Heat stroke affecting person’s brain often goes misdiagnosed: Dr Sushil Razdan
Srinagar, Jul 6: The unrelenting heat wave in Kashmir has been particularly cruel to people with neurological issues, migraines and children. Renowned Neurologist, Dr Sushil Razdan, in a candid chat with Greater Kashmir, shared how best to survive the summer without feeling its ‘heat’.
“A lot of people get heat strokes, and the worst part is, they don’t even know it,” Dr Razdan said. He said it starts with feeling of ‘tiredness, fatigue, not feeling oneself’. “It slowly progresses to other stages where the heat affects the brain and the person feels delirious,” he said, while adding that that actually heat has affected the body of the person, and they may not report a heat stroke as such. “Cool the person down, administer plenty of fluids and seek medical help if someone has been out in the sun and suddenly starts feeling sick,” he said. Dr Razdan said heat stroke is often misdiagnosed and doctors start treating the patient for infections.
He said parents must watch children for heat exhaustion. “If they are suddenly lethargic, tired, or seem to have fever, it may not be an infection but due to heat,” he said. Regarding school children, he said, assembly and outdoor games must be halted for the peak summer time. “We cannot keep children in the sun for any activity, and we must also target keeping classrooms and transport at a comfortable temperature. “A number of children get fainting episodes. This can be prevented with precautions,” he said.
The heat has also been affecting elderly, people with Parkinson’s disease, people with old strokes, younger children. Kashmir is under an intense and unrelenting spell of heat, the extreme temperatures giving rise to many ailments, and aggravating condition of those with existing health issues.
A number of people have been getting worse attacks of migraine, and those who do not have migraines, complain of headaches in the summer heat. Dr Razdan said a very common trigger for migraines is ‘extreme temprature’. “Erlier I used to tell people to move to Kashmir in summers and Jammu in winters to avoid migraines, but it ‘seems difficult’ now with Kashmir’s harsh summer. “I would advise people now to stay indoors if possible, and keep their surroundings below 30 degrees centigrade in summers to prevent a migraine attack,” he said, while adding that it may not always be possible to treat it with a ‘pill or injection’. “Focus on prevention,” he said. He added that people must not walk without umbrellas and restrict farming and other outdoor activities during midday hours. “It is important to save your body from the harsh effects of extreme heat,” he said.
