Occupational diseases of drivers and their prevention. Auto diseases - professional diseases of drivers

Diseases of drivers

A recent survey of residents of several large Russian cities showed that almost a fifth of the population considers the car the most valuable invention of mankind. Millions of people do not oil their lives without the "iron horse". But the car is not only a convenient means of transportation, but also a source of energy. heightened danger for good health. Where can the driver expect trouble, apart from, of course, the risk of an accident?

Most of the "professional" diseases of drivers are associated with an uncomfortable driving position. As a result, blood circulation in the pelvis is disturbed, and the load on the spine increases. Most often, drivers suffer from radiculitis and osteochondrosis. Unfortunately, these diseases are a "gift" for the rest of your life. Osteochondrosis, in addition, can generally lead to disability. Due to frequent drafts, a working air conditioner, drivers often inflame the muscles of the neck and chest (this is called myositis). Complement the bouquet of hemorrhoids and prostatitis.

Another group of diseases is a consequence of increased emotional load. Constant stress behind the wheel increases the risk of heart disease and blood vessels. That is why drivers often have heart attacks, hypertension, malfunctions heart rate. Drivers, among other things, are exposed to increased toxic substances, which leads to a decrease in immunity, allergies, bronchial asthma and even oncological diseases.

In the first place in terms of danger - exhaust gases. Most cars run on gasoline, which releases more than 200 toxic products when burned. The most harmful to health are oxides of carbon (CO) and nitrogen (NO), hydrocarbons (formaldehyde, benzapyrene, phenol) and heavy metals.

Carbon monoxide (or carbon monoxide) is colorless and odorless, so a person may not feel its presence in the air even at lethal concentrations. However, it is very rare for carbon monoxide to reach life-threatening levels in the atmosphere. The insidiousness of carbon monoxide is different: this compound “prevents” the blood protein hemoglobin from transporting oxygen through organs and tissues. As a result, there may be oxygen starvation which primarily affects the brain. At mild poisoning observed headache, heaviness in the head, weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. In more severe cases, the person may even lose consciousness.

Nitrogen oxides are no less dangerous - main reason smog on busy highways. They irritate the respiratory system and eyes and may cause chronic diseases lungs.

Hydrocarbons, especially benzapyrene, are carcinogens, i.e. substances that can cause cancer.

Installing catalysts on the exhaust pipes helps to get rid of only part harmful substances, but they do not retain the most dangerous carcinogenic hydrocarbons. Therefore, in order to protect yourself and others from toxic substances, it is advisable to refuel with gasoline containing special additives that ensure more complete combustion of fuel.

Products emitted by car tires are hazardous to health. When braking hard, they emit a whole bunch toxic substances: benzene, xylene, styrene, toluene; carbon disulfide, formaldehyde, phenols; sulfur oxides. When tires rub against asphalt, nitroso compounds are also formed, which are the most powerful carcinogens. international organization cancer research has included them in the list of so-called priority toxicants, i.e. substances that pose the greatest risk to human health.

Tire dust, formed during tread wear, causes allergic reactions, bronchial asthma, and in contact with the mucous membrane and skin - conjunctivitis, rhinitis and urticaria. According to American scientists, 900,000 tons of dust enter the atmosphere in the United States every year; no less than it is thrown away on Russian roads.

Another source of danger in the car are ... brake pads. The fact is that they are made of asbestos, "communication" with which leads to cancer(for example, it has long been banned from being used in the construction of new houses, and in Germany they even demolish old buildings where this material was used). But the greatest harm human health is caused by phenol, which is released during braking, when the temperature of the disc and pads reaches eight hundred degrees.

What do drivers need to do to avoid trouble? No matter how trite it may sound, a variety of physical activities are necessary, that is, a daily set of gymnastic exercises. Circular movements in lumbar spine, all kinds of flexion and extension.
Very helpful cold and hot shower. Temperature "rocking" activates blood circulation, normalizes the tone of the nervous system, stimulates the immune system. Vitamins also do not interfere, especially their balanced complexes.

