain in past injuries. A drastic fall in temperature tends to trigger joint pain in arthritis patients which event leads to immobility in some cases.
The best way to stay away from this unbearable pain is to cover up yourself and to wear warm and heavy clothing during this season. People experiencing joint pain should try to keep themselves as warm and covered as possible during the winter.
#3. Stroke
Where most of upls associate winter with the common cold, seasonal allergies and viral fever, it can be a bit serious and tricky at times. Where there are many health issues that occur during this season, heart stroke or brain stroke caused due to the iccurance if clots can also be commonly observed amongst people. The main reason behind the occurrence of strokes is due to the already existing blood pressure issues. As people tend to ignore the blood pressure problems, the arteries get narrowed down during this season and makes it difficult for the blood to flow freely. This increases the chances of a person to get affected by heart or brain stroke and can also lead to brain Hemorrhage on some cases where the blood pressure suddenly shoots up.
In order to avoid these life threatening conditions during the winters, one must constantly keep a track of their blood pressure levels and consult a doctor in case some problem is detected.
#4. Asthma
One out of many respiratory issues that occur during winters, asthma is something that is very prevailing during this season. Cold weather tends to trigger asthma attacks as it comes in with many allergens present in the air. These allergies are the main cause of triggering asthma attacks during the chilly winter season and hence protection against them is important.
The best way to avoid and prevent these asthma attacks and to keep yourself healthy is to wear a mask in order to avoid the inhalation of these seasonal allergens. Other than this one must practice various breathing exercises and take support of the steam inhalation gargle technique to keep the air passage clean and keep the respiratory diseases at bay.
Also Read: Inhalers Are Best For Asthma Management, Know Why Doctors Vouch For Them
#5. Sore throat
Where sore throat is a problem that can affect anyone to everyone but people with tonsillitis know the real pain. Where a sore throat can vary from being really normal to being so severe that it can become a hindrance in your daily life activities and cause you a lot of discomfort. That painful throat can make it really difficult for you to eat or drink anything as every time you swallow? Everything tends to hurt. A prickly throat can also be an indicator of vlod virus that can penetrate through the immune system. Where this painful sensation tends to pass off on its own after a few days but in order to ease it down for a whole you can take the support of several remedies for sore throat.
One of the most popular and effective ways of treating a sore throat is to take half a tablespoon of ginger juice and combine both with a teaspoon of honey. Consume this throughout the day in order to soothe your sore throat.
#6. Cold sores
The harsh and cold environment around in the winters doesn't just leave you with dry skin but also gives rise to problems such as cold sores. The harshness of the cold and dry environment leads to these issues whichakes our skin and lips super dry. This issue of dry skin and lips makes it more likely to get infected with herpes virus.
In order to keep these issues at bay it is important to keep yourself well hydrated and vo sume a diet with balanced nutrition.
With inputs from Dr. Gaurangi Shah, Consultant - General Medicine at P.D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC, Mahim, Mumbai