Air conditioning in shops

[Ldiggers]

Has anybody noticed a tightness of chest while shopping in supermarkets .I have only experienced this since Corona virius outbreak.are the air conditioning plant being treated with extra chemicals?

[Uppy]

Hi there.

I always get a tight chest with air conditioning and also the fridge aisles in supermarkets so I try to avoid them or do my shopping very quickly. I find wearing a scarf loosely over my nose helps as it prevents the cold air getting into my lungs.

Take care

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Uppy]

I’m sure it’s something that comes off the freezers - moisture or cold air - I used to find that I always started to cough when I was going round the freezer section of a supermarket we used to use. I did the same as you and wore a loose scarf that I could pull up. I’ve not come across anyone else who has said that before

[Beefull8 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

When I first had asthma, I also could not handle being in air condition. Whenever I’d go to the market it was like I had to hold my breath run and grab as much things as I could and run out. I couldn’t breathe in the a/c.

[Troilus]

Maybe it is the difference it temperature. You are in warm air, at the moment hot air, then you go into cold air. Sometimes I welcome air conditioning. Last August it was really hot and muggy. We went to visit relatives and we went out for a meal. I kept ducking under the table for a gasp on my inhaler. When we got back to the hotel the air conditioning was on low. It was a huge relief. Tor the first time that day I felt comfortable.

I think sometimes shops have it full on. It can be like walking into a fridge.

[Poobah]

Air con is my nemesis. I switch it off in hotel rooms if I can. One trip on a cruise was a challenge - I hadn't thought there would be 24/7 air con in the cabins. I ended up wearing a mask just to temper the air that I was breathing in.

When air con was installed at work I wasn't the only one to suffer. My chest infection rate went sky high. The employer ended up giving me my own room with a/c control and water feature to replace moisture. It turned out that the a/c was drying out the air so much it was considered unsafe (20%). But the colder it got the worse I felt, as did a lot of the ladies. Chaps didn't find it cold at all.

At the moment I wear a mask shopping but normally I use a light scarf to protect me in the colder parts of the supermarket. Having said that, department stores can have terrible air con as does our local cinema - I take a coat and scarf in with me no matter what the season.

Now that I have masks I shall be using them for all air conditioned spaces.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Poobah]

I’m really impressed with the arrangements your employer made for you.

[Bu997]

I have recently developed Asthma following a respiratory infection and any shot of cold air sets me off, fridge, freezer, open window, fan. It’s such a pain!