Interviewed experts: Chief physician of the Emergency Department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University Wang Junyu
Director of the Dermatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Xi Jianyuan
Global Times Health Client Reporter Niu Yulei
The weather is getting colder and colder, and people are "showing their magical powers" to keep warm, but related hidden dangers also come. In the north, heating, , southern air conditioners, heating babies, hot water bags, and electric blankets as auxiliary services. In remote areas, coal stoves may be used for heating... These may cause "risks" for heating. Wang Junyu, chief physician of the emergency department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, told reporters that people who come to the hospital for treatment in winter mainly include respiratory infections of , fever and cardiovascular diseases. The second is unexpected situations caused by heating, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, low-temperature scalding, etc. In recent years, with the changes in heating methods, fewer people are poisoned by carbon monoxide, but there are still many cases of low-temperature scalds and electric blanket leakage, with patients mainly students. The reporter of " Global Times Health Client" has summarized several possible "heating" risks in winter through interviews with experts, hoping to remind everyone.
prevents carbon monoxide poisoning. As we all know, the affinity of carbon monoxide with hemoglobin is 200-300 times higher than that of oxygen , and is very easy to bind to hemoglobin, causing blood to lose its oxygen carrying capacity, causing severe hypoxia in the human body and causing poisoning. Some families use coal stoves to keep heating in winter, with doors and windows closed, chimneys blocked, poor smoke exhaust or chimney facing the air outlet, causing gas to flow back into the room, which will cause poisoning. There are three key points to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning when heating coal stoves: 1) Open windows regularly for ventilation and keep indoor air circulating; 2) Ensure that the coal stove is sealed and the chimney is unobstructed; 3) Add an upward chimney at the outlet to prevent backflow. In addition, Wang Junyu reminded: "In recent years, some people have eaten charcoal hot pot at home, which may also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. You need to pay attention to ventilation when eating."
avoids low-temperature scalding. High temperature can cause scalding, but many people don’t know that if you continue to contact items with 44 degrees Celsius for more than 6 hours, you will be “scalded in low temperatures”. It is manifested as redness, swelling, blistering, and whiteness of the skin. It seems that the area is small, but in severe cases, damage to the deep tissues of the skin may occur, and improper treatment may also cause infection. Children and the elderly, especially older people, who feel weakened in their sensory functions or suffer from diabetes . Paralyzed elderly people are at high risk of low temperature scalds. "If some adults do not pay attention to prevention, they will be injured unknowingly when they fall asleep," said Wang Junyu. There are three measures to avoid low-temperature scalding: 1) Check whether it has aging or leaking before using a rubber hot water bag. The water temperature is less than 50℃ and fill it with about 70% of the water. It is recommended to put it in the quilt before going to bed, take it out when sleeping, and do not place it all night. You can wrap it in the outer layer with a towel when using it. Do not directly contact the skin for too long. 2) Pay attention to the quality when choosing an electric blanket, and it also needs to be opened before going to bed and closed when going to bed. 3) When using the baby, stick it outside the close-fitting clothes, do not contact the skin directly or for a long time, and avoid sticking to the underbody and the pressured area.
Beware of skin problems. After the weather turns cold, many people may use electric heaters to keep warm, and their skin becomes itchy as soon as it is roasted. Xi Jianyuan, director of the Department of Dermatology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, introduced: " pruritus is a common and frequently occurring disease in winter. It is related to the damage to the skin barrier, the inability to lock in moisture internally, and the inability to resist the invasion of microorganisms and chemicals externally." The patients are mainly middle-aged and elderly people. As they get older, the skin will undergo degenerative lesions, and the secretion of sebaceous glands and sweat glands will decrease, losing the lubrication and protection effect. In winter, it is cold and dry, and the skin blood vessels contract, and the secretory function is further reduced, causing the skin to become dryer, the stratum corneum falls off, and the nerve endings in the skin are irritated and itchy. The patient is itchy and lasts for several hours each time, and the skin is often scratched and bleeding. To prevent itching, try to choose air conditioning or floor heating for heating, pay attention to maintaining indoor air humidity, and avoid using electric stoves, electric blankets, electric baking fans and other equipment."Some people will also experience redness and physical discomfort when using warm babies. They should stop using it immediately," said Xi Jianyuan.
Avoid respiratory diseases. Heating is used in the north and air conditioning is used in the south and air conditioning is very likely to cause indoor water loss, air circulation and bacterial growth, which will lead to infectious respiratory diseases such as influenza. Therefore, when you are at home in winter, you should pay attention to hydrating your body, and use humidifiers, etc. to ensure air humidity. In addition, in order to prevent bacteria from growing, the humidifier should be cleaned once a week and changed water every day; the air conditioner should not only be cleaned regularly, but also avoid excessive temperatures. In addition, it is recommended to ventilate the room regularly between 10 am and 4 pm every day to ensure fresh indoor air. "These should be done more during the COVID-19 epidemic to improve environmental quality and avoid virus invasion." Wang Junyu said.
Beware of electric blanket leakage. Even an electric blanket with insulation resistance is fully qualified, there will be an induced voltage generated and act on the human body. The induced voltage between the human body and the electric blanket can reach 40~70 volts, and there is a current of 15 microamps, which is enough to endanger the health of the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women and children should use it with caution. In addition, electric blankets are not suitable for laying on soft mattresses, which can easily cause the electric heating wire to be stretched, causing breakage and leakage. To use an electric blanket, turn it on before going to bed and turn it off when going to bed. ▲
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