Summer is here and with rising temperature, it’s not only the unbearable temperature that can harm you but also bring a host of diseases. In India, Summer is the warmest season in a year with March and June usually being the hottest weather. Heat is something that affects the whole body, including skin, eyes and gastric system. The scorching heat and unrelenting dryness bring with it a common summer disease if precautions are not taken. Here are some of the most common diseases in summer and tips to avoid them.

1.Heat stroke:

• Heat stroke or hyperthermia is a common summer disease that results from prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
• It is preceded by signs of heat exhaustion like headaches, dizziness and weakness and results in unconsciousness, organ failure and eventually death.
• One tip for treating Hyperthermia is by outside cooling of the body with the help of water, cold air or ice packs. You can also do Internal cooling by flushing the stomach or rectum with cold may also be used.

2.Food poisoning:

• One of the most common summer diseases is food poisoning which is caused by the consumption of contaminated food or water. The warm and humid weather provides a fertile environment for bacterial growth leading to food contamination.
• It spreads by bacteria, viruses, toxins, and chemicals which post entering the human body cause the onset of stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea or vomiting.
• Raw meat, food sold in the open by roadside vendors and contaminated water are common carriers of disease-causing microbes.

3.Dehydration:

• This is one of the most common problems that occur in summer when water intake does not compensate for water loss.
• During summers, we tend to lose a lot of water and salts in the form of sweat without realizing. This needs to be replenished for the normal functioning of the body.

4.Mumps:

• Another common disease in the summer is mumps. It is an extremely contagious viral disease. It is known to occur mainly in children during peak summer.
• It can be transmitted when an infected person sneezes or coughs into neighbouring people.
• It affects the parotid gland in front of the ears causing severe swelling, pain and fever.

5.Chicken Pox:

• One of the most common summer disease. Common symptoms include scabs, blisters, itchy skin, redness, high-grade fever, loss of appetite, and headache.

6.Measles:

• This common summer disease is a contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus. Its initial symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat and red eyes.
• These symptoms later progress to measles rash, fever, cough, runny nose and tiny white spots within the mouth.
• The rashes are seen around the hairline and face in most cases.

7.Typhoid:

• It is a water-borne disease passed on through the orofecal route.
• Its common symptoms include high fever, fatigue, weakness, abdominal pain, headache and loss of appetite.