Sun, oh  Sun,

You  take  away  all  our  fun.

Heat  cramps, Sun  stroke,

Buying  sunscreen  makes  us  broke !

Our  skin  you  burn  and  tan,

And  all  the  time  we  need  fan.

There's  Dehydration  and  Exhaustion,

And  Prickly  heat  causes  so  much  irritation !

How  can  we  forget, you  make  us  perspire,

Quick  relief  from  you  we  aspire !!

With  April - May  nearing  and  the  mercury  rising, all  of us  are  surely  feeling  the  heat. But  besides  just  feeling  the  heat  there  are  a  number  of  ailments  one  can  suffer  from  during  summer. Let us see what  these  ailments  are  and how to  beat  them.

HOW CAN THE SUN BE HARMFUL?

• Hot  and  humid  environment  slows  down  the  evaporation  of  sweat. While  atmospheric temperature  continues  to  rise, our  body  cannot  cool  down  fast  enough. There  is  a  state  of  elevated  core  temperature  or  Hyperthermia. This  can  lead  to Heat  Exhaustion  and  in  severe  cases ( core temperature > 40  degree  Celsius )  Heat  Stroke.
• Extra cellular  sodium  depletion  following electrolyte  loss  as  a  result  of  persistent  sweating with  replacement  of  water  but  not  salt  can  lead  to  painful  cramps  called  as  Heat  Cramps.
• Dehydration  can  occur  if  fluid  loss  due  to  perspiration  is  not  compensated.
• Skin  problems  are  the  commonest  ranging  from  simple  sun  tan  to  skin  cancer  due  to  harmful effect ofUltra  Violet  rays  of  the  sun. As  Patricia Farris, a  famous  dermatologist  has  rightly  said - " Your  skin  remembers  every  bit  of  sun  it  ever  had ! "

BAD EFFECTS OF SUN AND HEAT CAN LEAD TO: -

• HEAT  EXHAUSTION - Elevated  core temperature  associated  with  hyperventilation and  symptoms  of  tiredness, fatigue, muscular  weakness, dizziness  and  collapse.
• HEAT  STORKE - Life threatening condition when core temperature of body is > 40 degree Celsius. Symptoms of heat exhaustion occur in addition to headache, nausea, vomiting. Coarse muscle tremor and confusion which may progress to loss of consciousness may be seen as a neurological manifestation.
• HEAT CRAMPS - Painful muscle cramps occur most commonly in the legs of young people following vigorous exercise in hot weather.
• HEAT RASH - Skin redness, dryness, irritation from excess sweating.
• PRICKLY HEAT / MILIARIA RUBRA - Papular itching eruption of the skin due to blockage of sweat ducts.
• CATARACT - Long term UV exposure increases formation of free radicals which injures the lens and can cause its opacity.
• PHOTOAGING - More the exposure to sun, more are the signs of aging like dry rough skin, sallow complexion, etc.
• SUN BURN - Erythema caused by exposure to critical amounts of UV light.
• SUN TAN - Brownish discolouration of skin from exposure to sun.
• FRECKLES - Asymptomatic small circular brownish macules appearing on face, forearms, and other sun exposed areas of the body.
• SOLAR PURPURA - Easy bruising, bleeding into the skin with bleeding from mucus membranes.
• SKIN CANCER - Main risk factor for most forms of  skin cancer is exposure to UV radiation in absence of adequate melanin pigment.
• HEAT TETANY - Hyperventilation on exposure to heat leading to respiratory alkalosis manifesting as tetany.
• SOLAR KERATOSIS - Actinic keratitis ( inflammation of cornea )
• HEAT SYNCOPE / FAINTING
• CONJUNCTIVITIS
• DYSPEPSIA
• VERTIGO
• EPISTAXIS FROM NOSE PARTICULARLY
• EXCESSIVE OFFENSIVE OR STAINING PERSPIRATION
• SUN HEADACHE

HOMEOPATHIC APPROACH

With homoeopathy as our weapon we can surely beat the heat ! Following are useful homoeopathic remedies for these solar ailments.

• HEAT EXHAUSTION - Antimonium crud, Gelsemium, Natrum carb, Selenium, Lachesis, Nux mosch.
• HEAT STROKE - Glonoine, Natrum carb, Belladonna, Lachesis, Amyl nit.
• HEAT CRAMPS - Colocyinth, Cuprum met, Gelsemium, Belladonna, Natrum mur, China.
• HEAT RASH - Kali bich, Ledum pal.
• PRICKLY HEAT - Acon, Bry, Jaborandi, Ammonium mur, Arsenicum album, Ledum pal, Syzigium, Urtica urens.
• CATARACT - Pulsatilla, Natrum mur, Euphrasia.
• HEAT SYNCOPE - Gelsemium, Aconit, Antimony crude, Lachesis, Nux vomica.
• FRECKLES -  Lyc, Phos, Antimony crude.
• SOLAR KERATITIS - Acon, Bell, Kali bich, Merc cor.
• CONJUNCTIVITIS WITH < HEAT - Acon, Bell, Ferrum phos, Puls, Kali bich, Natrum mur, Calcarea carb, Nux vomica.
• DYSPEPSIA IN SUMMER - Antimony crude, Bryonia, Lycopodium.
• SUN HEADACHE - Gels, Glon, Natrum carb, Bell, Kali bich, Lach, Antimony crude, Bry, Calcarea carb.
• VERTIGO WITH < HEAT - Acon, Agar, Bell, Natrum carb, Nux vomica.
• EPISTAXIS FROM NOSE WITH < HEAT - Acon, Bell, China, Nux vomica, Croc, Lach, Puls, Natrum mur.
• OFFENSIVE PERSPIRATION WITH < HEAT - Lycopodium, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla, Graphites.
• PERSPIRATION STAINING LINEN WITH < HEAT - Lachesis, Belladonna, Graphites.

PROTECT YOURSELF

• Stay in a cool shady place as much as possible specially during afternoon.
• Wear light coloured light weight loose clothes.
• Do not go out without a hat or scarf or an umbrella
• Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
• Reduce the consumption of tea, coffe, cola, alcohol. Do not drink liquids with large amount of sugar.
• Drink lots of water, clear juice, electrolyte containing drinks.
• Eat small meals and more often. Avoid foods high in protein which increase the metabolic heat.
• Do not exercise too hard. Cool down yourself with a cool shower.
• In case of heat stroke use cold wraps and fan the person. Seek medical help as quickly as possible.

REFERENCES

BOOKS :- Oxford medical dictionary

Davidson Medicine

Kent 's repertory

 Boger Boenninghausen's repertory

 Boericke's repertory

WEBSITES : -  Mayo Clinic

Medline Plus