dismom
01-25-2003, 09:36 PM
Hi! I am new here and have a question. Can anyone give me a heads up on the cold feeling inside my lungs? It actually is discomforting and irritating. Would a warm humidifier be good?
dismom
dismom
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wrin
01-27-2003, 10:50 PM
Yes, a warm humidifier would help. Make sure you fill it with distilled water (no dissolved ion salts!) or get a humidifier with a filter.
Cold air is technically an irritant. Try nose-breathing as much as possible when you are outside, and use a scarf or something else to cover your face. By the time the air gets inside your lungs it is supposed to be at body temperature, and it is supposed to be saturated with water. If it isn't, this can affect the performance of your lungs. Dehydration and cold air are both known to deactivate the cilia in your lungs, which can cause problems.
Cold air is technically an irritant. Try nose-breathing as much as possible when you are outside, and use a scarf or something else to cover your face. By the time the air gets inside your lungs it is supposed to be at body temperature, and it is supposed to be saturated with water. If it isn't, this can affect the performance of your lungs. Dehydration and cold air are both known to deactivate the cilia in your lungs, which can cause problems.
dismom
01-28-2003, 07:43 PM
Thanks so much for the reply and the information. My voice often gets raspy also, is that normal from the irritation? Is this something that happens to asthmatics? Seems this is the first year I have really noticed the cold air having such an affect on me.
wrin
01-29-2003, 01:23 AM
The raspy voice could be from any number of things -- I find my voice only gets raspy when I've been coughing a lot, which would be from irritation. Yeah, it could be from irritation. Unfortunately, in asthmatics it's generally regarded as dangerous to suppress a cough, so if you start having coughing fits try taking some ventolin, and see if it helps you cough up whatever's causing the irritation. Some days you're probably just better off staying inside.
Also, be careful -- VCD or vocal chord dysfunction is something that can mimick asthma symptoms and can be triggered by many of the same things asthma is -- cold air is high on that list. This is especially likely to be true if when you start having asthma problems, it is easier to breathe if you pant and concentrate on expiration fully. In VCD, inspiration is often the more difficult, and in asthma, expiration is often more difficult. But these aren't hard-and-fast rules, so...
But if your asthma drugs work, don't worry about the VCD thing.
Also, be careful -- VCD or vocal chord dysfunction is something that can mimick asthma symptoms and can be triggered by many of the same things asthma is -- cold air is high on that list. This is especially likely to be true if when you start having asthma problems, it is easier to breathe if you pant and concentrate on expiration fully. In VCD, inspiration is often the more difficult, and in asthma, expiration is often more difficult. But these aren't hard-and-fast rules, so...
But if your asthma drugs work, don't worry about the VCD thing.
jjaksic
01-29-2003, 11:34 AM
I know how you feel. All this winter I've felt the cold air in my lungs. The outside of my body isn't that cold but my lungs are? I'm going to see a pulmonologist tomorrow.
I have some problem like asthma/sinusitis/COPD. I'm not sure which or all.
Actually I have trouble with hot air or cold air. Can't wait til spring. And I live in SC>
I have some problem like asthma/sinusitis/COPD. I'm not sure which or all.
Actually I have trouble with hot air or cold air. Can't wait til spring. And I live in SC>
dismom
01-29-2003, 08:01 PM
I read abou that VCD on another post and did some looking into that. I don't have any coughing like what you had mentioned, my raspy voice mainly comes from irritants. You know the usuals, perfume (ugh), chemical smells and cold air. Then after a few days or even hours it goes away, go figure. I too will be glad when our south Florida weather gets more humid. Thanks for the timely responses, it is so encouraging to read the various posts and see we are not "alone".
Blue4U2
01-29-2003, 09:20 PM
So is more humidity better for asthmatics?
wrin
01-29-2003, 10:17 PM
More humidity (to a certain degree) makes life easier for our lungs, since air colder than body temperature, or drier than 47 mg/L (saturated at 37 degrees celsius) is technically an irritant to our lungs.
This is why nose-breathing is the most natural way to breathe -- your nose is built specifically for heating, humidifying and filtering the air you breathe.
More humidity is good for practically anyone, but a consideration is if you have trouble coughing secretions out, extra humidity can make them larger and make your breathing more difficult, but make coughing them out easier.
This is why nose-breathing is the most natural way to breathe -- your nose is built specifically for heating, humidifying and filtering the air you breathe.
More humidity is good for practically anyone, but a consideration is if you have trouble coughing secretions out, extra humidity can make them larger and make your breathing more difficult, but make coughing them out easier.
dismom
01-30-2003, 08:54 PM
I do enjoy humidity, and I will agree with you Wrin that to much can make it challenging to breath. I am not sure thou, why I have heard that Arizone is a good place to leave for people with asthma? Do you know anything about that? I am looking into purchasing the warm humidifier soon, have to do some research into which purchase. With all the air conditioning in the summer in south Florida, I think a warm humidifier will be a pleasant.
charleyhorse
01-30-2003, 10:04 PM
On the other side of the humidity issue -- if you are allergic to dust mites, you need to keep your home below 50% humidity to control the mites. That's very difficult to do sometimes, especially living on the 'wet' west coast. I have to keep my house 'dry' but its helps to breath moist air when my lungs get congested so I have this little 'mist' gadget -- its actually made for steaming your face so you can have a wonderful complexion while coughing your lungs out - very romantic :)
Barb
Barb
wrin
01-30-2003, 11:17 PM
I guess, the best you can do, is vacuum compulsively and wash in hot hot water (pillows, blankets, the whole shebang) once a week.
Get dust-mite proof covers.
The keeping-humidity-below-50% is going to help, yes, but they're going to be there no matter what, and you still have to vacuum 'em out :)
another problem with higher humidity levels is moulds growing ... especially in older houses. I'm pretty good when it comes to dust mites, but a little snow mould and oh man, I'm toast.
Get dust-mite proof covers.
The keeping-humidity-below-50% is going to help, yes, but they're going to be there no matter what, and you still have to vacuum 'em out :)
another problem with higher humidity levels is moulds growing ... especially in older houses. I'm pretty good when it comes to dust mites, but a little snow mould and oh man, I'm toast.