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Asthma and other diseases that could worsen when seasons change

Asthma and other diseases that could worsen when seasons change
Exposed to pollen during pregnancy? Babies can most likely develop asthma © Shutterstock

With winter setting in soon, there will be a host of diseases and conditions that we will need to be wary about including asthma and cold and cough.

Written by Upneet Pansare |Updated : September 17, 2018 8:12 AM IST

Seasonal changes, especially at the onset of winter, could aggravate some medical conditions and diseases. The reasons could be the dry air which irritates our nasal passage, throat and lungs, lack of sunlight and Vitamin D, the rise in smog that leads to a rise in dust and other harmful fine particles in the air etc. Here are some diseases that you will need to be aware of especially if you have a weak immune system:

1) Asthma: In winter, news of rising air pollution and smog especially in cities like Delhi is common. Breathing this air full of smog attacks the lung function by causing inflammation of the protective linings of the lungs thus triggering asthma.

2) Allergy: A number of people complain that they get seasonal allergies. Allergy refers to a hypersensitivity disorder in which the body's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. The allergens include food items eggs and peanuts or drugs, house dust mites, unhygienic places, cold, rain and dust. Seasonal allergy can cause congestion, runny nose, swollen eyes, watery eyes, throat irritation and blocked nose. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is also caused by an allergic response to outdoor or indoor allergens such as pollen, dust mites and leads to runny nose, itchy eyes, congestion, sneezing and sinus pressure.

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3) Pneumonia: This inflammatory condition affects the alveoli (tiny air sacs in the lungs) and may cause it to get filled with fluid or pus which could result in cough with phlegm or pus, high fever, chills and breathing difficulties. Pneumonia is commonly caused due to a viral or bacterial infection.

4) Common cold and cough: Lack of vitamin D can cause our immunity system to weaken. This leads to a favourable atmosphere for viruses to survive in our body. This is why we are more susceptible to cold and cough during winters.