Winter can be a difficult season for people with asthma, COPD, allergies and other lung conditions. Cold, dry air, more viral infections, smoke from firecrackers and fires, and higher air pollution all make the airways more sensitive, leading to more coughing, breathlessness and flare-ups. In this video, Dr. Dipak Viradia, Chest Physician & Intensivist, shares simple precautions that help patients stay well through the winter.

1. Protect your airways from cold air. Cold air can tighten the airways and trigger coughing or wheezing. When stepping out in the early morning or late evening, cover your nose and mouth with a scarf or mask so the air you breathe is warmer.

2. Change your walking time. Avoid very early morning walks when it is coldest and pollution levels are often highest. Walk later in the morning when it is warmer, or exercise indoors.

3. Don’t skip your medicines. Continue your controller inhalers and other medicines regularly, even if you feel fine. Keep your reliever inhaler with you at all times, and check that it isn’t empty or expired.

4. Get vaccinated. The annual flu vaccine is one of the best ways to prevent winter flare-ups, and the ideal time is before winter sets in. Ask your doctor about pneumococcal vaccination too, especially if you are above 60 or have COPD, asthma, diabetes, or heart or kidney disease.

5. Stay away from smoke. Avoid smoke from firecrackers during Diwali, bonfires, burning waste and wood or coal stoves. Never use a coal angithi or wood fire inside a closed room for warmth. Besides irritating the lungs, it can cause dangerous carbon monoxide build-up. Stay indoors with windows closed when smoke or pollution is heavy outside.

6. Prevent infections. Wash hands often, avoid close contact with people who have colds or flu, and wear a mask in crowded places during the flu season.

7. Keep warm and hydrated. Wear warm layers, keep your feet and chest covered, and drink warm fluids like water, soups and herbal tea. Dry indoor air can irritate the airways, so keep rooms comfortably warm and well ventilated.

8. Watch for warning signs. Increased breathlessness, more coughing or phlegm, change in phlegm colour, fever, or needing your reliever inhaler more often are signs of a flare-up. Contact your doctor early. COPD patients using a pulse oximeter should watch for falling oxygen levels. Seek emergency care if breathlessness is severe, or lips or nails turn bluish.

Dr. Dipak Viradia
Chest Physician & Intensivist | Interventional Pulmonologist & ECMO Specialist
Rudrax Chest Clinic, 301, Solaris Royce, Opp. Old RTO, Athwagate, Ring Road, Surat – 395001
Appointment: +91 75676 19985
Website: www.drdipakviradia.com