Many of you have been waiting for this time of the year. The winter snow is long gone, and you may remember thinking only a few months ago that you couldn’t wait for the warm weather to get here. Well, for those of you who where anxious to get some warmer weather you have gotten your wish.
The last few weeks have seen some of the hottest and most humid weather we usually get in Central PA and there is almost certainly more to come. The title of this article stands for Heat and Humidity. This combination is especially problematic for patients with lung disease but also for patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis.
Patients with lung disease know all too well the increase in shortness of breath with activity when outside in hot and humid conditions. Those with chronic nasal congestion or congestion related to a recent upper respiratory infection will notice increased and prolonged symptoms of cough and congestion. Humid air is thicker and more difficult to breathe and that along with the vasodilatation that occurs in the airways makes moving air in and out of the lungs more difficult. For patients with chronic nasal congestion moving in and out of air conditioning causes repeated bouts of vasodilatation and contraction to occur in the nose and upper airway leading to more irritation and the production of more mucous.
The treatment for H and H is air conditioning and time until the weather changes for the better.
