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Is it safe for an asthmatic to migrate to a cold country?
Question
My wife is suffering from acute asthma since her childhood and takes Asthalin-4 or Asthalin inhaler once a day which solves her problem. She is 29 year old. Now my problem is, I want to migrate to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. As Canada is very cold, I want to know if is it advisable to migrate with this problem or will it create a major health problem? Could this lead to refusal of Visa?
Expert Answer
I
Dr Irwin ZimentMay 28, 2003
Professor of Medicine,
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
Although cold weather can exacerbate asthma, this is most likely to occur when going from a warm building into cold air. However, the adverse effect can be minimised by using 2 to 4 puffs of a bronchodilator 10-15 minutes before going out, and by breathing through a scarf wrapped loosely across the mouth. Some patients find that an inhaled asthma medicine - Intal, or a similar product Tilade is of benefit in protecting against cold-induced asthma. Since asthma is a very common disorder, and it is readily treated with excellent medications, it would be improper to exclude immigration based on a history of asthma. Moreover, asthma is just as likely to be more of a problem in very warm countries because of exposure to dusts and organic pollutants.
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