Among other things, a daily walk is highly desirable. You need to walk about five kilometers a day (whether you do it in the morning or in the evening, it doesn’t matter). These procedures are quite enough to keep yourself in the necessary shape and resist "automobile" ailments.

It just so happened that a man without a horse was called at all times "horseless", one might say, having lived his life in vain. Centuries have passed, but the situation has not changed. A car, also known as an “iron horse”, for a man of the 21st century is both the best toy, and a beloved child, and an integral part of the image, and a hobby, and for many, a job. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that modern man lives in a car. But, unlike its four-legged counterpart, a modern horse requires from its owner not only hay and oats, but also ... health.

Every doctor in your local clinic: neurologist, urologist, proctologist, cardiologist, orthopedist, etc. - there is something to be said about this couple "a man and his car." But, unfortunately, according to state standards, he is given only 15 minutes to see one patient, and he simply does not have time to speak out. Let's try to make life easier for doctors, and especially zealous "carriers" who go to the nearest bakery through 3 U-turns, instead of going there on their own two minutes - to give food for thought.

So, "professional" diseases of drivers can be conditionally divided into four groups.

First group

Diseases arising from prolonged sitting. These include: osteoarthritis, habitual dislocations, radiculitis, hemorrhoids and prostatitis.

Second group

Diseases associated with prolonged high stress factor. Nervous system a person is in constant tension, which causes cardiovascular diseases. Drivers often experience cardialgia, hypertension, and heart attacks.

Third group

Diseases associated with irregular and malnutrition during work. But this is more the lot of professional drivers than amateurs. These include: , peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, colitis, dysbacteriosis.

Fourth group

Diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle and metabolic disorders: obesity, diabetes.

What can be done to prevent the above diseases of drivers from entering your life?

No matter how trite it may sound, first of all, diversify physical activity. Driving a car should not be the main means of transportation, it is worth remembering about your legs at least sometimes. Walk on them in the park, put flippers on them in the pool. Swimming very well helps to relieve psycho-emotional and muscle tension.

In addition to rational physical activity You can take care of your health by equipping your car with devices such as massage and heating seat covers (in principle, automakers today take care of heating the driver's seat themselves, even in budget models). But no matter how good passive massage is, it is necessary to alternate with rest every three hours spent driving. At least half an hour. Moreover, you need to carry it out not just by parking to the side of the road and closing your eyes, but by getting out of the car and taking a short walk.

Experts have found that 12 hours spent behind the wheel without proper breaks lead to temporary impotence!

Another disease of drivers is overeating. time for normal food not enough, so chips / crackers / sweets / chocolate are eaten in traffic jams, good big city they are everywhere. Since at this time the driver’s attention is not absorbed by food at all, but by the color of the traffic light and the “dummies” trying to overtake him, the amount of this “edible garbage” absorbed per day exceeds all reasonable limits. No satiety, but excess weight and an increase in blood levels right there. Conclusion: snack on health. Only the right products. Do not be too lazy to take a cucumber, carrot, apple, whole grain bread sandwich with you. And deny yourself the pleasure of drinking it all down sweet soda(see figure for sugar content per bottle). If you can't live without "Pepsi-coca" - at least buy a diet (light).

About nerves. To the question: “Do you think it is useful or harmful to swear while driving?” visitors to one of the "driver's" forums answered something like this:

"Healthy. It's excreted from the body negative energy…»
“Steam must be released immediately ... otherwise they will start nervous breakdowns…»
“When you swear, you splash out the negative, and you are more attentive while driving, and you don’t freak out. As a result, you have less opportunity to collide.”
"I'm only silent, but it becomes easier."

“Do not keep it to yourself” - agree with the opinion of the majority of drivers, and if it hurts, it’s better to speak out stronger than clench your teeth and put pressure on the gas, trying to “prove by deed who is in charge on the road”! Accidents on the roads are already so high, so do not add your mite to it.

Moreover, health is more expensive!

