Cold weather causes breathing problems

Seeing your breath condensation is a typical sign that it’s cold out. But when it gets too cold, it can be hard to even catch your breath.

Dr. Cindy Ruffolo at Providence Urgent Care said breathing problems are typical when the temperatures take a dive.

“It’s just your body’s normal mechanism to warm the air can cause a bronchial constriction and that can elicit an asthma attack,” Dr. Ruffolo explained.

Those breathing challenges can be especially dangerous for anyone who has chronic health condition like asthma. They can also pose challenges for anyone sick with other illnesses, like the flu.

“We’ve seen so many people with the flu and then getting bronchitis from it, the weather certainly cannot help it,” Ruffolo said.

But even perfectly healthy people with no underlying health conditions can also have a hard time breathing.

“In a normal healthy person, you’re going to have just the minor burning, congestion, maybe a cough,” she said.

There are ways to prevent this shortness of breath.

“The important thing would be to minimize the time you’re outside. Secondarily, if you have asthma you can do a pre-exposure treatment with Albuterol. And for anybody, you can cover your face with a scarf so you breathe warmer air,” Dr. Ruffolo explained.

Avoiding smoke and wood-burning fireplaces will also help symptoms.