Since the beginning of winter, a variety of pathogens have been prevalent, many people have unbearable sore throat, coughing up phlegm, and the respiratory tract seems to have experienced a rain of bullets, and there are "broken walls" everywhere.
In fact, regardless of whether it is infected or not, it is important to take care to protect the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, because if they are repeatedly damaged and cannot be repaired, infections may ensue.
The mucous membrane is the main force of the human body to achieve immune function, not only in the respiratory tract, but also in the whole body.
The mucosa is like a city wall, and the surface is covered with cilia and mucus, which acts as "sentinels".
Once microorganisms or toxic substances try to invade, they are first blocked by the city walls and swallowed by the "sentinels".
If the mucosal system is damaged and the walls are porous, the immune function is greatly compromised.
What factors are quietly harming the mucous membranes? Experts interpret and teach you to protect this immune barrier.
Experts interviewed:
Cheng Yanli, Director of the Department of Gastroenterology and Chief Physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Tsinghua University
Wang Yali, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Tsinghua University
The mucosa provides the first line of immune defense
"Mucosal immunity" may sound unfamiliar at first, but it plays an important role all the time.
According to records, around 900 A.D., the method of preventing smallpox in mainland China was borrowed by many countries, and its essence was mucosal immunity - the crusted pustules were ground and blown into the nasal cavity to activate nasal mucosal immunity and reduce the possibility of smallpox virus infection.
Since the pandemic, experts have also taken strengthening the protection and cleansing of the nasal mucosa as a key recommendation to prevent infection.
"The well-known immune defense is usually the defeat of harmful microorganisms that invade the body by immune cells. If you look further into the workflow of immunization, you will understand the importance of mucosal immunity. ”
Cheng Yanli said that thousands of bacteria and viruses fall on us every day or enter the digestive tract with our diet, but in the vast majority of cases, we can stay healthy, thanks to the three lines of defense built by the immune system.
The first line of defense is in the most superficial layer of the body and organs, which is the physiological barrier immunity composed of skin and mucous membranes;
The second line of defense is the innate immunity in the body composed of macrophages and bactericidal substances, which can directly swallow or block a part of bacteria or viruses;
The third line of defense is adaptive immunity, which is composed of immune organs (thymus, lymph nodes, etc.) and immune cells (lymphocytes, etc.).
The first two lines of defense are innate, and the third line of defense needs to be built later, usually only against a specific pathogen, such as chickenpox, the immune system remembers the varicella-zoster virus and quickly recognizes and clears it when it invades again.
It covers an area of up to 400 square meters
Wang Yali said that mucosa is a soft, moist film covering the surface of the internal cavities and organs of the human body, which is widely distributed in the eyes, oral cavity, nasal cavity, respiratory tract, bronchial tube, genitourinary tract, especially the surface of the digestive tract, with a total area of up to 400 square meters, close to the size of a basketball court.
Unlike cellular immunity and humoral immunity, mucosa is only responsible for local immunity in specific parts and fulfills its mission in its own right.
The mucous membranes not only block pathogens together with the skin, but also act as super-sensitive "sentinels".
The mucous membrane will secrete mucus, such as saliva, intestinal juice, gastric juice, etc., which contains mucin, bactericidal proteins, etc., and will respond once there is local wind and grass to prevent pathogens from entering the body tissues and causing damage.
The entire mucosal immune system gathers up to 80% of the body's immune cells and more than 50% of the lymphoid tissue, and most pathogens will be "shut out" at this level.
4 types of factors have great lethality on mucosa
"There is also a fragile side to the mucosal immune system. Wang Yali explained that not only do you have to accept the challenge of pathogenic microbial invasion every day, but you also need to maintain immune tolerance to non-pathogenic microorganisms, and the "investigation workload" is quite large, and the probability of injury is also very high.
Specifically, the following categories of factors can directly damage the mucosal barrier.
Infectious agents are the most common
Microbial infections such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc., can cause inflammation, ulceration, and erosion of mucous membranes, destroying their integrity.
