sore throat because of air pollution?

[JimO]

For the last 2-3 weeks I have had a mild sore throat, I had thought I'd caught a cold but it didn't develop into one. After seeing headlines on the news about increased air pollution recently I wondered if my daily commute is the cause?

I have been commuting for a couple of years but I have gone from 3 days a week to the full 5 since Christmas, plus I am now cycling during rush hour whereas before I was going to work earlier and leaving late (all thanks to having a baby!...).

Has anyone experienced a sore throat from traffic fumes? Also, doesn't anyone recommend a good air pollution mask I can try?

Thanks
Jim

[mercalia]

u dont say where u are? rather important. if a rural commute hardly likely. I know when I cycle in London any distance when I get home my face skin feels very dirty and alive that no amount of washing cleanses. Certainly have nasal/throat issues from living & cycling in London that only relieve when I go out in the country side or coast

[Mick F]

The poor air quality has been nation-wide. It's something to do with the wind/temp/humidity thing. I think I heard that it was worst in the south of England.

We've been suffering here. My asthma has been almost out of control needing Ventolin every hour or so and I've been waking up with it during the night - never happened before - and I too am just getting over a sore throat. Mrs Mick F has been sneezing and coughing ....... and it's not the common cold.

These past few days, it all seems to have gone, and we are left with wonderful fresh clean dry air. Ventolin totally not needed.

[geocycle]

It's not impossible that air pollution was a cause of your throat problems although hard to prove. Concntrations of pm2.5 have increased significantly as a result of weather conditions in major cities especially in the south east. About half the pm2.5 load comes from traffic. Note that the UK concentrtions are still six times less than those in Delhi or Beijing.

In terms of masks, I have not heard of one that can filter 2.5um particles efficiently. They will certainly impact on your breathing though!

[JimO]

Thanks for the replies! I am based in Cheltenham. So, hardly city centre but my commute i right through town where all the traffic is and I spend a lot of it behind a vehicle. I've had to reluctantly take the bus this week after I buggered my knee, and my throat is feeling a little better so far. But, I did her the pollution level is dropping.

It could be nothing. It could be my house is just quite dry. We have a humidifier in my one year old daughters room for when she has a bit of a cold as it seems to help her coughing.

[Cheltcyclist]

Interesting comments , i too live in cheltenham and been suffering from a sore throat cough and runny nose. Not sure if its bad hay fever or a cold. Beginning to sound like a combination of hay fever and pollution.