Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder is a group of lung diseases that make it harder for patients to breathe. And the weather can significantly impact the symptoms of the COPD experienced by the patients to the point that most COPD patients can predict the weather based on their breathing conditions alone. Especially, the humidity levels around can worsen the COPD symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.
But what is humidity? How does it impact your ability to breathe and how can you cut-down the worsening of the COPD symptoms due to humidity? Read on to know:
What is humidity? How does it affect COPD patients?
Humidity is the amount of water vapour held in the air. Being the gaseous state, water vapour is invisible and transparent so can you can’t actually see it but you will feel its effects.
Higher humidity reduces the rate of evaporation of the moisture from our skin which is the natural cooling process our body. The body has to expend more energy to stay cool i.e. more oxygen. But as water vapour content increases in air, that total oxygen we draw for each breath decreases make us feel short of breath at times.
- The air we breathe becomes dense creating more resistance to the airflow in the airways, demanding an increased effort to breathe.
- The prevalence of airborne allergens, dust mites, mold which can further aggravate the airways irritating lungs to prompt wheezing and excessive coughing.
All the above changes caused by the change in humidity levels tax the respiratory system of the COPD patients exacerbating their symptoms. However, by taking below precautions, COPD patients can reduce the negative impact of humidity on their symptoms, says the lung specialists. Read on to know them:
Know the Humidity Levels:
Higher temperatures and humidity levels are one dangerous combination that can make breathing difficult for COPD patients. So keeping an eye on the temperature and humidity levels can help you plan your activities beforehand.
High Humidity Levels? Stay Indoors:
Outdoor activities especially the physical ones, can further exacerbate your symptoms. Limit, if possible avoid your outdoor activity when the humidity levels are high.
Increase your Water Intake:
Higher humidity levels and higher temperatures can further make your body lose fluid in the form of sweat causing dehydration. Make sure you hydrate yourself at regular intervals.
Get rid of COPD Triggers:
While you limit your outdoor exposure it is important to make indoors safe from COPD triggers like irritants, dust mites and mold. Identify the problematic areas which harbour these COPD triggers and get rid of them as soon as possible.
Following the above tips to the tee, can significantly reduce the impact of the humidity on the COPD symptoms. In case the exacerbation of the symptoms doesn’t subside, it is possible that there are other factors in play that can be solved by an expert lung specialist. If you reside in and around Hyderabad, Dr. Gokhale is the best lung surgeon in Hyderabad who can help you get rid of all your COPD symptoms. You can contact him here: http://blog.drgokhale.com/