Studies have shown that about 70% of the pathogens that cause infection enter the human body after the mucosal barrier is destroyed.
For example, influenza, new crown, AIDS, polio and other diseases, as well as salmonella and Helicobacter pylori infections in the digestive tract, streptococcus and pneumobacterium infections in the respiratory tract, gonorrhea and treponema pallidum infections in the genitourinary tract.
Chemical irritants are harmful
This type of damage is most likely to occur in the digestive tract.
For example, long-term alcoholism, smoking, drinking a lot of strong tea or coffee, as well as long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, some anti-tumor biological agents, targeted drugs, etc., will irritate the gastric mucosa, induce mucosal inflammation at least, and cause mucosal erosion, ulcers, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Traumatic factors are often overlooked
External trauma, including mechanical injuries such as impacts, scratches, abrasions, cuts, etc., as well as burns, chemical (strong acid, strong alkali) burns, etc., can cause mucosal damage and can cause cascading symptoms such as pain, bleeding, and ulcers if not taken seriously.
For example, improper brushing or too hard toothbrush may lead to bleeding of the oral mucosa and then ulcers, and eating too hot or hard food may damage the oral cavity and digestive tract mucosa.
Autoimmune disease triggers 'civil unrest'
If you have an autoimmune disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, the immune system attacks your own tissues, causing mucous membranes to become inflamed, ulcerated, and erosive.
What happens if the mucous membranes are damaged?
When the mucous membranes are damaged, pathogens can take advantage of the situation, increasing the risk of infection and potentially causing severe infectious damage.
After the mucosa is damaged, there are usually "stress" manifestations, such as the respiratory mucosa damage will cause an inflammatory reaction, resulting in cough and sputum and other respiratory symptoms, and the urogenital mucosal injury may cause lower abdominal pain, frequent urination, urgency, dysuria, etc.
It is worth noting that when the mucosa of the digestive tract is damaged, it can manifest stomach pain, bloating, dyspepsia, heartburn, hematemesis, black stool, etc., which not only affects nutrient absorption, but also may cause harm to the health of the whole body.
Enhance healing power and get good immunity
Mucosal repair is similar to other tissue repair in the body and involves a process of cell regeneration, but the repair time varies depending on individual differences and the degree of damage.
Experts say mild mucosal damage can recover on its own within a week, while more severe damage may take longer.
For example, respiratory tract infections caused by viruses and bacteria are generally self-limited and can be relieved in 1~2 weeks, but if they develop to pneumonia, they need to go to the hospital, in addition to treating the infection, they also need to use drugs to assist mucosal healing if necessary.
An individual's overall health, immune system function, and nutritional status all affect how quickly mucosal repair can occur. In order to reduce mucosal damage and help the damaged mucosa recover as soon as possible, it is recommended to do the following.
Try to avoid irritation
Avoid exposure to risk factors that may irritate mucous membranes, such as mechanical injuries, burns, chemical burns, and some irritating diets, alcohol, and tobacco.
Practice good hygiene
For example, wash your hands frequently, rinse your mouth after eating, brush your teeth at least twice a day, and wear a mask when crowds are crowded, so as to avoid contact with pathogens as much as possible.
Get enough sleep and nutrition
Staying up late, overwork, etc. will lead to a decrease in immunity, and adults should ensure 7~8 hours of sleep every day.
Achieve a balanced diet, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, especially enough high-quality protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and other nutrients, which can help improve self-healing ability and play an important role in mucosal repair.
Focus on topical care
To avoid nasal dryness and scabbing in daily life, you can appropriately rinse the nose with light salt water or spray a special moisturizing spray to keep the nasal mucosa moist and functioning normally.
If the mucosa is compromised, intensive topical care is also needed to reduce the risk of further infection and inflammation. For example, after the skin and mucous membranes are damaged, iodophor can be wiped and disinfected in time.
If necessary, antibiotics and mucosal repair agents can be used under the guidance of a doctor to help regain good immunity.
(Source: CCTV News)