How to cope with summer illnesses: tips
At the dacha, many not only rest, but also actively work. Labor exploits often end in problems. Our expert Aleksey Ivanov, family doctor, head of the medical department of the Elamed company, tells what happens to summer residents and how to protect yourself from it.
4 2016 June
Summer hypertension and heart attack
What’s happening. With the beginning of the summer season, the number of exacerbations of cardiovascular diseases increases by a third! City dwellers lying on the couch in winter, having got out to the dacha, dramatically change their lifestyle to an active one. They stand or sit for hours, bending over the beds, planting and weeding plantings in the heat. With prolonged inclines, sharp rises, an increased blood flow to the head begins, and blood pressure rises. Physical activity, especially in warm weather, and even more so in the heat, causes a large loss of moisture, due to which the blood thickens, blood circulation, primarily in the brain, is disrupted, and oxygen starvation sets in. Headaches, tinnitus, flashing flies before the eyes, dizziness, staggering when walking, loss of balance are symptoms of cerebrovascular accident and harbingers of stroke and heart attack.
Rescue measures. Go to the house immediately, lie down in a cool place. Drink a glass of plain water (not tea, not compote, not juice). Put a handkerchief soaked in cold water on your forehead. Measure the pressure. If it is 20 units higher than usual, take the pills that your doctor prescribed for you. At the dacha, there must be validol, nitroglycerin, beta-blockers that lower blood pressure. If the pressure is 40-60 units higher than normal or there is a severe headache, severe heart pain that cannot be relieved by drugs, or speech changes, the risk of hypertensive crisis, heart attack, stroke is high, so call an ambulance.
Work on bugs. Take a bottle of water to the beds and drink occasionally in small sips. Cover your head with a handkerchief, cap, panama hat. Work in the morning and evening when there is no active sun. Calculate your load so you don’t get tired. Take 10 minute breaks every hour.
What’s happening. It ranks second among the diseases caused by summer cottage labor. When excessive physical exertion falls on an untrained body, muscles and ligaments are overstrained. Hot workers, throwing off their clothes, exposing the lower back or pouring cold water over them, overcool the muscles, which leads to their inflammation (myositis), and this also provokes an exacerbation of osteochondrosis. Lower back pain, sometimes radiating to the thigh, lower leg, foot, is a sign of pinching and inflammation of the spinal nerve root.
Rescue measures. Lie on a comfortable, not too soft and not too hard surface. Spread the lower back with ointments that have a distracting effect, based on camphor, mint, snake venom. They have a sedative and analgesic effect. If the pain is severe, you need to go to a neurologist. Lower back pain can also be caused by other conditions, such as inflammation of the kidneys. They need to be excluded.
Work on bugs. Change the load types. We worked on the beds for an hour, wash the window. Stock up on a low bench or folding stool and do most of the work while sitting. Lift only using this technology: with an even back, they squatted down, took the object with both hands, brought it closer to the chest and stood up. Do everything smoothly, without sudden movements. Wear a bandage or corset.
What’s happening. In the summer, you want to pounce on fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs. They are especially tasty from their beds. But they are not only useful, but they can also be dangerous. A sharp switch to another type of diet often leads to an exacerbation of gastritis. An excess of raw vegetables, fruits, and greens rich in fiber is especially unfavorable for those who already have problems with the stomach, intestines and liver.
Rescue measures. Return to your usual type of food. Eat porridge, curd products, boiled meat. Eliminate all fatty, fried, spicy, salty, and sweet foods. Brew chamomile like tea. Drink warm, 1 teaspoon per glass of water 15 minutes before meals, 3 times a day. Almagel, Gastal, Ranitidine, drugs that reduce acidity, based on aluminum, help well.
Work on bugs. Switch to the summer diet gradually. To obtain useful microelements and vitamins, small amounts are sufficient, for example, 50–70 grams of greens per day. Stew, grill, bake vegetables and fruits.