NEW DELHI: The monsoon may be quite a pleasant season, but it brings along a number of diseases with it. The increased humidity and incessant rains prove to be ideal for disease-causing bacteria and viruses to grow and spread. As a result, many allergies and health disorders occur during this period. The three main problems that healthcare professionals have observed among Delhiites are eye infections, acne and gastroenteritis. Among eye infections, cases of viral conjunctivitis are most common in the monsoons.
“If you have contracted the disease, stay away from public places so that others are safe,” says Dr Bhanu Prakash, an eye specialist. “One should stay indoors until completely cured. As viral conjunctivitis is an extremely contagious disease and can spread from sneezing, using the same towel or even talking too close to one another, the best solution is to be quarantined.
If you cannot avoid going out, wear a mouth mask so that others are not affected by it,” he says. There is no medication for viral conjunctivitis, the best treatment, suggests Dr Prakash, is to use lubricating eye drops for comfort and antibiotic drops to avoid secondary infection. Another monsoon-related problem is stomach infection which often leads to gastroenteritis (inflammation and irritation in the lining of the inner stomach and thus causing swelling).
As a result, one suffers from vomiting, cramps, dehydration and acute diarrhoea. “Avoid eating roadside food, especially if it is spicy and raw. And always keep yourself hydrated and consume food rich in vitamin C as it boosts immunity,” says Dr Aditya Jayaraman. The Mayur Vihar-based physician says there is a spurt in the number of gastro cases during the rainy season as people do not take precautions. He advises that one must wash hands at regular intervals. “Cleanliness should be ensured 24x7 as infection of any sort can lead to complications.
As they say, ‘prevention is better than cure’,” he avers. The third case is of acne, a problem otherwise usually faced by adolescents. “Rainy season is the time when even adults develop acne on their face, basically because of eating oily food and lack of cleanliness,” says Dr Daleep Saxena, Mayur Vihar, Delhi. “Just maintain cleanliness and go slow on oil-rich food,” he says, “I wouldn’t advise any medicines for this in most cases, except when there are bacterial infections.” “Humidity, dampness and sticky heat together cause pimples on the skin.
One needs to tweak skincare according to the weather to avoid bacteria birthing. The rule is to cleanse tone and moisturise along with exfoliation and masking,” says Delhi-based Plabita Sharma, a skincare expert with The Body Shop India. To steer clear of acne, she advises using a cleanser. “It is important to cleanse your face one to two times a day, especially after you return home after staying long hours outdoors. This keeps acne-causing bacteria miles away. But keep away from excessive cleansing as it will strip off the natural moisture of your skin, leaving it dry,” says Sharma, adding one needs to increase water intake to keep the skin hydrated and wash off the toxins from the body.