07 Sep 2016

With the summer season slowly creeping in, changes are expected in terms of closets and frequency of movements. 

Though it provides a break from winter season we normally acclimatized to, spring brings with it risks of acquiring certain medical conditions.

Several diseases ranging from common cold, sore throat, cold to asthmatic attacks are expected to be a frequent cause of medical consultation to admission to hospitals .

In an interview, Dr Tommy Palai, a medical doctor at Princess Marina Hospital said more than 200 viruses were known to cause the common cold 

He explained that patients usually complained of headache, fatigue, runny nose, fever, sneezing and dry cough and the spread was usually through mouth, nose or hand to hand contact making the use of handkerchiefs a nidus for re-infecting oneself.

He explained that regular hand washing was recommended in the presence of someone suffering from the common cold. 

Bed rest, paracetamol or ibuprofen tablets for fever as well as well having lots of fluids such as soup is the treatment of choice and contrary to the belief, antibiotics did not work against colds or flu.

One of the seasonal diseases that mostly affected people was asthma. Asthma attacks range from mild to severe and require hospitalizations and sometimes intensive care depending on the individual and it is very important for asthmatics to avoid known triggers, keep warm in the winter and precautionary measures in the presence of individuals suffering from other airborne infections. 

He further said that asthmatics must always carry their blue spray at all times during winter season and use their other sprays as advised by their general practitioners (GPs).

He further said flu is a major killer for vulnerable people. Elderly people from 65 years and persons with chronic illnesses such as HIV, diabetes and end stage renal disease are particularly at risk and said it is advisable to get flu vaccines before the summer season is in full swing. 

He explained that in these groups of people, the common cold can even turn into a secondary infection, affecting the ear, throat or lungs that may be more serious and require hospitalizations. ENDS