"kongtiao bing" ie. AC Flu

[Baas Babelaas]

So, I'm suffering from it - my mucous vessels in my nose, throat and chest have been sucked dry by the AC. Results in post nasal drip, throat and chest problems. My GP actually diagnosed me with acute bronchitis.

I have some minor respiratory issues, especially living at sea level, but every year I get 'AC Flu" - there's no way around it, the outside temp is 38c, 80% humidity. To come into a cool apartment soothes me, but messes up my respiratory system.

Bar turning my AC off (it has no AC+humidifier function) I would have to open the front and back door the get the "kong qi" (breeze) blowing through.

What's your suggestions?

(I know this is similar to the Summer Cold thread, but I would like specific replies.

PS. Maybe I should just man up and sweat hard summer long..

[boho]

Is there no way you could survive with just a fan? I tend to be fine with a fan pointed right at me and a cold tea and shirtless. Plus it saves money .

It's pretty bad for you to go back and forth between dry, cold and wet, hot air often. And I'm not really sure if "humidifying" colder air is possible. Colder air holds exponentially less water than warmer air.

So my only advice is to just enjoy the heat. Ignore the Taiwanese advice of cold drinks and keep your core temperature low by drinking as many cold drinks as possible. That with a fan and I survive, but maybe I'm weird.

[headhonchoII]

You may have allergies also. Try taking anti histamine which possibly could help with the symptoms.

[Baas Babelaas]

You may have allergies also. Try taking anti histamine which possibly could help with the symptoms.

Plenty of them. I have anti histamines, but try to avoid daily use as I don't want the 'rebound' effect.

I could try keeping front and back door open and letting the breeze run through the house..

[kau826]

You may have allergies also. Try taking anti histamine which possibly could help with the symptoms.

Plenty of them. I have anti histamines, but try to avoid daily use as I don't want the 'rebound' effect.

I could try keeping front and back door open and letting the breeze run through the house..

As far as I know, anti-histamine would not cause rebound effect you mentioned, but pseudoephedrine does. Some pill contains both anti-histamine and pseudoephedrine and is not supposed to take long-term. Is this why you consider daily use of anti-histamine should be avoided? Basically anti-histamine alone could be taken safely and continually for a long time without prominent side effects. So you may keep on taking it in the hot weather and stop it when you need AC no more. Hope this helps.

[StevenCrook]

I'm recovering from a bout right now. We were up in Taipei last week, hopping from A/C comfort to blazing heat several times a day... returned to Tainan with a dry cough and now a phlegmy throat. No special cure, AFAIK.

[Taiwan Luthiers]

Seriously, in the Taiwan summer heat without AC I need a strong fan blown at me continuously in order for things to be just bearable. The strong fan causes migraines after about 30 minutes and the fan ceases to provide any cooling once all the water on my skin has evaporated. I can keep cool by keeping myself wet at all times but it ends up introducing other problems (like fungus) and I end up having to take like 3 showers a day just to keep the oil level down (the oil makes the heat much worse).

So yes, I much rather pay for the air conditioning. I suffer much less discomfort and health issues with air conditioning than without. Plus I absolutely cannot sleep without air conditioning. It is actually worse at night because the humidity is very close to 100%.