The car is a wonderful invention of mankind. Remarkable – but dangerous, capable of causing significant harm to health. On the diseases that await drivers .

What is dangerous driving

Much has been written and said about the risk on the roads, and the topic of road accidents and car accidents will remain outside the scope of this article.

It will be about diseases that affect even the most accurate and law-abiding drivers who do not violate the rules of the road. You can call these diseases professional, but motorists may also suffer from them, who simply spend too much time behind the wheel.

Driver diseases can be divided into several groups:

• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels, metabolic diseases associated with prolonged exposure to stress and nervous tension.
• Diseases of the digestive system, caused by the habit of irregular and unhealthy diet.
• Diseases caused by shortages   physical activity   and “sedentary work.”
• Health problems associated with chronic contact with a large number of harmful substances.

Some of these diseases are characteristic mainly of professional long-distance drivers, who literally have to live in a car. Others easily catch up to non-professional drivers who are so close to their “iron horse” that even in the bakery after 2 quarters they prefer not to walk, but to drive by car.

Consequences of stress and nervous strain: diseases of the heart and blood vessels

Driving is always   stress   and stress. The “high-risk facility” becomes even more dangerous if the driver is frivolous or inadequate. You can drive carefully and cautiously, but there is no guarantee that on the road you will not get a dashing “major”, unreasonably confident in your own immortality. In many ways, this is why research reveals an increased level of cortisol, a stress hormone, in most drivers. Stress increases in difficult driving conditions, in traffic jams, and, in the end, affects health.

People who spend behind the wheel a lot of time, often suffer from diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Emotional overstrain greatly increases the risk of heart attack and the development of coronary heart disease.

About 80% of drivers who have worked behind the wheel for more than 15 years, are faced with vascular disorders and are prone to hypertension.

Diseases from malnutrition: from gastritis and ulcers to obesity

Truck drivers, taxi drivers and delivery service workers often have to work in conditions of tight schedules and irregular working hours, away from home, without the ability to regularly and properly eat. Long-term nutrition “dry rations”, irregular meals can lead to the development of gastritis, stomach ulcers, colitis and constipation.

Unbalanced diet combined with sitting work can cause hemorrhoids. Frequent constipation, stagnation of blood in the pelvic area – and now the new patient is ready proctologist.

The combination of unhealthy eating and lack of movement causes   obesity, and the most dangerous type: fat accumulates in the abdomen. Obesity and constant stress can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Diseases associated with lack of physical activity

In addition to the hemorrhoids already described above, sedentary work and lack of movement can be the cause for the appearance of prostatitis, followed by violations of potency. Some doctors believe that only 12 hours of continuous driving can adversely affect the potency. True, in this case, the body quickly recovers. And if a man literally “lives behind the wheel” year after year, the problems will not keep you waiting.

Drivers can be threatened and infertility. Immobility, cramped underwear, heated seat disrupt the maturation of sperm and negatively affect the ability to fertilize.

But if men prefer to remain silent about the genital sphere, then drivers often complain about pains in the back and neck, in the joints and muscles. And this is not surprising: the musculoskeletal system is not designed for prolonged immobility in an unphysiological position and for vibration. The situation is aggravated by an improperly adjusted seat, and the reluctance to consult a doctor in time completes the composition under the motto “Goodbye, health!”. Osteoarthritis and radiculitis, once appeared, will remain with the driver forever, occasionally reminding of himself in the most unpleasant and painful way.

Immobility in combination with a working air conditioner or a draft from an open window gives myositis, most often in the chest and neck.

Exposure to harmful substances

Drivers of motor transport are constantly forced to contact with a huge amount of toxic substances. Prolonged exposure of the body to harmful agents leads to a general decrease in immunity, to diseases of the respiratory system, to allergies and oncological diseases.

The most harmful is the exhaust gases, which the driver breathes during work and sometimes during a break. When gasoline burns, more than 200 compounds are formed that have a toxic effect on the body. But the danger lies not only in the exhaust pipe: the source of toxins are the tires and brake pads, and sometimes the cargo being transported, which the driver has to contact.

How to keep health behind the wheel?

If you do not dismiss the mount from useful tips and prophylactic medical examinations, but systematically take care of your one and only organism, then it is quite possible to maintain health.

• Think about your legs. These are paired, rather long bodies with knees and heels, growing from the place where you are sitting in the driver’s seat. They are designed not only for pedaling cars, but also for walking, jogging, swimming. Yes, perhaps they are not as comfortable as the wheels of your favorite car. But nature gave you them, not wheels. And if you do not use them, then perhaps the use of wheels over time will be significantly difficult. So walk, run, swim. As often as possible, preferably every day, but at least 2-3 times a week. If you walk 3-5 km a day, or swim at least a couple of times a week, your health will be stronger.
• Eat right. Do not keep in the car nasty things like chips and sweet soda. It is much more useful to take an apple or a cucumber, a couple of slices of whole-grain bread, a bottle of good mineral water. Take a break for a full meal instead of a fast food snack. Include in your diet more cereals and vegetables, less potatoes and fatty fried meat. Make sure your bowels do their work in a timely manner.
• Visit your doctor if suddenly there are unpleasant symptoms of problems in the body. You will not go on the road, if in your car leaks or clogged gas line? Love your body as much as your car. The car can be changed, but with the body you live until your death, there are no spare parts for it. Passed inspection – pass and screening. In the end, the main part of any car always sits in the driver’s seat, and safety depends on its condition. Do not avoid prophylactic examinations, massage courses, rest in a sanatorium.