How the weather affects people with COPD and other respiratory conditions varies from patient to patient. Weather changes are one of many factors that can trigger COPD symptoms. Generally, extremes in weather are not good for respiratory problems, and temperatures below freezing and above 90 degrees can cause COPD symptoms to flare. Aside from experiencing shortness of breath and coughing, extreme weather conditions can cause an increase in sputum (phlegm) production, as well.
Cold weather can cause fatigue and cause patients with COPD to feel lousy. Cold temperatures and winds can cause pain in the chest and lungs. If you are experiencing problems with breathing in cold, windy weather it is recommended to wear a scarf or face mask to help warm up the air before it hits the lungs, and try to breathe through your nose as much as possible. If you use a portable oxygen concentrator make sure that you keep the hose under your coat to keep the air as warm as possible.
When the temperatures rise above 90 degrees and there is high humidity and smog is present, many people with COPD with find breathing difficult. As humidity increases, the air becomes denser, which creates more resistance in the airflow to the lungs. Oxygen Always recommends that during periods of high heat and humidity, patients with COPD should restrict physical activities and try to stay in air-conditioned environments as much as possible.
Atmospheric pressure also contributes to COPD symptoms flare ups. As barometric pressure drops there is less oxygen in the air, much the same as being at higher altitudes. This can cause a worsening in COPD symptoms and shortness of breath. On the other hand, high pressure can also affect COPD symptoms for some patients.
Days that are windy, while it’s not fully understood why, can trigger COPD symptoms to flare. On very gusty days, some people with COPD become increasingly short of breath and, in some cases, even experience difficulty breathing with moving air caused by fans.
The effects of weather on COPD symptoms vary from person to person. There are a few things that patients with COPD can do to limit how the weather affects their COPD symptoms:
– Limit outdoor activity on days with extreme weather conditions.
– Oxygen concentrator retailers suggest keeping the air in the house clean from pollutants and do no go outside on days with high levels of pollution.
– If weather conditions greatly affect your COPD symptoms, you may want to consider moving to a part of the country that has low levels of humidity, but keep in mind that COPD weather connection is very individualized for each patient.
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