Summer's coming: Brace for heat-related diseases, health issues

It's time to tuck those pull-overs away and bring the breathable basics back in your closet - as summer is set to kick in in a few weeks. The wardrobe shift, however, is just one part of the must-do's this season. Doctors are urging residents to help their bodies cope with the scorching summer heat and take the necessary health precautions.
Dr Abhilash Ramachandran Nair, an internal medicine specialist at Aster Hospital-Al Qusais, said that among the most important health conditions residents should take note of during this time of the year are heat stroke, dehydration, food poisoning and sunburns. 
"As the ambient temperature rises, the body finds it difficult to lose heat and maintain its temperature in the physiologic range. This problem is worsened if the body is forced to generate excessive heat, as in physical exertion," Dr Nair said.
Heat stroke - where the body temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius as a result of environmental heat - is a serious condition everyone must be aware of, he said. 
A person suffering from this kind of stroke may also feel lethargic, drowsy and irritable resulting from a neurologic impairment. Patients may fall into a coma; their speech could be slurred; and they may suffer seizures. And if such cases are not treated promptly, heat stroke can easily turn fatal. 
Dr Nair said heat stroke commonly affects the elderly; those with pre-existing health conditions such as cardiovascular disease; obese individuals; children; and people who do a lot of outdoor physical activities like athletes and construction workers. 
Doctors are also advising residents against spending a lot of time under the sun. And if they have to go out, they would need to protect their skin to prevent sunburn. Wearing sunscreen is a must. 
The sweltering heat is also guaranteed to make everybody sweat a lot more than usual, and this could easily translate into a dehydration problem, doctors said. 
Dehydration can happen suddenly, especially among children, the elderly and those who are working outdoors. This alone could lead to multiple health complications, including renal colics or pain due to kidney stones. 
Dr Ponnusamy Tamilvendan, an internal medicine specialist at Medeor Hospital, Dubai, said that to avoid these, "one should drink plenty of fluids, especially water, and take regular breaks in cool or shaded areas if he or she has to work outdoors". 
Aside from the conditions that are directly brought about by high temperatures, a host of other illnesses are more common in summer than in other periods of the year. 
"Summer is a peak transmission season for many viruses. And a lot of these are transmitted through contaminated food, water, fingers or utensils," Dr Tamilvendan said.
Food poisoning is also common due to the improper refrigeration of food items, he added.
sandhya@khaaleejtimes.com
 

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