Climate change worsens symptoms for people with chronic illnesses, author reports from Chicago smoke events

The author argues that climate change is already harming health, particularly for those living with chronic conditions, and that the impact is becoming more evident.

She describes a recent summer in Chicago when smoke from Canadian wildfires turned the sky orange and pushed the air‑quality index to 753, triggering an extremely hazardous warning. Even with windows shut and air purifiers running, she experienced headaches, a sore throat, burning eyes, and a flare‑up of arthritis pain.

Living with six chronic illnesses herself, she notes that temperature extremes, humidity, and sunlight can aggravate diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, lupus and others. Conversations with dozens of other patients reveal similar patterns of symptom worsening tied to weather changes.

The piece underscores that as climate‑related events become more frequent, patients with chronic diseases may face escalating health challenges, highlighting a need for greater attention from the medical community and policymakers.