‘Hydrate for health’

CHENNAI: With a sharp rise in mercury, hospitals in the city will witness a large number of out-patients with skin allergies, chicken pox, conjunctivitis, heat stroke and others. Since most of these can be prevented, doctors claim that lifestyle and dietary changes help in adapting to the heat and humidity and staying healthy.

With the majority of health concerns caused due to dehydration, problems like skin allergies, food poisoning, heat strokes and migraine become worse.

Skin damage, allergies

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Dr Sharmatha Kumar, consultant dermatologist, SIMS Hospital, says, “Skin damage and allergies are also common during summer. Dehydration should not be considered as a minor thing because it can become dangerous very quickly, even for the skin.”

As the temperature is favourable for fungal or yeast infection, the focus must be on hygiene and hydration. The allergy exacerbations are also common in summer.

“The current trend of having a sun tan can prove to be disastrous as there is no such thing as a safe tan. In medical terms, a sun tan is a result of the body’s defence mechanism against the scorching sunlight. However, the risk of getting one’s skin burnt cannot go unnoticed, resulting in erythema, showcasing evident signs of UV exposure and skin damage,” she explains.

A good skincare regimen is crucial. So, invest in products that have ingredients like vitamin C and niacinamide, and are alcohol-free while also ensuring it suits your skin.

“I cannot stress the importance of hydration and maintaining a healthy diet regularly. If all the self-care does not improve the skin, it is pivotal to seek medical attention,” adds Dr Sharmatha.

To prevent skin damage, avoid dark-coloured clothes and keep your skin covered to protect it against sun. People with sensitive skin or dry skin face problems due to various infections. Usually, sweat glands can also develop infection as follicles can be clogged, so it’s advised to bathe twice, and avoid dust exposure.

Water-borne diseases

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During summer, cases of diarrhoea, cholera or food poisoning, mainly in children, rise substantially because of contaminated food or drinks, leading to admissions in government hospitals.

Dr Mohan Kumar, consultant paediatrician, Stanley Medical College and Hospital, says that though hydration is the key to stay free from infections, it’s important to cut down on consuming outside food. “School kids are likely to get infected from other students. While hydration is given emphasis during the summer, it’s also important to consume pure drinking water,” he avers.

With a shift in the temperature, contamination of food and water is common. “All the extra food prepared in shops is often stored for consumption later. Due to the humidity, it can get spoiled. Also, instead of reheating, it’s advised to consume food immediately,” adds Dr Vaibhav. Water-borne diseases see a surge as well, and this is why safe drinking water consumption is necessary. “When consuming juices or other fluids, ensure that the water is not contaminated. Boil the water and then use it for daily consumption.”

Heatstroke dangerous

Heatstroke is a condition that occurs when your body overheats, usually because of long-term exposure to or physical exertion in hot weather.

This catastrophic condition can occur if the body temperature rises over 104-degree Fahrenheit or above. The incidence of fatal heatstroke is also common. Doctors emphasise on adequate hydration and avoiding direct sun exposure.

“A heatstroke can harm multiple organs in the body and the damage can be irreversible. It’s important to stay cautious by cutting down direct sun exposure and remaining hydrated. A heatstroke can be fatal if not treated immediately and appropriately,” said Dr Narendra Nath Jena, HoD-Emergency Medicine, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre.

Doctors say that the reason for a heat stroke was not merely direct sun exposure but also strenuous activities such as exercises in hot weather immoderately.

Conjunctivitis, dry eye

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The incidence of conjunctivitis increases in the summer, and it is one of the most common eye problems across all age groups reported in the city.

Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva that’s the upper transparent layer of the eye. It appears with a red eye and swelling that can occur due to viral infection or some form of allergy.

“Conjunctivitis and eye allergies are common in summer. Eye infections can be viral, bacterial and allergic. Dry-eye is also common. Due to the rise in temperature, eyes tend to become dry. Since we touch a lot of unhygienic places unknowingly, we carry those microbes to our eyes when we touch them. This exposes the eye to unwanted dirt, dust and infections too. Avoid touching the eyes to prevent the risk of any kind of infection,” points out Dr Vaibhav Suresh, preventive health specialist, Fortis Hospital.

Dry eyes also occur if they are constantly exposed to direct sun. In such cases, washing eyes and using artificial tear drops are helpful.

Children at high risk

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Paediatricians opine that the water content in children is more, which is why it’s important for children to be hydrated well as they can be at a high risk of fever, infections and other illnesses due to dehydration.

There can be fever due to just dehydration, along with cough, cold, vomiting, and sunburns. “We see a lot of cases in summer due to dehydration, of which the most common is fever. If the body temperature rises and the child is not hydrated enough, there can be fever and vomiting in infants and even young children,” says Dr Saranya Manickaraj, consultant paediatrician and neonatologist at Women’s Centre by Motherhood Hospital.

Parents need to be careful about food their kids consume. "Viral infections increase in summer as it’s easy for the virus to spread. Even COVID-19 cases spike mostly during summer. The sudden change in season can be a trigger and increases the risk of infections,” she adds.

Dr Saranya pointed out that breastfeeding mothers should be careful to feed their babies enough.

“It’s better to increase the number of times a child is breastfed during the summer. Usually, parents cut down the consumption of juices during summer because they think it can cause fever, cold and cough but fever in summers is mainly due to body heat. It’s important that children consume a lot of fruit juices such as melon, cucumber, watermelon, and others,” she elaborates.