Cars firmly entered our lives, and every year there are more and more of them. Their rapidly increasing number leads to endless traffic jams. Many of us spend many hours behind the wheel every day and cannot imagine our life without a car. But in addition to convenience and comfort, the car brings a whole "bouquet" of diseases and ailments. Regular pre-trip inspection of drivers allows you to identify growing signs occupational diseases, but these examinations are not regulated for all drivers, so they visit doctors every few years. Usually beginners do not attach doctors' warnings of great importance, but experienced drivers need to be careful about their health.
Typical diseases of drivers. No matter how comfortable modern car seats are, occupational diseases of drivers in most cases are caused by a lack of physical activity and constant nervous tension.

The most common diseases are sciatica and osteochondrosis. Forced posture and permanent increased loads lead to the fact that sciatica remains with the driver for life, and osteochondrosis can even lead to disability. Probably, there is not a single professional driver who is not familiar with back pain, and this is not the whole list of driver diseases. This group is complemented by prostatitis and hemorrhoids, although many simply prefer not to talk about them.

Statistics claims that almost 60% of men suffer. Reasons for spreading this disease many: smoking, alcohol, stagnation of blood circulation in the pelvis and, again, constant uncomfortable posture in which a person is forced to be behind the wheel. Prostatitis, compared with hemorrhoids, is a more dangerous disease for men, since prostate disease eventually leads to the development of impotence.

Haemorrhoids caused not only by impaired blood circulation. An unbalanced diet with a low fiber content causes frequent constipation. For prevention this disease recommended to eat foods with high content fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, various cereals, legumes, mushrooms, seeds, nuts, etc.

Permanent drafts and a working air conditioner cause inflammation of the muscles of the chest and neck - myositis. It's accompanied acute pain, and muscle weakness and maybe on a long period disable the driver.

being, long time behind driving, especially in the conditions of modern megacities, the driver is in constant psycho-emotional stress. Constant stress, traffic intensity, conflicts on the roads and high speeds lead to the second group of diseases. These include heart disease, hypertension, heart attacks, ischemic disease hearts.

Third group occupational diseases of drivers, oddly enough, is similar to diseases office workers. This , arterial hypertension, headache, fatigue, irritability, and disease individual joints associated with selective stress on them. This also includes obesity and diabetes.

Factors that increase the risk of occupational diseases. Among other things, motorists are subject to active influence toxic substances. This leads to a weakened immune system, bronchial asthma and even cancer. Exhaust gases are the most dangerous. Most of the cars run on gasoline, the processing of which releases about 200 toxic products into the atmosphere. Carbon oxides are the main cause of smog on busy highways. They act depressingly on the respiratory system and eyes and can cause lung disease.

To protect yourself from greater parts of harmful substances, catalysts can be installed on the exhaust pipes and it is desirable to refuel with gasoline, which contains special additives that ensure more complete combustion of the fuel.

Brake pads is another threat. The fact is that they are made from asbestos. Getting into human body asbestos fibers do not dissolve, but give impetus to the development inflammatory processes and eventually lead to cancer. Smoking only enhances this effect. So never smoke in the car. Better to go outside.

Prevention of occupational diseases of drivers. In order to reduce the risk of developing occupational diseases, drivers need to constantly devote to their health, at least a little time. Physical activity is the first thing to pay attention to. Daily exercise will help keep the muscles of the body in good shape. Try to take breaks whenever possible and hiking. Regularly perform exercises to stimulate blood circulation:
- Circular rotation of the pelvis;
- Forward bends touching the floor with hands;
- Squats;
- Tilts from side to side.

There are also exercises, which can be performed in a traffic jam or standing at a red traffic light. They help strengthen the muscles of the abs, pelvis and thighs. It is necessary to strongly squeeze the buttocks, draw in the stomach and tighten the legs. Remaining in this position for 30-40 seconds, repeat the exercises up to 10 times a day.

