Have a headache? Wildfire smoke could be to blame. The unexpected symptoms to know

While inhaling wildfire smoke can lead to expected symptoms like coughing, trouble breathing, stinging eyes and more, there are some other more subtle symptoms that can come from breathing in the particles.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those in areas being clouded by wildfire smoke may also report symptoms that might not seem related, but are.

“Breathing in smoke can affect you right away,” the CDC reported.

Unexpected symptoms might include things like headaches, tiredness, a runny nose and more.

The full list of symptoms, according to the CDC, is:

• Coughing
• Trouble breathing
• Wheezing
• Asthma attacks
• Stinging eyes
• Scratchy throat
• Runny nose
• Irritated sinuses
• Headaches
• Tiredness
• Chest pain

Dr. Jeremy Smiley at Endeavor Skokie Hospital told NBC Chicago the current conditions make protecting yourself even harder.

Smiley said the efficacy of a mask “really depends on the kind of mask.”

“A plain old cloth mask probably won’t really do much. If you’re going to be wearing a mask, you probably want to dust off like your COVID stockpile of N95s because it’s really that type of mask, that respirator, that will prevent a lot of the particle matter from getting into your lungs,” he said.

However, the heat complicates things.

“There’s a trade-off because it’s also really hot, and so breathing through a tight-fitting mask paired with the high heat — it’s probably better to just stay inside if you’re an at-risk population rather than to go outside and walk around if it’s not needed.”

Smiley said residents should pay attention to how they feel during the “hazardous” conditions.

If you notice the following symptoms, it’s time to get inside.

• Eyes and/or throat irritation
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling generally unwell

If you feel those symptoms, it’s “time to just hide,” Smiley said.

“Get yourself inside. Get yourself out of the out of the environment,” he said.

For those who continue to experience symptoms while indoors, there are some steps you can take like:

• Turn your air conditioning on
• Consider getting a good air filter if you don’t have one
• Avoid frying food
• Don’t vape or smoke

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