Weather in Memphis is a perpetual mix of heat and humidity, both tolerable without the other. Since it is so hot outside, many Memphians are experiencing the ailments that come along with high temperatures.
“In the past couple weeks, we have been really busy,” said Dawn Wiggins, R.N. at Family Physicians Group PC. She has been a nurse for 10 years.
The most common summer ailments are insect stings and bites.
“I’ve been bitten by mosquitoes and fleas. Fleas are so much worse. Because they are tiny and you can’t see them,” said Sashie Samiei, freshman biology major. Other sicknesses, hay fever, heat- induced headaches, indigestion, minor eye infections, prickly heat, sweat rash, summer colds, sunburn, travel/ motion sickness, and heat stroke and dehydration are common.
Kristin Casty, junior criminal justice had bronchitis brought on by allergies.
“I was sick for two months,” she said. Casty had just finished taking her antibiotic, Augmentin recently.
Last year, Samiei had stomach virus during the summer, which was a combination of the heat weakening his immune system and something he ate.
“I woke up at four in the morning feeling an urgency to use the bathroom. I knew I didn’t have to pee, I could tell I was ill,” he said.
Wiggins said that not too many people with heat rashes come in.
“People come in with heat rashes and dehydration, things of that nature,” she said. Fifteen to 20 people a day with summer related illnesses. July and August are the busiest times of the summer.
But Wiggins said there are ways to prevent summer sicknesses.
“I tell people to stay inside. If they are working, to take 20 or 30 minute breaks and drink many liquids,” she said.
Samiei agreed.
“I stay inside and hydrated in the air conditioning,” he said.
Doctors told Casty during her illness that she should be wary of drinking alcohol and smoking. Heat can increase the effects of alcohol.
“The doctors told me to rest. Now I take vitamin C to help prevent illness,” she said.
Samiei had this to say about the summer.
“You know how it is in Memphis, you go outside, the heat will try to kill you,” he said.
