2024-04-08 01:30:32
Incheon Himchan Hospital “It is advisable to wear a mask when going out, including the elderly.”
Spring is a painful season for people with weak respiratory systems as pollen as well as yellow dust flies around.
In particular, during the spring season when daily temperature differences are large and the atmosphere is dry, the body adapts to seasonal changes, immune system declines and respiratory mucous membranes weaken, increasing the number of people suffering from respiratory diseases such as colds, allergic rhinitis, and asthma.
Looking at actual statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients who visited hospitals for allergic rhinitis in 2022 was about 732,000 and about 765,000 in February and March, but exceeded about 1 million in April, an increase compared to March. increased by more than 35%.
Additionally, the number of patients visiting hospitals with asthma during this period also increased by about 8.2%, from about 149,000 in March to about 161,000 in April.
Ryu Hye-seung, director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Incheon Himchan General Hospital, said, “Fine dust and yellow dust, which frequently occur in spring, have small particles and are not filtered out by the nasal mucosa and airway and penetrate deep into the lungs, causing coughing, difficulty breathing, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory problems. “It can cause disease,” he said. “It is advisable for the elderly, infants, those with weakened immune systems, and chronic respiratory patients to wear masks when going out.”
◇Allergic rhinitis, pay attention to your surroundings
In spring, it is easy to suffer from allergic rhinitis, which causes inflammation of the nasal mucosa due to allergens such as pollen, fine dust, and house dust.
Symptoms such as itchy nose or eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion may recur, and may be accompanied by symptoms such as bloodshot eyes, headaches, and loss of sense of smell.
Allergic rhinitis, which is easy to ignore because its symptoms are similar to those of a cold, is highly likely to develop into asthma, sinusitis, and otitis media, so early treatment is important.
It is best to avoid exposure to antigens, but since this is not easy in reality, drug treatment is generally used. Sprays that are sprayed into the nose or oral antihistamines that relieve runny nose and itching are mainly used.
To prevent allergic rhinitis, you must protect your respiratory system by wearing a mask to avoid exposure to various allergens. It is also advisable to frequently open windows at home for ventilation and maintain appropriate temperature and humidity.
Also, the drier the nasal mucosa, the more likely it is to cause allergic rhinitis, so it is advisable to replenish moisture in the body by drinking more than 1.5 liters of water a day. If you drink enough water, your nasal mucosa will not be easily irritated and it will help increase your body’s immunity.
◇Beware of allergy to pollen and asthma cough
Yellow dust is most severe in spring. Up to 6 times more dust accumulates in the air, and the amount of dust we inhale is 3 times the normal amount. Yellow dust has a particle size of 1~10?M, fine dust 2.5~10?M, and ultrafine dust. is less than 2.5?M.
When spring pollen is combined with yellow dust, fine dust and heavy metals, it acts as a factor that causes stronger allergies and can also cause asthma.
Asthma is a disease that occurs when the bronchi in the lungs become inflamed and the airways narrow. Because a runny nose, stuffy nose, paroxysmal cough, and chest pain occur during seasonal changes, it is easy to mistake it for a cold.
Typical symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing sounds when breathing, difficulty breathing, and tightness in the chest, which are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
If a family member has asthma, your risk of developing it increases. Environmental factors include allergens (pollen, house dust, pets, mold, etc.), air pollution, and smoking.
You must be careful because if your asthma is left untreated, it can suddenly worsen and cause an asthma attack, causing you to cough and have difficulty breathing.
Diagnosis is made through lung function tests or bronchial provocation tests, and if asthma is confirmed, drug treatment is administered first. In the treatment of asthma, symptom relievers that relieve narrowed bronchi in a short period of time and disease control agents that prevent asthma attacks by suppressing allergic inflammation are mainly used.
“Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that cannot be completely cured, so consistent management is important,” said Ryu Hye-seung, director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Incheon Himchan General Hospital. “With consistent treatment and management, you can live without major problems, but sometimes treatment is stopped just because symptoms have improved.” “The airway is chronically narrowed or blocked, which can often lead to respiratory attacks or airway inflammation,” he explained.
[인천=뉴시스]
2024-04-08 01:30:32