BANGALORE: Bangalore has been recording on an average a difference of 12-14 degrees between the day and night temperatures. This has been happening for quite sometime now.
It was however, not the case a while ago. There wasn’t such a vast differentiation between the night and day temperatures. One of the main reasons for this is, the destruction that has been enforced upon nature and the environment around the city.
This sudden change in the climate is responsible for a number of health problems — difficulty in breathing, rise in asthmatic attacks and asthma cases, increase in upper respiratory infections. The ascending graph of so many respiratory disorders has lent the city its notorious reputation.
Dr Sashidhar Buggi, director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest diseases (RGICD) says, “The sudden changes in the weather conditions cause problems for those with a history of respiratory issues. It makes them more vulnerable and prone to getting the infection. The cold wind during the nights and heat during the hot days becomes detrimental for asthma and bronchitis patients. Not just this, they also become susceptible to other viral disease and
respiratory infections.
Common cough and cold are anyway on the rise and fever also sets in quick enough. This gets prolonged for days, with a nagging temperature. This is what a normal healthy person may suffer during this season. However, patients who are already suffering from existing respiratory disorders, struggle to stay afloat. Their breathing gets disrupted in such varied
climatic condition.
Respiratory disease expert Dr H Parmesh, medical director, Lakeside Hospital echoes the same and says, “The sudden swing in the weather condition triggers wheezing cough and cold disorders among the healthy people as well.”
However, the experts maintain that with certain precautionary measures, these problems can be managed easily. They recommend that such people should take precautions to avoid getting infected. One of the means being to keep a safe distance from those who already have
the infection.
Besides eating healthy, fresh and warm food, bathing in luke warm water and wearing warm clothes during the evening is also very important. Light woolens help in maintaining the body temperature through out the day, there by reducing the chances of getting an infection.