How does atmospheric pressure affect humans and the body?

Updated July 22, 2021 Author: Dmitry Ivanetscu
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. In the weather forecast, among the well-known indicators (temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, etc.), atmospheric pressure is also present.

It is expressed not in our usual units of measurement (atmosphere, bar, pascal), but in millimeters of mercury.

We will tell you below where this pressure comes from, how it is measured, what kind of “mercury column” is and how it affects human health.

Normal atmospheric pressure for humans

This is a conditional concept, adopted with the following indicators: latitude 45° and zero temperature. Under such conditions, a little more than one ton of air presses on 1 square centimeter of all surfaces of the planet. The mass is balanced with a column of mercury, the height of which is 760 mm (comfortable for humans). According to scientists' calculations, the flora and fauna of the Earth are affected by about 14-19 tons of air, which can crush all living things. However, organisms have their own internal pressure, and as a result, both indicators are equalized and make life on the planet possible.

General information

Balloon bursting in the TranslatorsCafe.com office

In physics, pressure is defined as the force acting on a unit surface area. If two equal forces act on one larger and one smaller surface, then the pressure on the smaller surface will be greater. Agree, it is much worse if someone who wears stilettos steps on your foot than someone who wears sneakers. For example, if you press the blade of a sharp knife onto a tomato or carrot, the vegetable will be cut in half. The surface area of ​​the blade in contact with the vegetable is small, so the pressure is high enough to cut that vegetable. If you press with the same force on a tomato or carrot with a dull knife, then most likely the vegetable will not cut, since the surface area of ​​the knife is now larger, which means the pressure is less.

In the SI system, pressure is measured in pascals, or newtons per square meter.

What atmospheric pressure is considered high?

If the air compression is above 760 mm. rt. Art., he is considered tall. Depending on the territorial location, air masses can exert pressure in different ways. In mountain ranges the air is more rarefied, in hot layers of the atmosphere it presses more strongly, in cold layers, on the contrary, less. During the day, the mercury column changes several times, as does the well-being of weather-dependent people.

Dependence of blood pressure on atmospheric pressure

The level of atmospheric pressure changes due to territory, proximity to the equator, and other geographical features of the area. In the warm season (when the air is warm) it is minimal; in winter, when temperatures drop, the air becomes heavier and presses as much as possible. People quickly adapt if the weather is stable for a long time. However, a sharp change in climatic conditions directly affects a person, and if there is a high sensitivity to temperature changes, well-being worsens.

Physiotherapy

Healing baths and mud have a good effect. In addition, any water procedures (circular shower, wiping with cold water, swimming pool) cause a positive effect and increase the body's reserve capabilities. Essential oils have positive tonic and calming properties. You can perform inhalation with essential oils of citrus and coniferous plants, mint, rosemary and other substances, or conduct an aromatherapy session.

Sensitivity to changes in pressure is an unpleasant condition that disrupts normal well-being and interferes with a full life. To avoid this, you need to increase the body’s natural resistance and monitor your health.

What does atmospheric pressure affect?

Healthy people may feel weak when weather conditions change, and patients suddenly feel changes in the state of the body. Chronic cardiovascular diseases will worsen. The influence of atmospheric pressure on a person's blood pressure is great. This affects the condition of people with diseases of the circulatory system (arterial hypertension, arrhythmia and angina) and the following pathologies of body systems:

• Nervous and organic mental disorders (schizophrenia, psychoses of various etiologies) in remission. When the weather changes, it worsens.
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (arthritis, arthrosis, hernias and old fractures, osteochondrosis) are manifested by discomfort, aching pain in the joints or bones.

Weather dependence of children

Almost always, children’s dependence on weather changes is a consequence of difficult pregnancy or childbirth. Unfortunately, the consequences of such a birth remain with the child for a very long time, sometimes throughout his life. Respiratory diseases, autoimmune diseases, hypertension and hypotension can lead to a person being weather dependent throughout his life. It is very difficult to say exactly how low atmospheric pressure affects people with the same diseases. The manifestation of weather dependence is individual in nature for everyone.

At-risk groups

This group mainly includes people with chronic diseases and the elderly with age-related health changes. The risk of weather dependence increases in the presence of the following pathologies:

• Respiratory diseases (pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma). Severe exacerbations occur.
• Damage to the central nervous system (stroke). There is a high risk of recurrent brain damage.
• Arterial hypertension or hypotension . A hypertensive crisis with the development of myocardial infarction and stroke is possible.
• Vascular diseases (atherosclerosis of the arteries). Atherosclerotic plaques can break away from the walls, causing thrombosis and thromboembolism.

