Winter Health Issues to Watch Out For

From the oppressive summer humidity, the cool, fresh winter air might be a pleasant change. However, if you don’t pay enough attention, the winter cold can have a disastrous impact on your general health issues. People experience health issues throughout the winter months because of climatic change.

A sudden change in temperature can cause health issues, including arthritis, heart problems, and more. The body’s immune system also deteriorates, necessitating the consumption of a suitable diet in order to retain health.

Let’s discuss the common health issues connected to the winter season:

Flu

Commonly health issues known as influenza, flu is a serious condition brought on by infectious respiratory viruses. The nose, throat, and perhaps the lungs can all get affected by this condition. Typically, influenza tends to attack small children or elderly persons with weakened immune systems. Closing the doors and windows in the winter and preventing sunlight and fresh air from entering the room might cause harmful pathogens to accumulate.

The symptoms range in intensity from minor to severe, and sometimes they can even lead to hospitalization. The flu’s common side effects include the following:

• Fever
• Cold Sweats
• Headache
• Exhaustion
• Aches throughout the body
• Even certain gastrointestinal signs, such as vomiting and diarrhoea.

Get lots of rest, wash your hands regularly, stay away from others who are already sick, and refrain from touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Sore Throat

One of the most typical wintertime illnesses (health issues) is a sore throat, which is brought on by viral infections. A painful throat can be caused by a variety of things, including allergies, airborne dust and dryness, airborne toxins, and throat cancer. One of the most prevalent symptoms of a sore throat is scratchiness or roughness in the throat, which is followed by discomfort.

Common (health issues) sore throat signs and symptoms include:

• Throat pain that is quite uncomfortable
• Puss found on tonsils
• Swollen throat
• Red tonsils

Keep your face covered outside, and put on a scarf to avoid any germs entering your mouth or nose. Gargling with salt water and prescribed antibiotics might provide some comfort if you do develop a sore throat.

Painful Joints

The majority of people with arthritis have joint pain throughout the winter. The onset of winter increases the protective fluid called synovial fluid, which is found in the knee joints and thickens it. As a result, there is a sudden increase in tension, which makes the synovial joints’ motions more rigid.

According to expert orthopaedic physicians, when it’s cold outside, the human body will try to retain more heat and increase blood flow to the heart and lungs. As a result, the discomfort will result from blood vessels in the arms, knee joints, and shoulders contracting. The stress on the nerves that surround the joints is what causes the pain.

The most typical signs of joint pain are:

• Pain in a joint during motion or during rest.
• Limited range of movement.
• Swelling or tenderness at a joint.
• Redness or warmth at a joint.
• Stiffness after inactivity or during activity.

Wear layers of warm clothing to reduce the effect of cold weather on joints. It’s beneficial to your joints to stay active during the winter. Try indoor walking, swimming, and aerobics courses, as these activities are appropriate for colder weather. Taking vitamin D pills is also recommended by medical professionals.

Asthma Attack

The winter months are difficult for those who are sensitive to mites, dust, mildew, or pet dander. These allergens are generally asthma triggers. Respiratory issues worsen in asthma patients who also have flu, cold, or pneumonia. A molecule known as histamine, which our bodies also create when we face an allergic attack, is also produced by the airways when during cold weather. The most typical signs of asthma are:

• Continuous coughing
• Tightness in chest
• Whistle sound when breathing
• Gasping for breath after a little physical activity
• Shortness in breath
• Extreme tiredness

Using a scarf or face warmer to cover your mouth and nose will prevent you from inhaling the chilly, dry air if you have asthma and want to spend time outdoors in the weather.

Heart Attacks

Heart attacks seem to occur more frequently in the winter than at other times of the year. This is because a person with high blood pressure could experience more tension in his or her heart during the chilly winter. A heart that is already working harder than normal to pump blood throughout the body to keep you warm might get overworked by strenuous activity. Atherosclerosis, excessive smoking, poor diet, and obesity are the primary reasons for the increased risk of heart attacks in winter.

The following are typical signs of a heart attack:

• A persistent, pulsing sensation of pressure and tightness in the chest.
• You feel excruciating pain in your neck, arms, jaw, back, and stomach.
• Nausea & lightheadedness.
• Sudden shortness of breath.

If you are to spend a lot of time outside, make sure to wear warm clothing and spend an extra second covering your head and ears from the weather.

Dry & Itchy Skin

As winter approaches, the first sign that you can encounter is dry, itchy skin. Your skin might get dry and dull in the winter due to the cold temperatures and low humidity levels. The causes of itchy skin include dry skin, acne, eczema, lack of natural oil production, and dampness. The most common symptoms are:

• Skin that feels and looks rough.
• Slight to extreme flaking, scaling, or peeling of skin
• Itching (pruritus)
• Deep cracks that may bleed.
• Fine lines or cracks.
• Grey, ashy skin.
• Redness

To maintain the softness of your skin and to drain out impurities, keep in mind that you should drink at least 3-4 litres of water each day. Moisturise your skin rather than leaving it dry, and use warm water instead of very hot water.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the most prevalent illnesses that occur throughout the winter & what you can do to avoid them. You may reduce your risk of becoming sick so that you can have a healthy and pleasant holiday season by adopting healthy behaviours and following safety precautions.

Omni Hospital is the leading multi-speciality medical facility with an expert team of experienced doctors, physicians, and other specialists, providing personalised diagnosis, treatment, and care. When you require immediate medical attention, consult the certified medical professionals at Omni Hospitals for complete support & care.