Breathing cold air, particularly when feeling unwell, often sparks questions about its effects on the body and whether it can alleviate or worsen illness symptoms. Understanding the scientific basis behind these perceptions is helpful for making informed health decisions. This exploration delves into the physiological responses to cold air and its specific interactions with different respiratory conditions.
How Cold Air Influences Your Respiratory System
When cold air enters the respiratory tract, it can trigger several physiological responses. The body works to warm and humidify inhaled air before it reaches the lungs, which involves a loss of heat and water from the airways. This process can lead to the evaporation of the fluid lining the airways, potentially causing dryness and irritation.
The airways also respond to cold air by narrowing, a process known as bronchoconstriction. This narrowing can make breathing more challenging and may increase mucus production, making it thicker and stickier. Furthermore, cold air can affect blood vessels in the airways, influencing blood flow and mucosal swelling. These responses help protect delicate lung tissues from cold, dry air.
When Cold Air Helps or Harms Specific Illnesses
The impact of cold air varies significantly depending on the specific illness. For some conditions, cold air can offer temporary relief, while for others, it can exacerbate symptoms.
Croup
Cold air has been observed to help reduce the severity of croup symptoms in children. Croup, an infection causing upper airway obstruction, is characterized by a barking cough and hoarseness. Studies suggest that exposure to outdoor cold air, particularly temperatures below 10°C (50°F), can decrease airway swelling and improve symptoms within about 30 minutes. This is likely by increasing dilator muscle activity and reducing mucosal blood flow. This effect is often noticeable before oral steroids, a common treatment for croup, take full effect.
Common Cold/Flu (with congestion/cough)
For common colds and flu, cold air has mixed effects. Dry, cold air may irritate the throat and nasal passages, worsening a dry cough or causing discomfort. However, some individuals find it temporarily helps with congestion by opening air passages. Its dryness also dehydrates mucous membranes, making them more susceptible to irritation and allergic reactions.
Asthma
Cold air is a common trigger for asthma symptoms and flare-ups. When someone with asthma breathes in cold, dry air, it causes airway muscles to spasm and tighten, leading to bronchospasm. This irritation worsens symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. It also increases mucus production, making it thicker and stickier, and causes the protective fluid lining the airways to evaporate faster, further irritating them.
Bronchitis/Pneumonia
Cold air exacerbates conditions like bronchitis and pneumonia. For individuals with bronchitis, cold, dry air irritates the bronchial passages and weakens the body’s defense mechanisms, such as cilia, which normally help clear irritants. This makes individuals more vulnerable to the viruses and bacteria that cause these infections. Similarly, cold air worsens existing respiratory issues in pneumonia by narrowing the airways and making breathing more difficult.
Safe Practices and When to Avoid Cold Air Exposure
When considering cold air exposure while sick, certain precautions help manage potential risks. If you or a family member benefit from cold air, such as in cases of croup, dress warmly in layers. Include a hat, gloves, and a scarf wrapped loosely around the nose and mouth to help warm inhaled air and protect exposed skin. Breathing through the nose rather than the mouth also warms and humidifies the air before it reaches the lungs. Indoors, using a humidifier counteracts the drying effects of cold, dry air, maintaining moisture in the respiratory passages.
Conversely, cold air exposure should be limited or avoided in certain situations. Individuals with severe respiratory distress, very young infants, or those with pre-existing severe lung conditions like severe asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should limit exposure or stay indoors when temperatures are low. Cold air worsens symptoms for these groups, leading to increased breathlessness, wheezing, or severe exacerbation of their condition. If symptoms worsen, or if there is persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, high fever, or decreased appetite, prompt medical attention is advised.