The so-called "air conditioning disease" really exists! How can we achieve both coolness and health?

In the hot summer, staying in an air-conditioned room all day is a way for many people to escape the heat. In modern life, "withered vines, old trees, crows, air conditioning, wifi, and watermelon" has gradually become the standard for summer.

However, people sometimes feel uncomfortable after using air conditioning, such as sneezing, coughing, fatigue, headache, fear of cold, dry and itchy throat, body aches... These symptoms combined are what people commonly call "air-conditioning disease."

1. What is "air-conditioning disease"?

"Air conditioning sickness" is not a real disease, and there is no medical guideline that includes this disease. Ever since Willis Carrier invented this "magic device" to save people from the furnace in 1902, whether long-term use of air conditioning can make people sick has been controversial.

The first time researchers confirmed the link between air conditioning and disease was during the 1976 Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Philadelphia. Legionella bacteria prefer to live in air conditioning cooling towers and spread in large quantities with the air supplied by air conditioners, which eventually led to the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. However, the "air conditioning disease" we are familiar with today not only covers Legionnaires' disease. In daily contexts, "air conditioning disease" is a general term for a series of physical discomfort symptoms caused by long-term use of air conditioning, such as dry and itchy throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, general fatigue, dry skin, loss of appetite, joint pain, etc.

In fact, "air-conditioning disease" is the name of a disease diagnosed in sociology. Usually, any disease or symptom related to or caused by air-conditioning can be called "air-conditioning disease". It often occurs in summer, and the elderly, children and women are all susceptible groups.

2. Common symptoms of "air conditioning disease" 1. Skin allergies

The home environment is prone to harboring allergens, such as pet dander, dust mites, mold, and smoke. Although the air conditioner is equipped with a dust net and a filter, which can filter out some substances in the air that are prone to allergies, its ability is limited. If it is not cleaned for a long time, a large amount of impurities will accumulate on the filter and other parts, and the air conditioner itself will become an allergen. If the air conditioner is not cleaned regularly and the room is not ventilated, this environment is very suitable for the growth of various germs, viruses, and mites. At this time, once the allergens fall on the body, people with poor resistance will begin to experience symptoms of skin discomfort, which will then cause allergies.

2. Abnormal respiratory function

The air humidity in the air-conditioned room is low. People who stay in this environment for a long time will have dry nasal mucosa, which reduces the resistance of bacteria entering the human body from the respiratory tract, making people prone to upper respiratory tract infection. The most obvious symptoms of air-conditioning disease are similar to those related to colds, such as coughing, runny nose, sneezing, etc. In fact, this is an upper respiratory tract disease caused by air-conditioning disease. If the air conditioner causes lower respiratory tract disease, it may be a more serious pneumonia.

3. Dry skin and dry eyes

If the air conditioner is used for a long time, the air in the room will become dry and the skin will become itchy easily. This is one of the most common symptoms of "air-conditioning disease". In severe cases, it can develop into chronic skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

Sitting in the office and working in front of the computer screen every day, the eyes are prone to fatigue. The dry eyes caused by air conditioning should be taken seriously. The air conditioning system circulates continuously, and high concentrations of carbon dioxide continue to accumulate in the air. The eyes are prone to redness, itching and pain in the absence of oxygen. Especially for people who already suffer from chronic conjunctivitis or dry eyes, the symptoms will be more obvious.

4. Gastrointestinal reactions

At present, gastrointestinal diseases have gradually spread to become a national disease. Irregular diet and unhealthy dining habits lead to a high incidence of gastrointestinal diseases. Gastrointestinal discomfort is more common when using air conditioning in summer. The gastrointestinal discomfort caused by air conditioning disease is mainly manifested as abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. This is caused by the sudden coldness of people's bodies when they walk into an air-conditioned room in the hot summer.

5. Dizziness and headache

People who often sit in air-conditioned rooms will feel headaches, dizziness, and inattention. In summer, people face a large difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, and the skin feels the temperature from hot to cold. Especially when the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor exceeds 5°C, blood vessels expand with heat and contract with cold, and shrink rapidly from an expanded state, resulting in dizziness and headache symptoms. Anions contained in the air can inhibit the human central nervous system and relieve brain fatigue. However, air conditioning absorbs too many anions, causing more and more cations in the room. The imbalance of anions and cations also makes people's brain nervous system disordered and unbalanced, resulting in headaches and dizziness.

In addition, if the body surface temperature changes suddenly when using air conditioning, it will stimulate the facial nerves and cause functional disorders of the neural tube, which can easily cause symptoms such as facial stiffness, numbness, drooling, and facial paralysis, which is the so-called "facial paralysis."

