During the festive season, air quality can deteriorate significantly due to firecrackers, vehicular emissions, construction dust and other pollutants, and the effects are felt by many in the form of respiratory issues.
Respiratory and sleep medicine expert Dr Mrinal Sircar shared with HT Lifestyle, “As winter sets in, low wind speeds and temperature inversion can trap these pollutants closer to the ground, increasing the duration of exposure. For asthma patients, the combination of smoke and winter pollution can be especially challenging. This may lead to chest tightness, wheezing, breathlessness and an increased need for rescue medication. Dr Mrinal Sircar is the director of respiratory and sleep medicine at Medanta, Noida.
As Dr Sircar explained, “Fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs and trigger inflammation and airway narrowing. He has more than 44 years of clinical experience.
