Taking your breath away

Monsoons are synonymous with many things including viral and bacterial infections as well as respiratory diseases. But fret not! We’ve got a senior pulmonologist to weigh in on the precautions and cures of these illnesses.

The rains during the monsoons surely bring relief from the scorching heat, but it also brings along many illness like cold and cough and severe respiratory infections. Viral and bacterial infections especially of the respiratory tract and ailments because of the sudden drop in temperature could start off as a simple tonsillitis, cold and dry cough but they might even gradually spread to the rest of the body.

Elaborating more on the symptoms, Dr M. Narender, consultant chest physician and associate professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Osmania Medical College, answers our questions regarding these illnesses, and especially cautions patients with pre-existing respiratory disease such as asthma, who are prone to worsening of symptoms during the monsoons.

What are the symptoms of respiratory disorders during monsoon?
Flu or common cold and pneumonia are common in monsoon. Caused by bacteria or viruses, these illnesses may have symptoms either developing gradually over a few days or progressing fast. The main symptom of a respiratory illness is coughing. One will probably have at least one of these symptoms too — coughing up mucus, a high temperature, sweating and shivers, difficulty in breathing or getting out of breath faster than normal, chest pain or discomfort and loss of appetite. The symptoms are often very similar to those of other chest infections, such as bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma flare-ups or bronchiectasis flare-ups. To get a proper diagnosis one should visit a doctor.

What are the treatments?
Pneumonia can be serious, so it’s important to get treatment quickly. The main treatment for pneumonia is antibiotics, along with rest and drinking plenty of water. If you have chest pain, you can take pain killers such as paracetamol.

What are the major causes for the disease?
Getting wet during rain triggers an allergy, which leads to the usual irritation and cold, which if ignored can trickle down to the lungs and cause sputum, leading to cough. Bacteria and viruses thrive in such condition, worsening the situation. Further, chest colds can trigger a wheezing attack in susceptive individuals, which can lead to asthma. Infection is one of the primary causes of asthma, particularly in children. Yellow coloured sputum is suggestive of severe infection and needs immediate attention.