The scorching summer season is here and while most of us look forward to it as the season of relief, global warming has made us dread it now. #KhabarLive talks to doctors who list out ways to stay safe and cool this season.
We’re heading into the dog days of summer, with temperatures soaring everyday. The world is trying to return to normalcy, with schools reopening and workplaces inviting employees back. The hustle and bustle of city life is almost back for us all, but overdoing it might cost deeply as the heat is particularly oppressive this time around. The heat can present a wide range of problems, from skin issues to nausea — there’s a way every part of the body can get affected.
Sunstroke is the main issue during summer. From school kids to office workers, all those who have to be up and about under the sun have, at one point, been the victim of sunstroke. Dr. Nagarjuna Rao, Rtd. District immunisation officer of Hyderabad, shares some info about beating the heat to stay cool.
“Heat stroke, Heat pyrexia are the commonly used terms for sunstroke. The common symptoms are high temperature above 104°F, headache, dizziness, confusion, altered sensorium, dehydration, red urine, etc.
Contrary to what you might think, there usually won’t be any sweating observed. Sometimes, in severe cases, children might go into convulsions.” The doc says the most common cause of heat stroke is the obvious over-exposure to sun. People living in rooms without ventilation are susceptible. “You know that prevention is better than cure, so don’t expose yourself to the sun for prolonged periods.
Instead, try going out early in the morning and later in the day when the sun is not as harsh. Be healthy, wear cool cotton clothing, drink lots of water, coconut water, ORS and eat watermelon,” he says.
For those already afflicted with sunstroke, the immediate remedy is to do cold sponging, taking a dip in cold water, and promptly going to a clinic or hospital. The readily available response to sunstroke would be IV fluids, antipyretics (PCM500), antibiotics in the case of secondary infection and the correction of electrolytes.
Drink lots of water, stay inside during the hottest hours, apply a vit c serum in the morning and a gentle moisturiser in the night.
Have a skin boosting drink everyday. Half an apple, a quarter beetroot, quarter pomegranate, some ginger and mint leaves with a few drops of lemon blitz it in a mixer and drink your way to healthy skin.
The most common issues for all of us in these blistering summer months are to do with the skin. The human skin is not equipped to deal with the heat of the afternoon sun for extended periods on time, and the delicate outer layers are scarred and dried to present the person with issues like tan and sunburn.
Dr. Namratha, dermatologist at Apollo Hospitals, says that sunburn is damage caused to skin due to overexposure to ultraviolet rays (UV rays) which can result in red, painful and swollen skin in most of the cases, while more severe cases show blisters. “The treatment depends on the symptoms, if they are mild as in just some erythema (redness) and some pain, then some soothing aloe vera gel with some oral pain relievers should be enough.
The area of sunburn over a period of a week will turn into a scaly dry patch with some itching before it becomes normal. In more severe cases, the patient might need some topical steroid creams with analgesics and some antihistamines for itching.”
She explains, the best way to treat sunburn at home is to apply ice packs, take a cold shower, apply aloe vera gel, coconut oil will help if the skin is dry and itchy. “Tan is different, prevention is always better when it comes to tan or sunburn. Use an SPF30 sunscreen everyday half an hour before sun exposure. It’s important to remember that sunscreen is active only for 4 hours on the skin so reapply.”
Acne can be a problem due to oily and clogged skin, fungal infections, miliaria or prickly heat, melasma or facial pigmentation, Folliculitis, hives or sun allergy as well. #KhabarLive #hydnews
