Dubai: Medical clinics are seeing a spate of patients complaining of cough and sore throat as the mercury climbed over the weekend to an above normal 36.5 degrees Centigrade.
As the weather changes it takes a while for the body's immune system to kick in, doctors said.
The situation here is exacerbated because of the huge difference in temperature outdoors and indoors. When people come in from the heat to their workplaces which are unusually cold, it affects the respiratory tract first, doctors said.
"When your respiratory tract is irritated, you are more prone to infections," Dr Lalit Uchil, specialist family physician at the Welcare Ambulatory Care Centre, said.
"You see that happening in offices when one person coughs or kids bring the infection home to their families from schools."
Precautions
"Don't drink extremely chilled water when you are hot," Dr K. Prashant, a physician at Al Rafa Clinic in Karama said.
An irritated throat is fertile ground for a viral attack. But besides the discomfort there will be no fever and you should return to feeling normal within three to five days.
While anti-histamine and anti-pyretic over-the-counter drugs such as Panadol ease the discomfort, there is a need to take antibiotics when an infection is bacterial.
"This should be taken only in consultation with the doctor, Dr Prashant said.
He said microplasma infection is also very common here in this region, which is neither viral nor bacterial.
Early signs are similar to colds and viruses. People may have sore throats, stuffy noses and fever. The symptoms do not improve even after 10 days and tend to get worse.
"This form of pneumonia is not severe enough to keep people bed-ridden as other forms do. "It is because of the use of air-conditioners," he said.
Dr Uchil advises drinking plenty of fluids. He added that most coughs and colds may be due to a viral infection.