How does high atmospheric pressure affect a person?

People who have lived for a long time in a region with certain landscape features can feel comfortable even in an area with high pressure levels (769-781 mm Hg). They are observed in low humidity and temperature, clear, sunny, windless weather. Hypotonic people tolerate this much easier, but feel weak. High atmospheric pressure is a difficult test for hypertensive patients. The influence of the anticyclone manifests itself in the disruption of people’s normal functioning (sleep changes, physical activity decreases).

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How does low atmospheric pressure affect humans?

If the mercury column shows 733-741 mm (low), the air contains less oxygen. Such conditions are observed during a cyclone, with humidity and temperature rising, high clouds rising, and precipitation falling. In such weather, people suffer from respiratory problems and hypotension. They experience weakness and shortness of breath due to lack of oxygen. Sometimes these people experience increased intracranial pressure and headaches.

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Effect on hypertensive patients

With increased atmospheric pressure, the weather is clear, calm, and the air contains a large amount of harmful impurities (due to environmental pollution). For hypertensive patients, this “air cocktail” is very dangerous, and its manifestations can be different. Clinical symptoms:

• heart pain;
• irritability;
• dysfunction of the vitreous body (spots, black spots, floating bodies in the eyes);
• sharp throbbing migraine-type headache;
• decreased mental activity;
• redness of the facial skin;
• tachycardia;
• noise in ears;
• increase in systolic (upper) blood pressure (up to 200-220 mm Hg);
• the number of leukocytes in the blood increases.

Low atmospheric pressure does not have much effect on hypertensive patients. The air masses are saturated with a large amount of oxygen, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Doctors for patients with hypertension advise ventilating the room more often so that there is a good flow of fresh air and as little carbon dioxide as possible (in a stuffy room it exceeds the prescribed norm).

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The drink helps increase blood pressure in hypertensive patients, but not for long. After a few hours, the numbers normalize on their own. If you drink the drink on a regular basis, each time the blood pressure will decrease more slowly, and then remain elevated. Coffee can be replaced with chicory.

With stage 2 or 3 hypertension, a cup of strong coffee can provoke a sharp jump and lead to an attack. Therefore, it is recommended to abstain from such a drink.

Foods and drinks that increase blood values:

• Abuse of table salt for hypertension – risk of stroke and heart attack. The powder retains fluid in the body, which further increases the load on the heart, systolic and diastolic numbers.
• One bottle of beer lowers blood pressure for about 5 hours. However, drink lovers cannot always stop at a small dose; in this case, the situation is the opposite - the decrease is replaced by a sharp rise to critical numbers.
• When cognac enters the bloodstream, it causes the heart to beat faster, and the fusel oils in it have a negative effect on the central nervous system, kidneys and liver. Taken together, this leads to disruption of the functioning of internal organs, an increase in DM and DD. Moonshine has a similar effect.
• Sweet red wine “forces” the heart muscle to contract rapidly, causing blood counts to instantly increase. Hypertensive patients are allowed to drink a dry red drink; it has vasodilating and antispasmodic properties.

One of the symptoms of arterial hypertension is headache, which is difficult to relieve with medications. And the Citramon tablet definitely won’t help.

Citramon contains caffeine, which contributes to a rapid increase in blood pressure.

How to protect yourself

It is not possible to completely eliminate the influence of the atmosphere on everyday life. The weather is unpredictable every day, so you need to know everything about your health and take measures to alleviate the condition. Measures necessary for hypotensive patients:

• sleep well;
• take a contrast shower (changing the water temperature from warm to cool and vice versa);
• drink strong tea or natural coffee;
• harden the body;
• drink more clean water;
• take long walks in the fresh air;
• take natural medications that strengthen the immune system.

Atmospheric pressure has a greater effect on hypertensive patients. They can usually immediately sense an impending change in weather conditions. To reduce dependence on such changes, hypertensive patients need:

• do not be in the open sun;
• avoid overheating;
• exclude foods containing large amounts of caffeine from the diet; fatty foods;
• reduce daily physical activity;
• rest more;
• be sure to monitor blood pressure;
• take antihypertensive drugs.