Cold and hot shower- an excellent method of dealing with diseases of the rectum. There is nothing easier than switching to a contrast shower after a hygienic morning shower. Of course, it is difficult to immediately apply the maximum temperature difference, but if everything is done correctly, the procedure will gradually bring not only benefits, but also pleasure.

In addition to rational physical activity, you can take care of your health by equipping the driver's seat with a massage pad. Heated and ventilated seats should be the norm for any car.

Remember any disease better to prevent than to cure. Take care of prevention in time, do not let occupational diseases take you by surprise. Exercises should be performed with pleasure, and then the car will not become a source of illness for you, but a means of convenient comfortable transportation.

I welcome you to our blog pages. A car is no longer a luxury. This is a means of transportation where you can ride in comfort. But, no matter how strange it may sound, in addition to convenience, it also brings additional health problems. Let's talk about what dangers drivers (especially professional ones) can face, and how to deal with them?

What diseases are common among drivers.

The car, for many, has become an integral part, including at work. For truckers, taxi drivers, bus and minibus drivers, life without a car is simply impossible. These people are driving around the clock.

And such a sedentary regime creates the conditions for occupational diseases among drivers. So what lies in wait for motorists?

The most common occupational diseases of drivers.

Haemorrhoids. The main causes of this disease are circulatory disorders in the pelvis, unbalanced diet resulting in constipation. They are the main reason for the appearance of the disease. To prevent this, the diet should always include fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes.

Excess weight. deposition excess fat contributes to the lack of physical activity. Plus, a metabolic disorder, which further exacerbates the picture. Also, Negative influence renders malnutrition. Everyone knows that the diet of the driver, during work, consists of fast food.

Osteochondrosis. Usually caused by a sedentary lifestyle and wrong position posture when a person is driving. The situation is aggravated by sudden braking, jerking and vibration. Also, due to osteochondrosis, it may also appear radiculitis. Signs of sciatica are weakness in the legs and sharp pain, which does not go away even after analgesics.

Cardiovascular diseases. Those who are constantly behind the wheel are more prone to hypertension and heart attack than others. This is due to low physical activity, and constant stress behind the wheel. After all, you always need to be careful not to get into an accident. Moreover, you need to monitor not only your actions, but also the rest of the participants in the movement.

Malaya physical activity leads to atrophy of the heart muscle. This can lead to a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases.

Prostatitis. Sedentary image life is the cause of one of the most common diseases of the male reproductive system. Being for a long time V sitting position, blood circulation in the pelvic area is disturbed, and a stagnant process begins. All this leads to prostatitis.

Besides, poor circulation leads to damage to the kidneys, liver and lungs.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This affects those drivers (most often truckers) who cannot eat properly and neglect healthy food.

Infertility. in a sitting position, inguinal region the temperature begins to rise, due to which the release of hormones and the normal maturation of spermatozoa is not possible. Worsen tight position underwear and heated seat.

Prevention of occupational diseases among drivers.

Scary picture. However, there is no need to despair, all these diseases can be prevented. So what should be done so that the consequences of a long stay at the steering wheel can be minimized?

The main thing is more physical activity. As soon as the opportunity arises, be sure to go in for sports, or at least take a walk. There is an opportunity to take a break from work, exercise helping to improve blood circulation in the pelvis. Here are the exercises:

1. Body tilt from side to side.

2. Circular rotation of the pelvis, first in one direction, and then in the other.

3. Squats.

4. Tilt the torso forward, while touching the floor with your hands.

Also, walking and running is useful for those who smoke. This will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Also for smokers. Never smoke in a car, the body consumes five to six times more nicotine in an enclosed space. It is better to go outside, and even better to stop smoking altogether.

Proper nutrition- a guarantee of no problems with gastrointestinal tract. And besides this, another method of dealing with such diseases is a contrast shower. Lower the temperature of the water slowly so as not to get a cold. In the future, these procedures will bring even more pleasure.

