Doctor warns air conditioning unit could accidentally trigger nasty lung condition
You certainly can't blame anyone for turning to an air conditioning unit in the heat of summer, as scorching temperatures can make life extremely difficult without the relief of cool air circulating throughout your house.
Those benefits do seemingly come with a number of health downsides, however, including asthma and other nasty lung issues that could affect you for the rest of your life if you're not careful, making you think twice about whether the trade-off is worth it.
That's far from the only risk you run when turning on the air con, however, as doctors have highlighted several potential risks and health complications that could arise while you're cooling down — although for some there's simply no choice considering the levels of heat that we've experienced this summer.
How can air conditioning cause an issue with your lungs?
As shared by the Independent, Dr Opel Baker – a GP at Mayfield Clinic in Brighton & Hove – outlines how air conditioning can trigger harmful lung conditions in certain scenarios.
"If air conditioning units are poorly maintained, that can increase the circulation of dust, pollen, and mould which can irritate your lungs and may trigger lung conditions like astham," Dr Baker illustrated.
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It's certainly a pressing reminder to take care of your AC units and clean them regularly – especially when pulling them out for the first time during the summer – as otherwise you risk simply spreading around potentially harmful particles for you to breathe in.
This was echoed by fellow GP, Dr Lucy Hooper, who outlined how "these environments can also increase the chance of getting respiratory tract infections, and if you've already got an underlying lung condition, getting an infection on top of that can be problematic."
While millions of people across the world live relatively normal lives with asthma, the condition can be life-threatening in certain scenarios as your airways can become swollen and filled with mucus, making it incredibly difficult to breathe.
This is therefore something you'll want to avoid at all costs, and thankfully the root cause can be mitigated if you properly maintain any units present within your home.
What other dangers can air conditioning cause?
As mentioned, potential issues with your lungs aren't the only problems that can arise from air conditioning, as doctors have outlined risks that could emerge with your skin, eyes, nose, throat, and body overall.
You might have noticed how air conditioning can lead to drier skin — yet often this is confused with hotter conditions overall. It's typically caused by AC through the units removing humidity from the air, which in turn increases the water loss from your skin.
Furthermore, doctors outlined how similar conditions brought about by air conditioning "can dry your eyes out and might [lead] to burning or stinging," according to Dr Baker, adding that "very occasionally, you might get blurred vision, but that's very rare."
Combatting this can be as simple as blinking more than you usually would, but you might also want to reach for some eye drops or a hydrating spray.
Reduced humidity in the air can additionally cause your nose and throat to become dry and irritated, leading to a blocked nose or hoarse voice as a result.
This can have more serious ramifications, as Dr Hooper explains: "When your nose and throat dries out that means you're less able to clear mucus, which is an important part of our immune defence system."
Finally, you might also experience body soreness or headaches after spending a prolonged amount of time in an air conditioned environment, which is typucally triggered by dehydration, dry skin, and muscle tension from the colder air.