Health

Winter illness: Causes, symptoms, and preventions

Winters can be quite rude to your health causing various irritable diseases. Read this article to know about various winter illnesses and their remedies.

Sentinel Digital Desk

Winter is here and this part of the year is for all sorts of festivals and holidays. And indeed with winter comes several kinds of winter diseases. Although winters are exciting it too has its dark side in terms of health. You must enjoy alongside it is important to take special care of yours and your family's health.

In medical term, your body heat decreases when the temperature cools down and commence to accommodate the climatic conditions. While this change in climate occurs, you can get a sore throat and if it's left untreated you can suffer from severe strep throat.

Some people think that it is quite common to have illness during winters but such thinking is completely incorrect because common winter illness can turn to something very severe. So better be treated now than feel sorry later right?

This article is going to enlighten you about some common winter illnesses and their various causes and also how you can take necessary preventions to take care of yourself.

Some winter diseases with their causes and symptoms:

Sore throat: Sore throat is caused by viral infections and is a serious symptom of a bad throat. Most people do ignore it but it can turn out to be serious so it is necessary to get treatment for sore throat.

Causes:

  1. Allergies
  2. Indoor dryness
  3. Air pollutants
  4. Throat tumor.

Symptoms:

  1.  Throat ache and scratchy tendency
  2. Swelling throat
  3. Tonsils
  4. White patches in the throat
  5. Development of puss on the tonsils
Pneumonia: pneumonia can happen because of bacterial infections. It begins with fungal and viral infections which can be dangerous. This grievous disease blocks the alveoli with fluids. It can be quite risky for older people.

Causes:

It happens by viruses and bacteria that get rooted in Alveoli with puss and fluids thus causing shortness in breathing. The bacterial infection that multiplies pneumonia is quite grievous as it can be caused while sneezing, coughing, or touching anything.

Symptoms:

  1.  Serious cough
  2. High fever
  3. Breathing difficulty
  4. Chills
  5. terrible headache
  6. Diarrhea
  7. Vomiting
  8. Sweating
  9. Skin turned purple
  10. Muscle pain
Acute ear infection: Winters cause acute ear infections which occur due to bacterial infections in the middle ear. It is quite painful and caused because of inflammation and fluid formation in the middle ear. People facing it go through pain, blocked and itching in ear.

Causes:

  1. Cold
  2. Sinus infection
  3. Smoking
  4. Climatic change

Symptoms:

  1. Pain
  2. Uncomfortable ear
  3. Pus-filled ear
  4. Unhearable
Joint pain: People who are having Arthritis have a greater chance to face joint pain during winters. Regular exercise can be a prevention of it.

Causes:

  1. Gout
  2. Inflammation
  3. Broken cartilage in the kneecap
  4. Arthritis
  5. Influenza and hepatitis.

Symptoms:

  1. Serious injury
  2. Deformed joints
  3. Swelling knees
  4. Immovable joints
  5. Terrible pain

Here are some preventive measures for these common winter diseases:

Winters can be prone to sickness and illness so you need to take precautionary measures in order to stay healthy and fit. So, below are some things mentioned that can be followed at home to stay away from such diseases.

• Wash your hands before having something and especially after sneezing or coughing.

• Don't forget the etiquettes. Just cover your mouth while coughing or sneezing

• Use your own towel or even utensil. Better not to share it with anyone.

• Keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water.

FAQ:

Q: How to heal the common cold at home?

A: Common cold can be healed by several home remedies which are proven effective. So, below are certain things that you can follow:

  • Drink warm fluid
  • Mix black pepper with warm milk and have it
  • Gargling is a must with saltwater
  • Better not to shower but if you are willing to have, then take a hot water bath.