Stay indoors, drink lots of water during haze – doctor

MIRI: The haze situation has become severe during the past few days, causing an increase in the number of asthma cases and other related health conditions among the people here.

General physician and consultant specialist, Dr Fam Tem Lom, said if the situation persists with thick haze, it is best to reduce heavy exercise in open space and stay indoors.

“During this time, staying indoors is the best option with suitable air-conditioning temperature between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius. The air may cause dryness in throat, thus, it is best to keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water,” advised Dr Fam when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Haze particles in the air are said to affect the heart and lungs, a condition especially critical for people who already have health issues related to the heart and lung such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), shortness of breath, bad cough and possibly fever, he said.

Asthma or bad airways condition, he stressed, is a health condition that one must not overlook, whether adult or children, as any sign or symptom must be referred to the doctor.

“If a person experiences breathing difficulty and lots of phlegm and also feels drowned or giddy, they might have severe symptoms. For those who are under such situation, it is best to get a family member or a friend to put an ear to the chest or at the back to listen to the lung on both sides. If you hear abnormal sound like crackling sound, noisy sound or no sound at all (if compared to normal chest), the sound indicates the lung is very tight or the airways pipe is partially blocked due to mucous. If a patient is experiencing very high breathing rate for more than 20 minutes, it is best to bring them to the doctor for detailed check-up as soon as possible,” he advised.