Autumn Illnesses: Medical Conditions You May Encounter at the Beginning of the Autumn Season

At the beginning of the cold season, the health of the body can be affected due to fluctuations in temperature, humidity, or atmospheric pressure. For many people with a weakened immune system, the cold weather promotes the onset of various autumn illnesses.
Starting in September, many individuals face different autumn ailments due to increased exposure to germs. What are the most common medical conditions that can arise with the onset of the cold season?
Autumn Illnesses
Exposure to germs is the main factor that triggers frequent illnesses during the cold season. During low temperatures, more people may spend extended periods indoors, in a shared space where air circulation is limited, making it easier for viruses to spread among individuals. Common illnesses that can occur in the cold season include:
Common Cold
This is the most frequently occurring condition during the cold season among people of all ages, as it spreads both through the air and by contact with infected individuals or objects. The virus can be transmitted from an infected person through tiny droplets released during sneezing or coughing.
A common cold can be recognized by the following symptoms: infection in the nose and sinuses, clear mucus discharge that changes color after 2-3 days, sneezing, nasal congestion, as well as coughing, sore throat, watery eyes, or moderate headaches.
Seasonal Flu
Flu is a respiratory illness caused by three types of viruses (A, B, C). Seasonal epidemics are often caused by influenza viruses A and B, while type C flu is the least pathogenic.
The illness spreads easily and quickly to a new person through saliva droplets from the sneezes or coughs of the infected individual. A healthy person in a contaminated room will inhale air containing infected particles, allowing the virus to reach the nasal and oral mucosa, the respiratory tract, and subsequently multiply.
The most important symptoms of the flu include: muscle aches, headaches, sore throat, chills, fever, and fatigue (especially among children).
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is an inflammation or infection of the nasal mucosa that protects several air-filled bony cavities known as paranasal sinuses (nasal cavity). It often occurs in the cold season when atmospheric pressure changes, and when bacteria and fungi can more easily settle in the sinuses.
Sinusitis can manifest through symptoms such as: nasal discharge, headaches, localized pain in the sinuses, especially in the frontal area.
There are several types of sinusitis, and each condition is classified based on various criteria, including duration (sinusitis can last between 2 weeks and 3 months if complications arise), level of complication, or multiple episodes.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the respiratory pathways, bronchi, and bronchioles (the small channels through which air flows from the trachea to the lungs), associated with excessive mucus production and coughing.
The causes of bronchitis can include bacteria, viruses, particles that irritate the bronchial tubes, a weakened immune system, or exposure to irritants.
Bronchitis can manifest through symptoms such as: productive cough, difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, wheezing, fever, chills, and fatigue.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection, but it can also occur due to other microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other specific pathogenic factors that affect the patient’s body.
Pneumonia occurs when the lungs are constantly exposed to an external environment with pathogenic agents and develops in the body when the airways are infected.
Pulmonary infection can rarely develop when pathogens reach the lungs through the bloodstream.
Digestive Infections
Digestive diseases are frequently encountered in the summer and autumn and can be caused by consuming contaminated water or food, or by improperly stored food that has spoiled.
Among the most common digestive infections at the beginning of autumn are:
Food poisoning is a digestive condition that occurs after consuming food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins released by them.
The main categories of food that can trigger food poisoning include: unpasteurized dairy products, cheeses, eggs, meat, vegetables, and seafood, as well as canned products that have not been properly sterilized, and semi-prepared food that has not been handled/stored correctly.
Symptoms of food poisoning include: fever, nausea, abdominal pain.
Gastroenteritis (also known as enteritis or enterocolitis) is an intestinal infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, with the main route of transmission being through food that has not been cooked sufficiently or properly, or through contaminated water.
Rheumatic Conditions
At the beginning of autumn, among the rheumatic conditions that frequently manifest are: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, gout, and infectious arthritis. These conditions may present symptoms such as: swelling and warmth in the affected area, inflammation, and the onset of muscle pain.
In case of symptom onset, it is essential to visit a doctor for specific investigations.