Breathing In Cold Air

[Barb]

Hallo, in january I was ill with the flu for 3 weeks it really hurt to breath when I turned over in bed and the doctor come out and give me antibiotics which stopped the pains. Since then when I breath in cold air it feels uncomfotable in my chest area and it is scaring me, its not pain just uncomfotable and its putting me off going for my walks which I need to do with my agoraphobia, please can you help.

Barb

[RLR]

Relax. Nothing to worry about whatsoever. Following respiratory insult, the mucus linings and bronchial passages can remain quite sensitive and disrupted from normal function for as much as several weeks to several months. The typical reaction is coughing and mild pain on inspiration of cold air, which happens to oftentimes be very dry. The bronchia and lungs work best in the presence of sufficiently moist air.

Use of a humidifier can help, but otherwise the symptoms will dissipate and self-resolve. You'll be just fine.