Health Care Advise for Hot Summer

The recent scorching heat, accompanied by occasional gusty rain, creates a high humidity environment that not only makes the heat feel oppressive but also creates a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, the frequent shifts between air-conditioned indoors and scorching outdoors can lead to a weakened immune system, making illness a serious risk. In this issue, doctors analyze common summer illnesses and their prevention strategies, covering a wide range of issues, including heatstroke, skin infections, colds, and intestinal discomfort.

Dr. Wang Zetang, a family medicine specialist at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, noted that the public often confuses heatstroke with heat exhaustion. While the symptoms of the two conditions are similar, their severity differs significantly. Symptoms such as dizziness, headache, and general fatigue after spending time outdoors in the summer are often early signs of either condition. The human body has a system for regulating its body temperature. For example, in hot weather, it dissipates heat through sweating and increased breathing. However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures, combined with insufficient hydration or excessive electrolyte loss, can disrupt this system, leading to an increase in core body temperature and symptoms of heat exhaustion, including dizziness, headache, muscle aches, a rapid heartbeat and pulse, and shortness of breath. Heat exhaustion typically maintains a body temperature below 40°C. During this time, the body attempts to regulate its temperature through profuse perspiration, resulting in a damp, cool skin.

Wang Zetang further explained that if heat exhaustion continues to worsen without timely treatment, it will develop into heat stroke. When the core body temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, the brain's body temperature regulation function will completely fail, the body will stop sweating, and the skin will become dry and hot. At the same time, due to the abnormal expansion of blood vessels in the body, the heartbeat and pulse will become extremely rapid and strong. Heatstroke patients may experience symptoms such as confusion, vomiting, and even coma. If immediate treatment measures are not taken at this time, it will not only endanger their lives, but may also cause damage to organs such as the brain, kidneys, and liver. In severe cases, it may cause multiple organ failure.

If someone exhibits symptoms of heatstroke or heat exhaustion, immediate cooling measures should be implemented, such as moving the patient to a cool location, turning on a fan for ventilation, sprinkling the patient with clean water, or applying a wet towel. However, it is important to avoid allowing the patient to drink large amounts of water, especially if the patient is unconscious or vomiting. This can cause water to enter the trachea and be inhaled into the lungs, leading to aspiration pneumonia. If the patient's symptoms persist after cooling, seek medical attention immediately.

Hot, humid weather can also easily trigger a variety of perspiration-related skin problems. Wang Zetang explained that common skin diseases during hot summers can be roughly divided into two categories: infectious skin diseases caused by pathogens, such as fungal or bacterial infections, and non-infectious skin diseases.

Both fungal and bacterial infections are superficial skin infections, with common symptoms including tinea versicolor and erythema. Tinea versicolor is more common on the hands, feet, chest, and back, while erythema often develops in skin folds or areas prone to sweat accumulation, such as the inner thighs. The key to preventing these superficial infections is maintaining good personal hygiene and keeping the skin dry. If symptoms occur, topical antifungal or antibiotic ointments can generally be used for treatment.

Non-infectious skin diseases, primarily heat rash and prickly heat, are common in children. This is because children's pores are small or easily clogged, preventing sweat from draining properly. This leads to sweat accumulating in the hair follicles and causing skin inflammation. Effective ways to prevent these problems are to reduce excessive sweating and wipe dry immediately after sweating to prevent sweat from clogging pores. Furthermore, sweat accumulating outside the hair follicles can also cause the stratum corneum to swell, potentially clogging pores, so special care is required.

During the hot summer months, air conditioning is often turned on at home, in the office, at school, and in shopping malls, causing many people to experience discomfort. Wang Zetang explained that these symptoms are called "air conditioning sickness" or air conditioning adaptation syndrome, and their symptoms are similar to those of the common cold. There are various theories about the cause, including the body's inability to quickly adapt to temperature changes, exposed skin areas being directly blown by cold air, causing headaches and joint stiffness, or allergens such as mold, bacteria, and dust mites that grow in air conditioners irritating the respiratory tract, triggering nasal allergies or asthma, with symptoms such as a runny nose and wheezing. Because these symptoms are so similar to those of a cold, they are often mistakenly considered "air conditioning sickness" by the public.

High temperatures not only cause physical discomfort, but also accelerate the reproduction of pathogenic viruses and bacteria. Wang Zetang reminded that high temperatures make food easy to spoil, and summer eating habits are also a cause ofgastrointestinal upsetMany Hong Kong people like to choose cool foods such as ice drinks, ice cream, popsicles, etc. in summer. However, if these foods are not properly handled during production or storage and are contaminated by bacteria, they may causeintestinal problems.

This type of gastrointestinal discomfort is primarily categorized as viral gastroenteritis or bacterial gastroenteritis. Viral gastroenteritis is commonly caused by the norovirus, which can be transmitted to others through feces in crowded settings like schools, kindergartens, and playgrounds. Bacterial gastroenteritis is more commonly caused by Salmonella, primarily due to the consumption of undercooked, contaminated food. To prevent intestinal discomfort, in addition to maintaining good personal hygiene and washing hands before eating, it's also important to reduce the consumption of high-risk foods, such as raw oysters, sashimi, and ice in iced drinks.