As daytime temperatures continue to exceed 30 degrees Celsius amid a prolonged heat wave, air conditioning has become part of daily life. However, caution is needed, as keeping indoor spaces excessively cold or failing to properly maintain cooling systems can cause not only air-conditioningitis but also respiratory illnesses.
According to the medical community on the 4th, air-conditioningitis is not an official medical diagnosis but rather a syndrome encompassing various symptoms that appear after prolonged exposure to air conditioning in enclosed spaces during summer. Typical symptoms resemble those of a cold, including headaches, fatigue, body aches, muscle pain, runny nose, coughing, and sore throat.
The body may easily become sluggish and tired, and some experience indigestion. In severe cases, hands and feet may swell, or patients may complain of joint pain in the lower back, knees, and ankles. Women are known to experience irregular menstrual cycles or worsened menstrual cramps.
These symptoms occur when the autonomic nervous system fails to properly adapt to the large temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. In particular, the longer one stays in a strongly air-conditioned environment, the more the body's ability to adapt declines, increasing the likelihood of worsening symptoms.
Cold air is not the only threat to summer health. Poorly maintained air conditioners can also harm respiratory health. When dust, bacteria, and mold that accumulate inside air conditioners spread into the indoor air during cooling, they can cause coughing, sore throats, and allergic symptoms.
In particular, Legionella bacteria can proliferate in contaminated cooling systems, potentially leading to respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Children, the elderly, and people with chronic respiratory diseases have relatively weaker immunity and therefore require more careful management.
To prevent these problems, it is advisable to keep the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors within about 5 degrees. Avoiding prolonged direct exposure to air conditioner airflow, drinking plenty of water, and taking regular breaks also help. Maintaining appropriate humidity to prevent indoor air from becoming too dry is important as well.
Air conditioner maintenance is also essential. Cleaning or replacing filters regularly and ventilating the room by opening windows two to three times a day help reduce the accumulation of contaminants from inside the cooling system.
Ok Sun-myung, a professor of family medicine at Catholic University's Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, said, "Rather than dismissing a summer cough or sore throat as a simple cold, we should remember that the air-conditioning environment may also be the cause," adding, "Most air-conditioning-related health problems can be prevented simply by maintaining an appropriate indoor temperature and keeping cooling systems clean through proper cooling habits."
He also advised, "If coughing and phlegm persist for a long time, or if they are accompanied by high fever and difficulty breathing, it is best to see a specialist to check for respiratory infection."
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