Rainy season in the Philippines
Rainy season in the Philippines happens from June to November. This means making sure your umbrella and tsinelas are always at the ready, but it is also time to stock up on medications for common rainy season sicknesses.
Because of the sudden change in weather, people tend to get cough, cold, or the flu. People with preexisting conditions such as pulmonya or pneumonia and asthma or hika might experience worse symptoms.
Read on to learn more about how the rainy season affects your health.
Pneumonia or pulmonya
Pneumonia, also known locally as pulmonya, is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. This infection can cause the lungs to swell and develop a buildup of pus or fluid.
This can cause symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Weakness or fatigue
- Headache
Pulmonya tends to be more common during the rainy season because the change in weather from sunny to rainy can weaken the immune system. This makes the body more prone to infection. The cold air during the rainy season also makes respiratory symptoms worse, causing shortness of breath, and excessive coughing among other symptoms.
Treatment at home
Treating pulmonya at home varies depending on its severity. Most cases of pneumonia are mild and go away on their own. These can be managed with bed rest and medication such as paracetamol.
However, more serious cases require hospitalization. If the symptoms do not resolve within a couple of weeks, or if the symptoms get worse, it would be best to see a doctor as soon as possible as pneumonia can be fatal, especially among children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems.
Here are some of the more serious symptoms of pulmonya to watch out for:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Persistent high fever of 39°C or higher
- Persistent cough
Asthma
Asthma, also known as hika in Filipino, causes a person’s airways to swell and sometimes produce extra mucus. Asthma can cause the following symptoms when triggered:
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness or chest pain
- Wheezing
- Trouble sleeping
- Coughing fits
These symptoms can make it difficult for some asthmatics to take part in strenuous physical activities because doing so can trigger an asthma attack. Asthmatics also need to be careful of other possible triggers such as smoke, alcohol, allergies, and cold temperatures, such as during the rainy season.
It is worth noting that children with asthma as well as their parents need to be extra mindful of these triggers in order to avoid flare-ups that can affect a child’s quality of life.
Treatment at home
Currently, there is no known cure for asthma. Its symptoms, however, can be managed through medication such as salbutamol inhalers. These can provide quick relief to asthma sufferers. Other types of medication such as corticosteroids might also be prescribed by a doctor.
When managed properly, people with asthma can enjoy active lifestyles with asthma attacks few and far between.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea, commonly called LBM (loose bowel movement) in Filipino, happens when a person’s stool becomes loose and watery, usually resulting from a bacterial or viral infection.
In tropical countries like the Philippines with only dry and rainy seasons, cases of diarrhea tend to go up during the latter. Some studies have shown that when rainfall happens after a dry season, pathogens get washed into surface water. When people use this water for drinking, bathing, or washing, they can get infected, causing diarrhea symptoms.
Treatment at home
Most cases of diarrhea go away over time and can be treated at home. Diarrhea can be managed by drinking enough fluids, eating soft and easy to digest foods, and avoiding fatty, high fiber, or seasoned foods. Taking medication such as loperamide can also help alleviate the symptoms since it helps slow down bowel movements.
An important thing to remember is that children with diarrhea need to be monitored more closely as they are at a higher risk for dehydration.
Flu
Flu or trangkaso in Filipino, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. The rainy season is also known as the flu season because cases of influenza tend to go up during this time of the year. This is because influenza thrives in cold and dry, or humid and rainy weather.
Cold and humid weather can also aggravate the symptoms associated with flu, such as cough and cold. Other possible symptoms include:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches and pains
- Sore throat
- Headaches
Treatment at home
Most cases of flu can be treated at home. Drink plenty of fluids such as water or fresh fruit juice to help prevent dehydration. Taking multivitamins or vitamin C supplements can also help combat the flu as these help strengthen the immune system.
Medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also help alleviate flu symptoms such as high fever and muscle aches and pains.
If symptoms get worse or if there is no improvement, it is best to consult a doctor. Some cases of flu can be fatal, especially for babies, young children, and the elderly.
Allergies
Allergies are the immune system’s reaction to things that are usually harmless. Some people have allergies to pollen, dust, molds, certain types of food, even medications.
During the rainy season, people with pollen allergies might experience some relief at first. This is because rain washes away pollen in the air, making it less likely for people with allergies to breathe in pollen. After it rains, however, plant growth can increase, and this can cause plants to produce more pollen that can aggravate allergies.
Treatment at home
The best way to deal with allergies would be to avoid triggers. But since some triggers cannot always be avoided, antihistamines, or medication that relieves allergy symptoms, can help. Readily available antihistamines include cetirizine and loratadine.
People with pollen allergies can also wear face masks whenever they go outside as this can help block pollen in the air from being inhaled.
Avoiding pulmonya and other rainy season sicknesses
The rainy season provides a welcome change from the scorching summer heat in the Philippines. But the sudden change in weather can also bring disease and illness or trigger preexisting conditions that people have.
By following the tips listed above, you can stay on top of your health and ensure that you and your loved ones stay healthy and symptom-free.
General disclaimer
Your doctor will always be in the best position to give the appropriate medical advice for your condition. For suspected undesirable drug reaction, seek medical attention immediately and report to the FDA at www.fda.gov and UNILAB Inc. at 8-UNILAB-1 or productsafety@unilab.com.ph. Always buy your medicine from your trusted drugstores and retailers.
Sources:
- Pneumonia: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4471-pneumonia, Accessed July 15, 2024
- Sunshine, rainfall, humidity and child pneumonia in the tropics: time-series analyses | Epidemiology & Infection | Cambridge Core, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/sunshine-rainfall-humidity-and-child-pneumonia-in-the-tropics-timeseries-analyses/35972FD21C4E74DA259656DE8C5057A1, Accessed January 15, 2024
- Cold weather and your lungs - Mayo Clinic Health System, https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/is-the-extreme-cold-bad-for-your-lungs, Accessed July 15, 2024
- Asthma - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma/symptoms-causes/syc-20369653, Accessed July 15, 2024
- Salbutamol: inhaler to relieve asthma and breathlessness - NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/salbutamol-inhaler/, Accessed July 15, 2024
- Understanding the Impact of Rainfall on Diarrhea: Testing the Concentration-Dilution Hypothesis Using a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis | Environmental Health Perspectives | Vol. 128, No. 12, https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP6181, Accessed July 15, 2024
- Diarrhea - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diarrhea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352246#, Accessed July 15, 2024
- Roles of Humidity and Temperature in Shaping Influenza Seasonality - PMC, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4097773/, Accessed July 15, 2024
- 3 Health Conditions That Stormy Weather Can Make Worse, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-health-conditions-that-stormy-weather-can-make-worse, Accessed July 15, 2024