It will be good if the driver's seat is equipped with a special orthopedic seat or just a mattress. This will help reduce the risk of osteochondrosis with sciatica, prostatitis and hemorrhoids. It will help improve blood circulation in the pelvis, and simply, the driver will be less tired while driving.

And most importantly, without self-discipline it is very difficult to force yourself to do something, even a couple of exercise. Any workout brings many times more benefits if they are done with desire.

It is much easier to prevent diseases than to treat them. It is better to do prevention in time, because diseases can appear at any time, especially if you professional driver with great experience. Good health to you!

DRIVE A LOT - HARM YOURSELF

In many men's magazines, you can often find jokes on the topic "who does he love more: his girlfriend or car?". But you definitely know the answer to this question: of course, you! Because while you give the faithful love, affection and delicious meatballs, the car presents him with hemorrhoids and varicose veins veins… — Occupational diseases of drivers.

Your lover sits his pants in the office for eight hours a day. He spends his evenings lying in front of the TV on a soft sofa, hugging a bowl of chips and a bottle of his favorite beer (or a decent portion of fried potatoes). Therefore, it is not surprising that you are indignant when even the faithful go to the neighboring bakery for bread, saddling his steel horse. It is absolutely impossible to persuade him to go anywhere on foot. And meanwhile the belly is getting bigger and bigger. You know, but you have the opportunity to at least slightly reduce the number of hours that your man spends in the car. He just needs to be explained that car abuse can be really dangerous to health. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

From home to work and back

In order to earn a couple extremely dangerous diseases, your missus does not have to work as a truck driver. Some ailments can also form in a motorist who spends only a few hours a day behind the wheel and stands in ordinary traffic jams. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

nervous heart

It's no secret that all diseases are caused by stress. B our Everyday life they are more than enough. As soon as a person gets behind the wheel of a car, he becomes several times more neurotic. The fact is that in addition to the usual problems - a busy schedule, hard work, etc. - a sense of responsibility for life is also added: the driver is worried about his safety, as well as for passengers and other road users. Do not forget about pedestrians who strive to throw themselves under the wheels. And, of course, great amount nerve cells burns out while communicating with other motorists: after all, such an aggressive driving style as in Russia, perhaps, is not found anywhere else in the world. Every day, men cut each other off, butt each other for every meter of road space, desperately swear and, sometimes, even fight right on the roadway, without moving far from their own cars. Naturally, this atmosphere of unhealthy competition and constant risks leads to psycho-emotional overload, which, in turn, increases arterial pressure. Sooner or later, these jumps become the cause of hypertension, which, along with other diseases, of cardio-vascular system- the main cause of death among Russian machos! If you do not want your man to fall down with a heart attack, make sure that he is as worried as possible while driving. It is not difficult to do this, just go to the pharmacy, but rather ask the doctor to prescribe a sedative drug for your missus - an anaxolytic. Unlike potent antidepressants, they improve mood, but at the same time they do not stupefy, do not scatter attention, do not cause drowsiness and addiction. So, after taking a pill or two, you can safely drive. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

AFTER 25 YEARS, OSTEOCHONDROSIS DEVELOPS IN ALL PEOPLE, BUT IN MOTORISTS IT HAPPENS MUCH FASTER

Pay for walking

Homo erectus sounds proud! However, the payback for the fact that we walk on two legs, and not jump on all fours, is osteochondrosis. This disease is unique to humans, it does not occur in any animal, even in primates. The point is that in vertical position on our spine is more pressure than horizontal. As a result, the vertebrae are flattened together, overgrown with bone growths and clamp nerve endings, because of which they swell and begin to hurt. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

After 25 years

osteochondrosis develops in absolutely all people. True, in some the disease swells imperceptibly and does not require correction, while in others it causes a lot of unpleasant sensations, with which without medical care can't be handled. The second rpWfffe includes motorists. If in a chair or on an office chair you can always change your position, stretch your legs and reduce pressure on the spine, then behind the wheel of a car the position is fixed and rigid, with too little room for “manoeuvres”. Because of the method, osteochondrosis in drivers develops much faster. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

You will be able to protect your sweetheart from illness if you demand that at any traffic light or while standing in a traffic jam, he performs simple gymnastics: stretching, turning from side to side, alternately transferring weight from one side to the other. And be sure to give him a seat cover with a massage back. And the bigger the bumps, the better. Maybe this chair is not very comfortable, but very useful.

