February 24, 2023 – Recent high temperature and weather changes within the United States may cause health problems for many individuals, resembling allergies, infections, or worsening heart disease.
Because dramatic weather changes disrupt the life cycles of plants, animals, ecosystems and even our bodies. The Washington Post reported. Our body is continually working to keep up balance and, particularly, a certain body temperature. The human body prefers to get used to environmental changes over a period of days or a number of weeks, experts said. The post.
“This shock to your system can cause all kinds of problems,” said Aaron Bernstein, MD, MPH, interim director of the Center for Climate, Health and Global Environment on the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. The post“A temperature increase from 40 to 80 degrees may not be a big deal for relatively healthy people, but it could be a big deal for certain people, such as outdoor workers and people with chronic medical conditions and other risks.”
Weather-related health risks include:
- sinus infectionwho has symptoms resembling runny nose, sinus pressure and postnasal drip;
- Allergieswho’ve symptoms resembling itchy nose and eyes and a blocked or runny nose;
- Heart problems due to heat and extreme cold connected to increased death rates from cardiovascular events resembling heart attack and stroke.
The nose is an indicator, especially when there are rapid climate changes.
“The nose is made up primarily of blood vessels that constrict in cold temperatures and expand in warmer temperatures and higher humidity,” said Dr. Lily Pien of the Cleveland Clinic. The post“When the weather changes within 24 hours, your nose can go from runny to dry pretty quickly.”
Access to healthcare can also be in danger as a consequence of extreme weather conditions. For example, in Boston, 4 emergency rooms recently needed to be closed as a consequence of a chilly snap, for instance because pipes were frozen. Becker’s Healthcare And The Boston Globe reported.