Page 13 - Seniorstoday May 2022 Issue

very common complaint during summer, especially around the nose and cheeks.
with inflammation of the outer layer of the
eye and the eyelid. Its often accompanied
with itching and watering from eyes.
The reasons are varied- it could be allergic,
or a bacterial or viral infection. Exposure to
the sun can cause or worsen the condition.
UTI
A UTI (urine infection) is fairly common
in the summers, as viruses and bacteria
thrive in the warm weather. Dehydration
only compounds the problem. As does the
unclean water you are exposed to if you go
swimming in water parks etc.
Insect bites
Though summer gives everyone a good
reason to step out of their houses, it also
acts as a haven for insects to be out in
hordes. Its quite common to be stung by a
mosquito or a bee. It is usually a harmless
bite, but can turn serious if you’re allergic,
or develop malaria.
Muscle spasms
The cooling mechanism of the body, on
getting overheated, makes one perspire,
sometimes copiously. As a result, you not
only lose fluids, but electrolytes too. If not
replaced in time, they give rise to painful
heat cramps, or muscle cramps- basically,
spasms of body muscles. Any muscle could
be affected.
Water borne diseases
Just as viruses and bacteria grow on food,
they also fester in water, and drinking this
contaminated water can put you at risk of
certain water borne diseases like dysentery
and cholera.
Skin conditions:
Rosacea
An allergic skin condition, it is
characterized by red patches on the skin,
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #35 | MAY 2022
The skin becomes red and irritable, with
itching.
Exposure to the sun can worsen the
complaints, making it very uncomfortable
for the person. It can further dry the skin,
causing it to itch and flake even more.
Sunburn
Sunburn is a major concern in summers.
A lot of people take advantage of the
warm weather to travel, go sun bathing
etc. Moving out and traveling at this time
exposes the body to sunrays for a prolonged
period, including UV rays, which penetrate
the skin, causing tanning.
If you’re not careful though, the tanning
can rapidly escalate to an actual sunburn,
with the skin becoming dry and irritable.
If not addressed in time, it can progress to
blisters and skin peeling.
A few other symptoms of sunburn include
fever, chills, cold.
Fungal infections
The heat and humidity lead the body to
perspire profusely. While the perspiration
evaporates rapidly from exposed areas,
it tends to remain on unexposed ones-
underarms, under bust, the thighs.
Continued moistness in these parts
encourages fungi to fester, causing rash,
irritation, uncontrolled itching, occasional
flaking of skin.
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