3. How to achieve both coolness and health? 1. Suitable indoor temperature

(1) Keep the air conditioning temperature at 26°C as much as possible. In summer, the temperature that the human body feels comfortable is around 26°C. If the body is exposed to relatively extreme temperatures for a long time, the body's regulatory ability will be disturbed, which will eventually lead to a decline in immune function and various discomfort symptoms.

Therefore, it is recommended that under normal circumstances, the air conditioner should be adjusted to about 26°C. In addition, the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor should not exceed 7°C, otherwise it will increase the burden on the body temperature regulation center and cause "air conditioning disease".

(2) It is necessary to reduce sudden alternations of hot and cold. After sweating outdoors, the pores of the human body are open. When entering an air-conditioned room at this time, the body temperature drops sharply, which can easily endanger health. Therefore, when entering a room from a hot outdoor environment, the air conditioner should not be turned on immediately. It is recommended to wait 10 to 20 minutes before turning it on. At the same time, avoid direct air conditioning. Cold air has a high density and will sink in the air. Direct air from the air conditioner to the human body can cause muscle and joint pain. Therefore, it is better to set the air supply direction of the air conditioner to blow upward. In an air-conditioned room, you should also add or remove clothes as appropriate to avoid catching a cold. Try to turn off the air conditioner when sleeping. The body temperature drops when sleeping. If the air conditioner is turned on all night, it is also easy to cause headaches, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal discomfort and other symptoms. Be sure to turn off the air conditioner before going to bed, or set the sleep mode.

2. Pay attention to ventilation

Turning on the air conditioner will make the indoor air dry. When the windows are closed, the air is not circulating, which can easily cause nasal congestion, dry throat, and sneezing. Studies have found that after staying in a closed room with air conditioning for 5 to 6 hours, the oxygen content in the air decreases by 13.2%, the E. coli content increases by 1.2%, the diphtheria content increases by 0.5%, and other harmful respiratory bacteria also increase to varying degrees. Therefore, attention should be paid to frequent ventilation, and the recommended frequency is 1 time/1 hour, 15 minutes/time. At the same time, smokers should consciously refrain from smoking in air-conditioned rooms.

3. Drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and pay attention to personal hygiene

In an air-conditioned environment for a long time, the human body lacks water, the metabolism slows down, and it is easy to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a certain amount of outdoor activities every day, drink more water, and accelerate the body's metabolism. At the same time, pay attention to maintaining personal hygiene. Due to frequent alternations of cold and hot, bacteria attached to the skin are easy to clog in the sweat glands or sebaceous glands, causing infection and suppuration, so you should take a bath regularly to keep your skin fresh.

4. Clean the air conditioner regularly

Air conditioners that have not been cleaned for a long time contain a large number of pathogenic factors, and cleaning the air conditioner filter alone is not enough to remove them. The internal structure of the air conditioner is complex, and a large amount of dust and bacteria will accumulate on the air duct, heat exchanger, air guide plate and other parts. Therefore, it is recommended to ask professionals to thoroughly clean and inspect the air conditioner at least once a year. Especially in summer, families should regularly clean and disinfect the air conditioner filter, and pay attention to prevent the residual disinfectant from volatilizing.

5. Use a humidifier

If you stay in a dry environment for a long time, your body will experience dry eyes, chapped lips and other discomforts. Every time you breathe, you inhale dry air and exhale moisture. This will increase the loss of water in the body. Over time, the nasal mucosa and tracheal mucosa will become very dry, and viruses and bacteria may take advantage of the situation to enter. Studies have found that when the air humidity is controlled at 40%~70%, the pathogenicity and transmission ability of pathogens will decrease rapidly, and people will feel more comfortable when the air is maintained at this humidity. When using air conditioning, the indoor air will become dry. At this time, using a humidifier to increase the air humidity will effectively solve the above situation.

6. Eat a healthy diet

In fact, not only in summer, we should always pay attention to drinking warm water, eating more vegetables and fruits, taking in vitamins and trace elements in moderation, and ensuring the body's immunity. In a closed air-conditioned room, the body's temperature regulation, water and salt metabolism, and circulation, digestion, nerves, endocrine and urinary systems will change, and people's appetite decreases in summer, which will also limit the absorption of nutrients.

Drinking porridge is a good way to supplement nutrition. It has the effects of increasing appetite, replenishing physical strength, replenishing water, and regulating the stomach. You can also take some vinegar appropriately. Acetic acid has the effect of promoting metabolism and inhibiting bacteria. It has a good preventive effect on intestinal diseases caused by excessive air conditioning. If you catch a cold from air conditioning, you can drink ginger tea appropriately. It has the effect of warming the middle and dispelling cold, sweating and relieving the symptoms, and there are few taboos. It is suitable for most people.

In summary, although "air conditioning disease" is not a disease, you need to seek medical attention in time when the symptoms are serious. Summer is here, and I hope everyone can maintain good living habits, say no to "air conditioning disease", and say no to potential health threats.