Protection from the sun: Two-wheeler riders taking extra care to protect themselves from the scorching summer. A scene on Kamarajar Salai in Chennai.

CHENNAI: Summer comes with its attendant health problems: sun/heat strokes, exhaustion and heat cramps. Though we are still in the weatherman's "normal summer" bracket, clearly, the mercury in the barometer is set to rise in May.

Cases of heat stroke, which if neglected can become life threatening, have not been reported in the Government hospitals so far. However, people have been complaining of symptoms of heat stroke — headaches, nausea, skin rashes — albeit in mild forms.

"Over the years, we have been getting cases [of heat strokes] only in May. While different people have different thresholds for heat tolerance, problems occur only when the temperature goes up to and above 40 degrees Celsius," says a doctor working in the Government General hospital here. Sunstrokes are caused by the body's inability to dissipate heat through sweating. Therefore, a sudden rise in temperature can be expected, the doctor added. The loss of fluids results in blood depletion in the body.

A meteorological study covering the last three decades, published a couple of years ago says that in recent years the number of days during which the mercury crosses the threshold 40 degree Celsius in May has been going up.

While it is possible to escape the heat by spending the summer in a hill-station, doctors have a few tips for those who are trying to beat the heat without a vacation.

"The key is to avoid dehydration by drinking a lot of water and fluids. It is better to avoid beverages like coffee and tea and anything with alcohol content," a general physician says. It is also necessary to spend time indoors and avoid exposure to direct sunlight.

Wearing loose fitting clothes might help, she adds. While anyone exposed to the extreme heat is likely to come down with a sunstroke, it is more likely that the aged, people with existing health problems and children must be tended to carefully, doctors say.

A paediatrician at the Institute for Child Health says bathing the child twice a day will also help to keep the body temperature low. It is necessary to drink boiled water to avoid complications such as loose motion and diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration.

The common symptoms of a heat stroke are headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, hot and dry skin, high body temperature and quick pulse rate. Since recovery from sunstroke is dictated by the period of exposure to the sun, remember to avoid the dog days and stay indoors.

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