Beat Heat

When mercury levels rise, your body is susceptible to a number of ailments. Reema Sisodia finds out some counter-measures...

When Rahul Kakkar, a senior official in a multinational bank, started getting bouts of severe headaches, all guesswork to pinpoint the source of the problem turned out false. “My office is airconditioned, my car is airconditioned and so is my residence. So when the doctor told me it was due to heat, I was a little surprised. I thought heat-related ailments only affected those who stayed out in the sun for a long time. But even a short spell under the sun can cause you damage,” he says. A white collar job is therefore no insurance. The heat spares no one

Dr Vishaka Shivdasani, a general practitioner in south Mumbai, who has had a number of patients suffering from Mumbai's hot spell, says, “It's a misconception that heat aliments only affect the ones who are on field jobs. Extreme temperature fluctuations and sudden change in the environment can be very damaging even for those who are usually in an air conditioned environment. Some anti-hypertensive and diuretic medicines can also aggravate the situation. People who are on these medicines have a greater chance of falling prey to heat related ailments.”

For business travellers, often the profession demands you to step out of your cool comfort zones to regions and areas where the temperature is northward bound. Abhijit Achwal, regional business manager-west, Tanishq, has to make regular trips to places where the mercury levels are very high. He says, “Travelling from a humid city like Mumbai to extremely hot and dry climatic conditions can be killing. I recently travelled in an air conditioned coach from Ahmedabad to Rajkot and by the end of the journey had a terrible headache. We stopped over at a restaurant for breakfast at nine in the morning and even at that hour the heat was unbearable. We decided to replenish our body with fluids and increased our intake of salt.”

Doctors recommend some preventive techniques to combat the problem. Says Dr Khusrav Bajan, consultant, emergency, critical care and internal medicine, P D Hinduja National Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, “Heat-related illnesses can become serious or even deadly if unattended. Sun stroke, which is most heard about heat ailment, is usually the last stage of the problem. Before that there is sunburn, heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, weakness, even upset stomachs, are fallouts of heat. But there are ways to avoid it.”

Dr Mukesh Batra, chairman and managing director, Dr Batras' Positive Health Clinic Ltd, says that one of the most common complaints of summer is heat exhaustion. He says, “The first thing to do in case of heat exhaustion is to lay the person down in a quiet place with the feet slightly raised. Loosen clothing and give the patient a cup of salted water every 15 minutes. Fruit juices, too, are advised. Nose bleeding is another common complaint during summer. An immediate remedy is to sit upright with the head slightly forward. Firmly pinch the nose for at least 15 minutes while breathing through the mouth.”

To sum up the tips that doctors offer to counter heat-related ailments:

• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-coloured clothing. Light colours will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella
• Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body
• Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein which increase metabolic heat
• Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician
• Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity.
• Avoid the midday sun; the period between noon to 4 pm
• Take regular breaks when engaged in physical activity. Take time out to find a cool place.
• Use skin applications like sun-screens or sun-blocks
• Have salty snacks

Following simple tips like these can make a vast difference to your output and health. A senior official from Larsen & Toubro recounts his experience when in the mid stages of his career he had to visit sites at destinations like Awarpur in the Kutch region of Gujarat and Chandrapur in Maharashtra where they had cement plants and Rayalseema district of Andhra Pradesh where L&T had a thermal power project. “We would always wear a helmet as a rule. I also followed the instructions of my ayurvedic doctor who recommended complete abstinence from alcohol, if the next day was going to be one which would require long hours on a open air site or project. We would also have a constant supply of fluids at the site,” he said. This, he believes, made it possible for him to give his maximum when it came to work, even though the heat was hot enough to crush all enthusiasm for the outdoors.