When respiratory diseases strike, remember these 9 points to prevent them in advance!

With the arrival of the Beginning of Winter, the weather is gradually getting cooler. Respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza and pneumonia are more common in autumn and winter. How can we reduce the threat of these respiratory infectious diseases to health?

Below, experts from the Respiratory Department of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine will guide you through the relevant knowledge about respiratory diseases.

Respiratory tract infections are mainly divided into upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections. Upper respiratory tract infections are one of the most common diseases of the respiratory system, such as the familiar flu, while lower respiratory tract infections mainly refer to infections of the trachea, bronchi and lungs, such as tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.

There are many pathogens that cause respiratory infections, including viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, chlamydia, etc. Most respiratory infections are accompanied by fever and cough.

Types of respiratory diseases

1. Flu

Influenza, also known as influenza, is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus. Its clinical characteristics are acute onset and obvious symptoms of systemic poisoning, such as high fever, headache, body aches, weakness, etc.

2. Pneumonia

Pneumonia refers to inflammation of the terminal airways, alveoli and lung interstitium, and can be caused by a variety of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi.

3. Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an acute or chronic nonspecific inflammation of the bronchial mucosa and surrounding tissues caused by biological or non-biological factors (mainly including microbial infection, physical or chemical stimulation, etc.), manifested by cough, sputum and other discomforts.

Causes of discomfort

Recently, many people have experienced symptoms such as colds, coughs, vomiting, and diarrhea.

One is weather changes. The temperature changes rapidly in autumn and winter, and the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, which can easily cause colds.

Second, as crowds gather, travel, gatherings and contact with many people increase, the risk of disease transmission also increases.

Third, irregular diet or unhygienic food may cause digestive system problems, resulting in symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.

Fourth, the daily routine is disrupted. People are more active during the day and stay up late at night playing with their phones, which makes the body easily fatigued, leading to a decrease in immunity.

If you experience these symptoms

1. Pay more attention to rest and ensure adequate sleep to help your body recover.

2. Drink more water and eat a light diet.

3. Treat the symptoms symptomatically to relieve them.

4. Monitor symptoms.

If symptoms worsen or persist for a long time, it is recommended to seek medical attention; if diagnosed with respiratory or enteric infectious diseases such as influenza, norovirus infection, etc., try to avoid going to crowded places to reduce cross-infection.

Young children and the elderly are the key groups for the prevention and control of respiratory infectious diseases. During the high incidence season of respiratory infectious diseases, it is recommended that the elderly and young children avoid going to places with closed environments and dense crowds as much as possible. If they really need to go, they should wear masks appropriately to reduce the risk of infection.

Strengthen daily monitoring of the elderly and young children. If symptoms such as fever and cough occur, seek medical attention promptly depending on the situation and use medications scientifically and safely as directed by the doctor. During the medical treatment process, patients and accompanying personnel should take protective measures to avoid cross infection.

Prevention Guide

1. Remember to wear a mask when going out to prevent cold air stimulation and virus invasion.

2. Drink more water to keep your throat moist and reduce the chance of bacteria breeding.

3. Eat more fruits rich in vitamin C to enhance immunity and resist colds.

4. Get enough sleep to give your body time to repair and rest.

5. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth without washing your hands to reduce the risk of infection.

6. Do appropriate exercise to enhance your physical fitness, but avoid catching a cold after strenuous exercise.

7. Ventilate regularly to keep the indoor air fresh and reduce virus retention.

8. Pay attention to the weather forecast and add or remove clothes in time to adapt to temperature changes.

9. Adhere to a healthy lifestyle, improve your own resistance, and stay away from respiratory diseases!

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Chen Siyi, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by ZS)