Vision is a victim of pollution Hiking used to be a pleasure, now that the number of cars has increased dramatically, they can only be enjoyed in parks. Even a ten-minute promenade along a busy street or, God forbid, a highway causes dizziness. Still, such an amount of dust, soot and exhaust gases that are in the air simply cannot but affect your well-being. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

Of course, your car enthusiast is protected by the cleaning system and air conditioning. However, while removing dirt, they also dry the air very strongly. In addition, many of the smallest particles of harmful compounds still manage to get through the filters inside the cabin. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

A person who has been in such an atmosphere for several hours, for example in a traffic jam, runs the risk of acquiring conjunctivitis. And first of all, men who wear contact lenses. If your missus is at risk, be sure to put it in his glove box special drops, cleansing the mucous membranes from any dirt. The main thing is not to choose vasoconstrictor, but moisturizing preparations. The former are addictive and cause the eyes to stop producing their own tear fluid. As for moisturizing drops, they are close in composition to human tears and are suitable for daily use. By the way, the most useful are drugs that do not contain preservatives. Such drops are absolutely safe, but, alas, they are not stored for long and are expensive. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

Dedicated to taxi drivers

Unfortunately, men who are forced to drive a car for at least five hours a day are less fortunate than amateur motorists. In addition to the diseases that any owner of a personal car may encounter, taxi drivers, traffic police officers, delivery services and other frequently traveling citizens have a professional set of ailments. And all these diseases develop due to sedentary image life. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

Controls the process of blood circulation, so that the scarlet liquid ceases to accumulate in the vessels. And, of course, you should take your man for a consultation with a phlebologist, especially if he has the first symptoms of varicose veins: the veins began to be clearly visible through the skin or the legs began to swell (clearly printed gum socks - the first wake-up call). In this case, the doctor will prescribe conservative (drug) treatment. Those who do not benefit from it will have to undergo surgery. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

In any case, the course of varicose veins should not be left to chance. After all, sooner or later, against its background, the so-called "thrombophlebitis" develops, when the blood collects in dense clots. Having broken away from their homes, they are able to embark on a long journey through the veins, the result of which may be a blockage of vital vessels. For example, in pulmonary artery. And this is fraught lethal outcome. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

Prostatitis is not easy

When a person spends at least five hours a day behind the wheel, his blood stagnates not only in his legs, but also in the small pelvis. Because of this prostate overflows with a scarlet liquid and swells. As a result, the driver starts prostatitis. And your faithful is deeply mistaken if he thinks that this disease is the lot of pensioners. Alas, prostatitis is the most common urological disease among the representatives of the stronger sex aged 20 to 50 years. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

Most often, the disease creeps up imperceptibly. IN acute form- With high temperature, fever, fever and pain in the groin - it occurs only in a small number of men. The rest of the symptoms are less pronounced (weakness, fatigue, sometimes discomfort in the perineum and during urination). Most members of the stronger sex ignore them and, due to their busyness or innate fear of hospitals and doctors, hope that everything will fix itself. It is more than necessary to pay for such negligent behavior: if you do not start fighting prostatitis on initial stage, there is a huge risk that the disease will pass into chronic form. And it not only responds poorly to treatment, even complex, but can also lead to serious complications- impotence, cystitis and pyelonephritis or infertility! So any professional driver should at least sometimes be shown to a specialist - a urologist. — Occupational diseases of drivers.

As for the prevention of the disease, the same massage cover will help the missus. True, in this case, its hardest part should not fall on the back, but directly on the seat. And make sure that the macho fidgets on it more often: the blood circulation process from such movements will only accelerate. — Occupational diseases of drivers.