Do you also feel sick when the weather changes? (Weather and Health) Let's talk about this!

Do you sometimes feel achy, have a headache, or achy joints ? You've probably heard the elders at home say, "My knees hurt because of the rain today." Is this story true? Or is it just a myth? Today, let's talk about how changes in the weather really affect our health. Recently, even scientists have become very interested in this. Many doctors admit that weather directly affects some illnesses.

Allergies: Is it pollen? Or is it the weather?

We have seen how some people sneeze and have a stuffy nose during the spring, when the trees are in bloom. The reason for this is the pollen floating in the air. People who are allergic to pollen may experience sneezing, a stuffy nose, and difficulty breathing during this time. Sometimes this condition is severe and even requires hospitalization. People like this can control these symptoms by using antihistamines .

However, not everyone gets these symptoms because of pollen. Some people can also get these symptoms due to sudden changes in the weather . This condition, which is caused by sudden changes in temperature or humidity, is called non-allergic rhinitis . If these people get an allergy test, it will show that they are not allergic to anything.

The problem is that the symptoms of both conditions are very similar: stuffy nose, sneezing , and stuffy nose. This is why many people get confused.

Simply put, antihistamines do not help people with non-allergic conditions. Many people buy them from the pharmacy and think, "Why isn't this working?" So, if you have these symptoms, be sure to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis before self-medicating . The doctor will determine if it's a virus, humidity, or a cold, and will give you the most appropriate treatment.

How weather affects asthma sufferers

People with asthma can experience flare-ups for a variety of reasons, with weather being one of the main ones.

Cold weather is especially bad for people who develop exercise-induced asthma. Imagine running fast on a cold day. You breathe faster. The cold air you inhale at this speed doesn't have time to warm up before it enters your body. When this cold air goes directly into your airways, they react and swell. This can aggravate your asthma.

Also, thunderstorms are another problem for asthma sufferers. Due to the high winds, pollen grains at ground level are broken up and collected in the air as very small particles. These small particles easily travel to the lower respiratory tract when inhaled. Therefore, studies have even confirmed that a large number of asthma patients come to hospitals for emergency treatment on days when thunderstorms occur.

Migraine and weather changes

If you have migraines, have you ever noticed that they get worse on some days? Weather changes, such as a sudden drop in barometric pressure, a sudden increase in humidity, or a sudden drop in temperature, can be a major trigger for migraines.

It has also been found that migraines are less common in areas with stable weather. For example, in New York, USA, where the weather changes frequently, doctors have reported that when a migraine sufferer from that area moved to a dry, warm, and stable area like Arizona, his migraines decreased significantly.

So, what do we do about this? Not everyone can move to another country. But there are things we can do.

• Keep a diary: Keep a journal of the days you get migraines and the weather conditions. This will help you understand how changes in the weather affect you.
• Talk to your doctor: If you notice a pattern like this, talk to your doctor and discuss whether you can get pretreatment to control your pain before the weather changes.

Why do joints hurt in cold, wet weather?

This is something we hear all the time. Many adults say, "When it rains, my knees hurt." This is not just a story. When you look at the basic data, you can see that there is a strong correlation between decreasing temperatures and changes in humidity and increasing joint pain .

The best solution to this is to engage in low-impact exercises. For example, things like swimming or cycling . These strengthen the joints. While things like applying a hot water bottle to the affected area may provide temporary relief, the most important thing is to improve the function of the joints in the long run.

How do extreme cold and heat affect the heart?

This is something we all need to be very careful about. Extreme cold and extreme heat are very dangerous conditions for people with heart disease.

Extreme cold

People with heart disease may already have some degree of narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart. Imagine doing a lot of hard work in extreme cold. For example, shoveling snow (although we don't have snow in our country, it's a similarly strenuous job). With this exertion, the heart rate increases and when the narrowed arteries are unable to pump enough blood, a dangerous, possibly fatal , heart attack can occur.

Excessive heat

Extreme heat is also dangerous. Someone with heart disease has difficulty regulating their body temperature (thermoregulation). When the body becomes dehydrated by sweating in extreme heat, it can lead to a heart attack or heat stroke .

But this does not mean that healthy young people are not at risk. A famous, healthy, 27-year-old athlete in America died of heat stroke while training in extreme heat and humidity. Therefore, no one should forget about protecting themselves.

Weather and health, allergies, asthma, migraines, joint pain, heart disease, cold weather