I work in an air-conditioned room, and have had a sore throat and stuffy nose for a month now. Doctor, how can I improve this? (Nam Anh, 24 years old, Ho Chi Minh City)
Reply:
Sore throat, stuffy nose, cough are symptoms of upper respiratory tract diseases. Upper respiratory tract diseases such as allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinitis, tonsillitis, adenoiditis, pharyngitis... have many causes. The most common cause is viral infection. If you have the flu virus, you only need to take medication to treat the symptoms.
Sore throat can also be caused by Covid-19. Currently, the Covid-19 epidemic is returning. You should test for Covid-19 at home. If you are infected, you can treat it with common cold medicines, increase your resistance and monitor your health. If you experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, prolonged fatigue or any signs of severe disease progression, you should go to the hospital for appropriate treatment. People with underlying diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer need to monitor their health more closely.
People with sinusitis and tonsillitis who sit in air conditioning regularly are prone to sore throats and stuffy noses. Photo: Freepik
If the disease is cured but symptoms return after a few days, you should see an ENT specialist, because of the possibility of recurrent sinusitis, tonsillitis or adenoiditis. These cases of prolonged recurrence need to be treated with medication prescribed by a specialist. If medical treatment is not effective, the patient may be indicated for surgery.
In addition, you also need to review your eating and living habits. For example, do you drink too much ice water or is the air conditioner too cold? Ice and cold air can also be the cause of the patient's symptoms becoming more severe and prolonged. For this influencing factor, you just need to limit drinking ice and adjust the air conditioner in the bedroom or office to a moderate level with an air humidifier. The most suitable temperature to both cool and not cause a cold is usually from 27-28 degrees Celsius. In addition, you should drink plenty of water and use saline to increase humidity and prevent dry nose and throat due to cold air.
ENT diseases are usually benign but still have a certain rate of malignancy or the risk of dangerous complications such as encephalitis - meningitis if not treated thoroughly and properly. Sore throat, cough lasting more than two weeks, accompanied by fever, chest tightness, difficulty breathing can be symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections (bronchitis, pneumonia), lung cancer... You should see a specialist for appropriate treatment by a doctor. Early and thorough treatment helps prevent the risk of complications and recurrence.
MSc.MD.CKII Tran Thi Thuy Hang
Head of ENT Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City
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