Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1206099
Individuals might experience headaches, shortness of breath and phlegm short-term, while older people with cardiac issues could have chest pain and fatigue, as well as dizziness and lightheadedness. Long-term, they are likely to find that they get short of breath faster and tire more quickly, so they can't exercise as long. Another symptom is a persistent cough. Dr. Laura Eberhard, a pulmonologist at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center hears the phrase "since the fires" frequently. Directly after the fires, she and her colleagues saw patients with direct exposure, whose eyes and nasal passages were affected, and now, more than two years later, they see one or two patients a week who are still feeling the after effects, which include chronic sinusitis, as well as a cough. "Folks have been struggling with symptoms since then…We can't be sure it's from the fires, but it's consistent," she says. She advises people who are exhibiting symptoms such as ongoing shortness of breath, wheezing, chest discomfort or a constant cough to ask their doctors to check their lungs. Diagnosis requires pulmonary function tests, which are noninvasive and measure lung volume, capacity, rates of flow and gas exchange to show how well the lungs are working. "Corticoid steroid would be the most common treatment," says Dr. Eberhard. "It puts the medicine where it's most needed." She adds that most healthy people will go back to having normal airways, often within a couple of weeks. Clean-up begins once the immediate danger of a fire is over, but it also has risks. Ash from fires that burned in urban areas, such as Santa Rosa, is likely to contain hazardous air pollutants that contain chemicals and are toxic, so while removing it is important, it requires caution. "When you clean, it spreads. You shouldn't be vacuuming," says Dr. Tamariz. Instead, he recommends watering down the ash, so methods such damp mopping and dusting are the safest and most effective. Get ready With the risk of another catastrophic firestorm in 2020 a possibility, people should be prepared. During a blaze and its aftermath, they can check the air quality index at airnow.gov or on a weather app on their mobile phones, and if it's rated unhealthy or higher, they should either be ready to leave the area with a go-bag or stay inside if they're not close to the fire zone. If they opt to remain indoors, the ideal is a sealed building with air conditioning that has filters with a high MERV rating (minimum efficiency rating value). "A HEPA filter with a high rating takes out everything. If you have a 4 (rating), that's not going to take out anything," says Dr. Tamariz, who advises people to check their filters. If people must go outside, they should use an N95 mask that fits well, preferably one with valves for inhaling and exhaling. "Those are the most effective," says Dr. Eberhard, because other masks don't fit closely enough to keep out fine particulate matter. "Everyone should have a go-bag, and it should include a mask," she adds. Along with a pack of N95 masks, Dr. Tamariz recommends including an inhaler in a go-bag for anyone who's ever used one in the past. "If you've used it before, you might have to use it again. If you wheeze once, you can wheeze again," he says. "It shows that you're capable of it." Dr. Eberhard fully believes we'll face more fires in 2020. "In Marin, this is a direct health effect from climate change. For us, as pulmonologists, it's a really big problem," she says. As a result, she reports that doctors are deeply concerned about the issue and says, "It very much has to do with human health." n Wildfire fallout and your health – Dr. Laura Eberhard, Pulmonologist at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center "More than two years later, Dr. Eberhard see one or two patients a week who are still feeling the after effects, which include chronic sinusitis, as well as a cough...she advises people who are exhibiting symptoms such as ongoing shortness of breath, wheezing, chest discomfort or a constant cough to ask their doctors to check their lungs." A tiny speck of pollen measures 10 micrometers, while wildfire particulate matter is only .4 to .7 micrometers and can go deep into the lungs. "The harder you breathe, the more you're going to inhale," he says, "and when it gets that deep, it causes inflammation and mucous production." – Dr. Vincent Tamariz, pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Sutter Health's California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco Plan early for possible evacuation. – Photos istock/getty images Your to-go backpack should include all the essentials including N95 masks, water, radio, medications, flashlights, snacks, bathroom toiletries and first-aid kit. A Marketing Supplement of the Marin Independent Journal | marinij.com Healthy Living February 2, 2020 5