A man and a woman were admitted to the hospital after a night out and almost died

In the scorching summer, air conditioning is an essential way to cool down, but using air conditioning also increases the chance of facial paralysis. What is going on here? Let’s take a look together!

Case 1:

Mr. Wu, 32, likes to play badminton. After playing, he sweated all over. After going home and taking a shower, he turned on the air conditioner and lay on the sofa to watch TV. Before going to bed at night, Mr. Wu felt discomfort in his left ear, but he didn't pay much attention to it. When I woke up the next morning, I had throbbing pain behind my ear, numbness and drooling at the left corner of my mouth, and I couldn't open my left eye. In the hospital's Department of Neurology, Mr. Wu was diagnosed with facial paralysis.

Case 2:

My “fellow patient” Xiaolin is only 19 years old. It was too hot while learning to drive, so she turned up the air conditioner too much after returning home. As a result, she developed facial paralysis and her left face has no expression at all. The hospital admitted a total of 8 patients with facial paralysis in one day, all of whom were caused by the air conditioning being blown too strong.

Expert introduction:

In the summer, people want to cool down after sweating a lot, and use air conditioners or fans improperly, which causes sudden temperature changes and stimulates the facial nerves, leading to neural tube functional disorders. Symptoms include stiffness on one side of the face, numbness, drooling, and facial paralysis.

Experts suggest that when citizens use air conditioning, the temperature should not be too low, especially for the elderly and children, and it should be used at the right time and in moderation. In addition, do not blow the air conditioner towards your head, especially after sweating, being drunk, or washing your hair.

Don't be greedy for coolness after sweating in summer

Don’t set the air conditioner temperature too low

Important things to remind you again!

In the summer, people want to cool down after sweating a lot, and use air conditioners or fans improperly, which causes sudden temperature changes and stimulates the facial nerves, leading to neural tube functional disorders. Symptoms include stiffness on one side of the face, numbness, drooling, and facial paralysis. Citizens are advised not to be too greedy for coolness and to use air conditioners at a temperature not too low, especially for the elderly and children. They should use the air conditioners at the right time and in moderation. In addition, do not blow the air conditioner towards your head, especially after sweating, being drunk, or washing your hair.

How to use air conditioning correctly

Even if it is very hot outside, the indoor air-conditioning temperature should not be set too low. The most suitable temperature for adults in an air-conditioned room is 25-26 degrees, and for the weak it is 27-28 degrees. The temperature difference between indoor and outdoor should not exceed 8 degrees. If the temperature difference is too large, it can easily cause dizziness, dry mouth, cough, runny nose and other discomforts, and in severe cases it may cause a stroke. Therefore, it is recommended that under normal circumstances, it is best to adjust the air conditioner to around 26°C, and the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor should not exceed 7°C, otherwise it will increase the burden on the body temperature regulation center.

Air conditioning blows upwards

When the air conditioner is turned on, the cold air sinks downward, so it is best to blow the wind upwards to avoid the cold air blowing directly on the body. For people who live near air conditioners, it is best to sit facing the air conditioner, because the cold wind blowing from behind on your back and waist can cause more damage to the human body than head-on wind. For those who work in an office and cannot move their seats, it is best to prepare a small scarf to wrap around your neck.

If you sit for a long time at work, such as typing, writing, etc., you may wish to prepare clothes that are easy to put on and take off. When wearing a skirt, you can use a shawl to protect your legs, especially the knees. The cold starts from the feet, so you should stand up and move around from time to time to improve peripheral blood circulation.

Just entered the house, turn on the air conditioner after 10 minutes

Some friends sweat a lot and then turn on the air conditioner as soon as they get home. This is harmful to their health. Because the pores are completely open at this time and have no time to close, the body temperature can easily drop sharply, inducing colds and other diseases.

Therefore, after entering the room from the hot outdoors, you should wait at least 10 minutes before turning on the air conditioner. In addition, the human body temperature drops when sleeping. If you turn on the air conditioner all night to keep cool, it can also easily cause headaches, colds, etc. Be sure to turn off the air conditioner before going to bed, or set a timer to turn it off.

Open the window every hour to protect your respiratory tract

Turning on the air conditioner will make the indoor air dry, and because the air is not circulating, the environment cannot be improved, which can easily cause people to have nasal congestion, dry throat, sneezing, etc. Therefore, you should pay attention to frequent ventilation. It is recommended to open the window once an hour or so, for about 15 minutes each time.

To prevent dry skin and itchy throat, people who often work in air-conditioned environments should drink more water, chrysanthemum tea, and eat more fresh fruits rich in vitamins.

If you are weak, don't turn on the air conditioner in the morning and evening

It is best for people with poor immune function, such as the elderly with arthritis, rheumatism, underdeveloped children, and pregnant women, to use air conditioning less. Especially in the early morning and evening when the outdoor temperature is low, you should go outdoors to do more exercise, breathe fresh air, and sunbathe to enhance your body's adaptability.

In summer nights, the indoor temperature is stuffy, which affects the quality of sleep. Many people like to turn on the air conditioner all night. In fact, this is not good for the body. If it is too hot, you might as well turn on the air conditioner after dinner, and turn it off before going to bed or adjust it to breeze or sleep mode. Families who have the conditions can use electric fans to help cool down at night.

When using an air conditioner, you should choose one that can shake its head when supplying air. If an electric fan blows directly at the head and neck, the scalp temperature will drop, and the reflex will cause the cerebral blood vessels to constrict, and cerebral blood flow will also decrease. For the elderly with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, it can induce cerebral stroke in severe cases. If the fan blows towards one side of the face, there is a risk of causing facial paralysis. Although the cause of facial paralysis is unknown, it is currently recognized that local cold is one of the main causes. Because the cold causes the blood vessels that nourish the nerves to spasm and contract, leading to nerve ischemia and hypoxia, edema, swelling, compression and deformation, etc.

For children, summer is a relatively difficult season with its hot weather. Many parents have doubts about whether they should let their children use air conditioning. Because children's metabolism is faster than adults, they are more afraid of heat than adults. The temperature of children's rooms should be adjusted appropriately according to the air temperature, so air conditioning can be used in children's rooms. Keep the air conditioner temperature at around 26℃. This will not only prevent your child from getting prickly heat, but also ensure a good sleep.