If one believes doctors more than urban legends, air conditioning is a good thing. “Creating a temperature-controlled environment is always beneficial during any illness,” says Dr Sameem Majid Matto, Internal Medicine Specialist at Canadian Speciality Hospital.
He seems pretty confident about the effects of air conditioning on health. There is a reason, he says, that hospital rules specify that air conditioning in certain rooms be kept on at all times, day or night, whether or not they are occupied. Independent research by Dr Michelle L Bell and her colleagues at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, points to the fact that people suffering from respiratory illnesses can benefit from air conditioning as it limits their exposure to particulate matter.
Reduced pollution risk
The study published in the journal, Epidemiology, in 2009, noted that air conditioning can be a factor in lowering the number of health problems resulting from breathing in pollution deep into the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing or worsening asthma. Those people who use air conditioning instead of keeping their windows open may in fact be breathing in fewer particles.
By investigating air-conditioned households within a given area, Bell and her colleagues found that communities with higher percentages of air-conditioned homes showed lower levels of health complaints resulting from particulate matter. The study found a link between hospitalisation for heart disease and the percentage of homes with central air conditioning. For instance, for every 20 per cent of the population that acquired central air conditioning, a community would see a 17 per cent reduction in the number of patients hospitalised for heart disease.
For years, doctors in communities that do not have air conditioning as default have recommended that residents have machines installed if they suffer from medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, quadriplegia and scleroderma. “It is not a cure for anything but patients suffering from these conditions get symptomatic relief,” says Dr Matto.
People suffering from multiple sclerosis find that their condition becomes worse when they are exposed to heat. “Multiple sclerosis is aggravated if there is exposure to heat. One is encouraged to maintain a steady temperature. It is a neurological problem,” he adds.
Allergy problems
Be that as it may, technology is only as good as its users. An air conditioner that is not properly maintained can cause numerous health problems for users. As will an air conditioner with abusively low levels of temperature.
“Allergic rhinitis, allergic pharyngitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic asthma or respiratory diseases, fatigue and headaches might be exacerbated if temperatures are very low and humidity levels are very high,” says Dr Swati Shah, a homeopathic practitioner at Al Iman Homoeo Centre.
Scleroderma, for instance, is caused due to exposure to extreme cold. “This is a skin condition where symptoms get more exaggerated by exposure to cold conditions — mostly those living in sub-zero temperatures, their hands are affected. People working in cold storages can also suffer from it. Temperature maintained at a specific degree would prevent problems in that case,” says Dr Matto. Low temperatures, adds Dr Shah, are also responsible for aggravating symptoms in arthritis patients.
Clogged filters
The biggest culprit when it comes to air-conditioning-related problems is the lack of maintenance. (Turn to page IV and V for a primer on the maintenance of air conditioners and air ducts).
There are various studies that suggest that microbial growth in air conditioning systems can increase risks of health symptoms. Wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough are shown to increase in buildings with poor drainage of condensate from the cooling coil drain pan. “Moisture of AC surfaces can give rise to growth of undesirable microorganisms or moulds affecting the respiratory tract,” says Dr Shah. Air conditioning does a good job of filtering out bacteria, fungi and spores from our homes but when filters are not cleaned, it is only a matter of time before the microbes come right back in.
“If the filters are clogged and not cleaned properly, there are problems. You can catch infections of the respiratory tract, lung infection or skin irritations,” says Dr Matto.
He cites the example of a 35-year-old asthma patient with a well-controlled condition, reporting less than one episode in six months or a year.
“The patient recently suffered a spate of attacks — more than three or four a month,” he says. “We looked into his history to see whether he had changed his jobs — stress can be a cause, and some people are exposed to silica and dust at their workplace.” After examining many lifestyle factors, the doctors realised that the one thing that had hanged was his place of residence. “He checked the air conditioner’s filters and they were dirty. He had them cleaned and within two months the attacks had reduced,” he says.
It is not very difficult to clean the filter, which can be taken out, cleaned with soap and water and refitted, he adds.
A lack of cleanliness
can be lethal — the deadliest disease connected with air conditioning is said to be Legionnaires’ Disease; a type of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. Reservoirs with cooling towers, public spa pools or warm water systems are confirmed haunts of the bacteria, which thrive in warm, stagnant water. And although the UAE reported three cases of the disease in 2009, most health officials agree that home units are not at fault. According to a Department of Health website in Victoria, Australia, “The evaporative units sometimes used in home air conditioning units have not been known to cause Legionnaires’ Disease.” The condition is believed to have originated in Roman times, in 200BC, well before modern air conditioning.
Dr Matto has the final word: “Air conditioning is good in general. But as with anything else, such as, say a car, if you maintain it properly it will give you good service; if you do not maintain it, it won’t.”
