April heat brings the famous disease – heatstroke – due to its rising temperature and burning sunlight. However, it is not only the heatstroke. There are other diseases that come with the heat as well.
April 24, 2024 – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Praew Khotchin, a lecturer of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Vice Dean for Student Development of the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University showed how we can prevent the summer diseases.
- Heat Exhaustion – Prof. Dr. Praew explained that the patient will feel weak from the heat, and the body will lose water from sweating, resulting in loss of mineral and exhaustion. If the patient continues to stay in the heat, the symptom may develop into heatstroke. If you feel tires, weak, have parched lips and throat, feel thirsty, palpitated, or feel like fainting, then you should leave the hot place or outside and find a shade with good ventilation in order to prevent developing heatstroke.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Praew added that Heat Exhaustion can happen to people of all ages and sex. Therefore, those having to work in the sun should avoid wearing thick clothes and wear only well-ventilating clothes. Also, you should rest in the shade regularly, not staying in the sun continuously until you feel uneasy. The elderly who are 60-70 years old should be especially cautious, for they can faint, or have low blood pressure from losing water, particularly those with congenital diseases.
- Sunburn – this disease occurs from heat. When children have to do activities in the sun such as the school color sports or cheering, they may develop sunburn. This is not dangerous, because it is only the out layer skin. But after a period of time, the skin will become red and peel off. You should use sunscreen on the face, arms and lake and be careful of UV. This disease can happen to all ages.
- Diarrhea – this commonly found disease also comes in summer. One cause is from taking a trip with family or friends, or joining a summer camp where there are a lot of people. Here, the patient may have eaten food contaminated with bacteria, especially eating without hand washing. Some may develop the Cholera that can come with raw seafood or food that has been touched by the flies. Therefore, during summer, everyone should eat cooked food, clean and avoid uncooked or half-cooked food and wash your hands well before eating.
“After Covid, many are aware of hand washing with soap or alcohol until they develop this as a habit. This can lessen the rate of patients with cholera or diarrhea. But what should be cautious is if you develop diarrhea, you should drink water or mineral of the amount equal to the loss from the body. In the summer, there can be loss of water from sweating. If the symptom is not better, or the patient has fever, then he or she should be taken to the hospital to check for bacterial infection. If the patient receives quick treatment, the recovery will be quick. If treatment is late, it can be dangerous.”
- Hemorrhagic Fever – the disease that should not occur in the summer, for the mosquitoes breed well during nice weather. However, if people are not worried and do not protect against this, they may develop the hemorrhagic fever during summer. For the symptom of this disease, during the first 1-2 days, the temperature will be very high, and the patient aches all over the body or even bone. After 4-5 days, there will be red spots all over the body and some may have thrombocytopenia and this is considered dangerous. Therefore, during summer, if you have high fever, exhausted and weak, and you have taken the pill to lessen the temperature without any good result, then you should see the doctor. Also, mosquitoes should be killed during the summer to save all members in the family from hemorrhagic fever.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Praew Khotchin said finally that during summer, there is increasing number of patients coming to Srinagarind Hospital, from heat exhaustion, diarrhea, heatstroke. However, chronic patients with congenital disease are fewer for the weather is too hot, and they do not want to leave home. For such case, you should be careful, because you should come on the appointment date, and the medicine should be enough before you see the doctor next time. If the patient wants to postpone the appointment, you should inform the hospital and give the appropriate information.
“If a patient finds it difficult to come and take the medicine, then you should call and contact the hospital. Srinagarind Hospital also offers distance service and sends the medicine to the patient at home.”
News: Phanit Khatnak