Rainy Season Health Hazards: Five Things to Protect Yourself Against

 

By Emma Sturgis 

 

During the rainy season, there are a number of common health hazards one can face, like cholera, mosquito infestation and food poisoning. While illness and injury can be common in the rainy season, there are a number of highly effective things you can do to protect yourself from these health hazards. The following are a few of the most common rainy season dangers and how to prevent illness from them:

 

 

Flooding

The major risk associated with flooding is contamination of the water supply. The risk of water contamination can be extremely high if sewage if the spill from treatment plants finds its way into nearby rivers or reservoirs. In flooding scenarios, people are often forced to drink water from local, underground water sources. The water supply becomes contaminated with sources that cause outbreaks of diseases like typhoid or cholera. Other water-borne diseases can include dermatitis, conjunctivitis and nose, ear and throat infections. While these diseases may not cause infection on a mass scale, they are accompanied by painful symptoms and can have dangerous complications.

 

 

Mosquito Infestation

In the aftermath of flooding and intense storms and rain, mosquitoes can quickly breed. Standing water is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos, as moist soil can host dormant mosquito eggs for days, months, or years before they hatch. Additional rainfall can complete the hatching process, which usually takes place within a week of the fresh rainfall. If you experience a mosquito infestation, a few do it yourself pest control methods can protect you from the discomfort and illness associated with mosquito bites. A pest control expert from Solutions Self Chem recommends not only spraying for mosquitos, but preventing their breeding by removing any sources of standing water in your surrounding area. These include, but are not limited to, garbage cans, buckets, spare tires and flooded garden beds.

 

 

Food Poisoning

Flooding during the rainy season can contaminate food, which can develop harmful bacteria like salmonella or E-coli. Illness symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, chills, fevers and diarrhea. Recovery under medical care can take from 12 to 48 hours. The risk of food poisoning can be reduced by thoroughly cleaning dishes and hands before handling food and cooking all animal products thoroughly before consumption.

 

 

Spread of Disease

Floods can bring about disaster, especially in warm and humid climates. Damaged areas can be quickly infected as a result of contaminated water. The incubation period between exposure to contaminants and symptom manifestation can be a few days or several weeks. Symptoms can include fevers, cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In developing countries, many of the affected are children who die from dehydration, malnutrition and lack of proper medical care.

 

 

An Unclean Environment

A flood can quickly pollute an entire region by killing crops and becoming a breeding grown for life-threatening bacteria and diseases. The best defense is knowing what to expect and do before, during and after a rainy season.

 

It is wise to prepare for flooding, especially if living in a disaster-prone area. For help with this, FEMA provides comprehensive information on how to prepare and cleanup, rebuild and occupy a home or area after a flooding disaster.

 

 

Categories: health hazards, protect yourself, rainy season

Facts You Need To Know About The Common Cold

As the colder months approach, so do the colds and flu viruses which render us bed-ridden for days. There are a number of factors which increase our risk of catching colds and viruses, such as cold weather, changes in immunity and our eating habits, and poor hygiene habits make us more susceptible to infections. It’s common knowledge that in order to fend off infections, we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle of plenty of exercise, drinking enough water each day, and getting the right balance of nutrients from a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables. But there are other things to consider. Here are the main factors you need to be aware of in order to stay healthy during cold and flu season.

Vitamin D deficiency

As the days become shorter, our exposure to direct sunlight also decreases. This lack of exposure to the sun can lead to a vitamin D deficiency which can weaken our immune system, leading us to become more susceptible to infections. Some food products are now fortified with this vital nutrient but there are also supplements available to help ensure you get your daily dose.

Cold air

The dry and cold air can dry out your nasal passages which can irritate the throat and lungs, leading to coughs and colds. You may even find that your struggle with your breathing during this season, as your nasal passages are often blocked. This is known as cold-induced asthma which can irritate the linings of your nose and throat which are there to protect the respiratory passages, which can trigger a cough.

Humid weather

In the summer, the hot weather leads to you sweating a lot more – this increases the chance of respiratory infections developing due to dust particles and sweat triggering a sore throat and a dry cough. Breathing is naturally affected because of congestion, particularly in crowded places.

Smog

Allergies due to breathing in smoggy air are common in the summer months, because smog contains a pollutant known as ozone which directly attacks your lung function. This causes inflammation of the protective lining of the lungs and can trigger asthma.  Coughing due to smog is often very painful as it causes uneasiness of the chest and throat.

Weather changes

Because of the way we naturally react to  weather changes, coughs triggered  during the summer months don’t go away easily. For example, during the winter we tend to keep warm, rest a lot and drink hot fluids to help encourage recovery. But in summer, we drink cold drinks and these increase the chance of a cold infection. It may even worsen your gastroesophageal reflux disease causing a cough.

Rainy season

It’s more common to catch a cold  during a rainy season, as the common cold during this season comes accompanied by headaches and sore throats which are due to damp weather. It’s during rainier months that we need to be more on our guard in terms of preventative measures and leading a healthier lifestyle, to try and  fight off any possible infections.

Climate changes

Because of erratic climate changes taking place all the time, people with a healthy immune system also catch respiratory infections. For example, with monsoons after heavy rainfall the weather can sometimes turn very hot. This can lead to a cough or cold due to infections, allergies and breathing problems, all made worse by the weather. changing so drastically.

Categories: allergies, colds, common, Infections, nasal passages, rainy season, respiratory infections, season, summer months, Throat, weather