Drafts leading to illness

[EWright]

Why do drafts (as in gentle breezes) sometimes lead to illness, as in a soar throat, cold, chest cold, pneomonia, etc? Elderly people seem very prone to this, and I've heard one should keep birds and small pets away from drafts. And for some reason a simple draft seems more likely to cause such illness than a strong breeze would. Does anyone have any insight on this?

[DarkColoredLight]

Humans are sick. Then, they taint the draft that you breath. That you breath into your lungs. That you breath into you body. You are sick. :shocked:

 

Unless I'm mistaken.

[EWright]

Humans are sick. Then, they taint the draft that you breath. That you breath into your lungs. That you breath into you body. You are sick. :shocked:

 

Unless I'm mistaken.

 

 

Dude, is your keyboard broke? Because your posts make little to no sense.

[Nootropic]

Pathogens are present in every area of this Earth. Be it a strong breeze or a soft breeze, they will carry it. Elderly people are obviously more prone to illness due to a weakened immune system as a natural part of aging. We breathe in up to a 1000 pathogens every breath and can be come infected anytime, a simple breeze or an enormous gust may be the vessel that carrie the pathogen that causes a few days of distress or worse.

[EWright]

Pathogens are present in every area of this Earth. Be it a strong breeze or a soft breeze, they will carry it. Elderly people are obviously more prone to illness due to a weakened immune system as a natural part of aging. We breathe in up to a 1000 pathogens every breath and can be come infected anytime, a simple breeze or an enormous gust may be the vessel that carrie the pathogen that causes a few days of distress or worse.

 

I understand what you're are saying and appreciate your input. However, we breathe aproximately the same volume of air per day while we are out and about, whether there is a draft or not (aside from strenuous activity which causes us to breathe more). I also ask because when I've had chest colds I've noticed there seems to be a sort of 'penetrating' feeling from even slight drafts. Perhaps I'm just overly sensitive to them at these times. However, it seems as though I can relate to an elderly persons request (for example) not to be seated under a ceiling fan because they don't want to "catch a chill" (even on a warm day) but I don't understand how drafty conditions can physically cause one to become sick. Any other thoughts?

[ughaibu]

I think you're talking about hypothermia.

[EWright]

I think you're talking about hypothermia.

 

I think not.

[Celeste]

I understand where your coming from. I have a hard time sitting near fans, etc., especially when I'm sick.

 

From what I understand, it's abit like "reactive airway disease". Which includes our ears, nose, throat, and lungs.

For some, breezes might also cause problems because they chill or overheat easily and their bodies have to work harder to keep their body temperture up or down, which further weakens their immune system.

 

Wind gives me horrible earaches and headaches. Breezes that are cold or too warm seem to give me tightness in my chest and even wheezing at times.

[EWright]

I understand where your coming from. I have a hard time sitting near fans, etc., especially when I'm sick.

 

From what I understand, it's abit like "reactive airway disease". Which includes our ears, nose, throat, and lungs.

For some, breezes might also cause problems because they chill or overheat easily and their bodies have to work harder to keep their body temperture up or down, which further weakens their immune system.

 

Wind gives me horrible earaches and headaches. Breezes that are cold or too warm seem to give me tightness in my chest and even wheezing at times.

 

Very helpful insight, thank you.

[ronthepon]

Well, if it's cold you are also asking about, then here is what I know.

 

Most of the cold viruses have a better chance of surviving in colder environments. I'm not sure why, it could be reduced immune system strength or maybe the viruses are so.

 

Anyway, in cold conditions our nose starts to run because the little cilia(hair) in our nose are unable to move mucous properly hence it begins to run. I suppose it may give them viruses a chance to enter our bodies.

 

I have also heard of some 'germ carrying winds' and there was one which had caused a wave of conjuctivitis cases here.

 

Now about that 'penetrating feeling', its good to remember that our bodies are trying to keep warmer than usual when we are sick (this makes the viruses less effective). So any coldness is very unwelcome, be it through wind.

Pulmonary odema(fluids in lungs) could be connected, I'm not sure.

[ThisIsMyName]

Our bodies are made of thousands of atoms and everytime you exhale you breath out atoms, and every time you inhale, you breath in atoms from other people.

 

Do atoms hold onto something such as a cold or flu? Could this possibly have something to do with catching a cold?:shrug:In some hospitals they wear face masks and in some cases have their pacients wear face masks, so it's obviously something to do with your breathing.

[ronthepon]

Most cold viruses do enter through the respiratory opening.

 

The cold viruses for most leave the infected person's body when he sneezes, or rubs his mucous from the dripping nose.

 

When the water carrying the viruses dries up, the viruses are released into the atmosphere, and the moment they get into a suceptible human body, they begin their activities.

[ThisIsMyName]

Yes, that does make sense.

 

When I person spits ont he sidewalk and is infected with a cold, what the person is basically doing sharing his lovely germs with everyone in the area.

 

Am I correct?

 

Why do they wear face masks in hospitals then?

[ronthepon]

When a person's spit contains cold viruses, then he is sharing them with the rest of the world every time he opens his mouth. He cannot try and stop it. Even breathing with the nose does the carrying job.

 

In hospitals, there are a whole lot of other germs that could be in the air, apart from simple flu viruses.

 

Patients come, infected with various diseases, and those who work there for long are at the highest risks of getting the germs into them. Putting a minimal amount of protection makes more sense than relying fully on the body's immune function.

[ThisIsMyName]

Ooooh, I understand now.

 

Do you think the atoms that make us up are different than the germs we release or do you think the germs are attatched to the atoms?

 

Because I'm home sick right now and I would like to know who to thank for it... filthy high schools...

[ronthepon]

Ooooh, I understand now.

 

Do you think the atoms that make us up are different than the germs we release or do you think the germs are attatched to the atoms?

 

Because I'm home sick right now and I would like to know who to thank for it... filthy high schools...

Actually, It would be important to understand that the germs are made of the same stuff as we are, it's just that thay do different things than our cells.

 

Germs are not exactly attached to the 'atoms'. They are like a... a... germ solution. This 'germ solution' (just like salt solution, only the germs are much bigger than salt ions) emerges as droplets.

[ThisIsMyName]

You know... For some reason I understand that... Thanks! I've learned something new! :cup: