The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that many regions across the country will experience above-normal temperatures and a rise in the number of heatwave days this May. According to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the number of heatwave days is expected to increase by one to four days across most parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal.

Heatwaves are extended periods of abnormally high temperatures, which can range from a few days to several weeks or even months. They pose significant health, social, environmental, and economic challenges. With the rising threat of heat waves, it is crucial to understand the various health issues triggered by extreme heat conditions.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body’s natural temperature regulation fails, pushing the core body temperature above 104°F (40°C). The condition can develop suddenly and become life-threatening if not treated promptly. Heat stroke requires emergency medical attention.

Heat Exhaustion

Though milder than heat stroke, heat exhaustion remains a serious concern. It results from the excessive loss of water and salt through sweating, especially during physical activity in high temperatures. People working outdoors or engaging in exercise during the peak heat hours are particularly vulnerable.

Dehydration

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are painful, and involuntary muscle spasms are caused by electrolyte imbalances and fluid loss due to intense sweating. These cramps often affect the muscles of the abdomen, arms, or legs and are common among people performing strenuous physical activities in hot environments.

Sunburn

Prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to sunburn, which is an inflammatory reaction of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. While mild sunburn may cause redness and discomfort, severe cases can result in blistering, peeling, infections, and long-term damage, including an increased risk of skin cancer.

With much of India bracing for hotter-than-usual weather, health experts urge people to take precautions: stay hydrated, avoid peak sun hours, wear protective clothing, and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms of heat-related illnesses arise.

In a breakthrough that has the potential to reshape how we understand some forms of skin cancer, doctors at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a strain of human papillomavirus (HPV), commonly found on the skin, as the direct cause of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in a woman with a rare immune disorder.

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, challenge long-held assumptions about the role of HPV in skin cancer and spotlight the risks faced by immunocompromised individuals.

A Case That Changed Everything

The discovery came during treatment of a 34-year-old woman, who was suffering from a rare genetic condition that severely weakened her immune system.

Over time, she developed more than 40 skin cancer lesions across her face, hands, and legs, all diagnosed as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common form of skin cancer after melanoma.

Despite undergoing multiple surgeries and immunotherapy, her cancer kept returning.

That’s when a team of doctors, led by Dr. Andrea Lisco from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, decided to dig deeper. What they found was shocking: her tumors were being driven by beta HPVs, a group of viruses typically seen as harmless.

“The virus replicated in a somewhat uncontrolled manner and ended up integrating into the skin cells,” said Dr. Lisco. “Once they did that, they became cancerous.”

HPV’s Role in Skin Cancer

Until now, HPV’s link to skin cancer was considered indirect at best. Scientists believed the virus might weaken skin cells or make them more vulnerable to UV damage, but not directly cause cancer.

This case flips that understanding on its head.

Unlike alpha HPVs, which are known to cause cervical, anal, and throat cancers and are targeted by the Gardasil vaccine, beta HPVs live on the skin and usually stay dormant. In healthy people, they don’t integrate into DNA or cause illness.

But in this woman’s case, a weakened immune system, specifically impaired T-cells, allowed the virus to behave aggressively and hijack her skin cells’ DNA, turning them malignant.

A Life-Saving Treatment and New Insights

With her immune system unable to fight the virus, doctors decided a stem cell transplant to replace her malfunctioning immune cells. Three years after the procedure, she remains cancer-free.

“This case gives us valuable insight into how the immune system interacts with HPV,” said Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who was not involved in the study. “What’s novel is that it’s the first time beta HPV has been directly linked to human skin cancer.”

Dr. Lisco noted that while the finding is important, it doesn’t suggest that everyone with beta HPV is at risk. “We shake hands and we pick up those viruses,” he said. “But if our immune systems are intact, we’re fine.”

A Warning for the Immunocompromised

Doctors emphasize that this case highlights a very specific risk, one that primarily applies to people with compromised immune systems, including those with HIV, organ transplants, long-term immunosuppressive medications, or rare genetic conditions.

“Immunocompromised people are up to 100 times more likely to develop this type of skin cancer,” said Dr. Rossi. “HPV can integrate and disrupt the cell cycle more easily in these individuals.”

Dr. Anthony Oro, professor of dermatology at Stanford Medicine, added, “It suggests that beta HPVs could contribute to cancers in patients where the immune defense, especially T-cells, is impaired.”

Does the HPV Vaccine Help?

While Gardasil protects against nine strains of alpha HPV, it’s unclear whether it offers any protection against beta strains.

“There is some theory that cross-protection may exist,” said Dr. Rossi, “but we need more research to know for sure.”

Studies in mice had long hinted at a potential link between beta HPV and cancer, but this is the first human case to show such a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

What This Means for You

Experts say the general population is not at risk from beta HPV-related skin cancer, at least not based on current evidence. Most skin cancers are still caused by sun exposure, and the best prevention is still protecting your skin.

Here’s what you can do:

Use sunscreen daily, even on cloudy days.

Wear protective clothing when outdoors, especially during peak sun hours.

Get regular skin checks, particularly if you’re immunocompromised or have a history of skin cancer.

Consult your doctor about HPV vaccines and whether they may benefit you.

“This case serves as a reminder,” said Dr. Oro, “that even viruses we thought were harmless can become dangerous in the wrong context. And that context is often an immune system not doing its job.”

When we think of public heroes, people we look for when things go wrong, we find military, police and firefighters in our corners. Firefighters have one of the at-risk jobs and face many dangers to save other people. They are not just trained to bring people to safety, but also how to control a dangerous situation, immediate medical care which goes beyond just first aid as well as investigating possible threats.

We are all aware of how they put their lives on the line to save others from dangerous situations whether it is jumping in to save people from burning buildings or, helping people escape from potentially dangerous situations. However, this is not the only way they are risking their own lives for us.

A recent study by the American Cancer Society (ACS) highlights a serious health concern for firefighters: their job significantly increases their chances of developing various cancers, including skin and kidney cancer. This discovery sheds light on the long-term health challenges these essential workers face, which extend far beyond the immediate dangers of battling fires. It's a stark reminder that the bravery of firefighters comes with a hidden cost to their health over time.

Why Firefighters Need Protection and Screening

This study's findings are a crucial wake-up call, even if they're not pleasant to hear. The research emphasizes that the health risks firefighters encounter go beyond the immediate dangers of their profession. It's incredibly important to step up efforts to protect firefighters' health. This means making sure they have better access to cancer screenings, ensuring early detection, and implementing stronger prevention strategies. By doing so, we can help safeguard the well-being of those who put their lives on the line for us.

For this study, researchers looked at a vast amount of health data collected over 36 years. They focused on individuals who were cancer-free at the beginning of the study in 1982. Specifically, they examined information from over 470,000 firefighters and compared their rates of cancer-related deaths to those of men in other professions. The overall conclusion strongly supports what other research has suggested: being a firefighter is linked to an increased risk of developing cancer.

Specific Cancer Risks Identified

The study identified the highest increased risks for specific types of cancer:

Firefighters had a significantly higher chance (72% more) of developing skin cancer. This might be because they often work outdoors without enough sun protection. Taking better precautions against sun exposure could help reduce this risk. There was also a 39% higher risk of kidney cancer among firefighters. The study also found smaller, but still notable, increases in risk for other cancers:

• Firefighters who had been on the job for 30 years or more showed an 8% higher risk of Lung cancer
• There was a 14% higher risk of prostate cancer
• Firefighters had a 15% higher risk of colon cancer.

Why Are Firefighters More At-Risk For Cancer?

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society explains that beyond the immediate dangers of putting out fires, they face a hidden threat: an increased risk of various cancers. This is due to the smoke and harmful chemicals they encounter while on duty.

Modern homes and buildings are full of synthetic and plastic materials. When these burn, they create a lot more smoke than natural materials. This smoke contains carcinogens, which are substances that can cause cancer. One common type is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of over 100 different chemicals. Being exposed to some PAHs can lead to cancer. Firefighters might also come across other known cancer-causing agents like asbestos and diesel exhaust. These harmful substances can be breathed in or soaked up through the skin.

Filling Gaps in Cancer Research

Earlier studies from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) hinted that firefighting could increase the risk of cancers like mesothelioma and bladder cancer. However, these studies weren't clear about other types of cancer. This new research helps fill in those missing pieces.

It's especially important because it provides fresh evidence linking firefighting to skin, kidney, prostate, and colorectal cancers. These were types of cancer where the connection to firefighting wasn't strong or clear before. This new study gives us a much better understanding of the cancer risks firefighters face because of what they're exposed to on the job.

It’s déjà vu Braves fans didn’t ask for. Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta’s powerhouse baseball outfielder and reigning National League MVP, has hit the injured list again, this time with tightness in his right Achilles tendon. Just months after returning from a torn ACL in his left knee, Acuña pulled up sore after sprinting the bases and later chasing a fly ball, exiting Tuesday’s game against the Royals mid-inning.

But what does Achilles tendon tightness actually mean, and why does it freak out athletes and sports doctors alike?

The Achilles tendon, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is the thick band of tissue that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. It is the biggest and strongest tendon in the human body. But it can bring even the fittest athletes to their knees.

It helps you run, jump, pivot and push off the ground, basically every move an outfielder like Acuña makes in a single play. When it is tight, inflamed or partially torn, that springy propulsion becomes painful and unstable. Cue the limping, grimacing and, in some cases, weeks on the injured list.

Why Achilles Pain Is a Red Flag

In Acuña’s case, the discomfort reportedly began the night before while sprinting around the bases and got worse chasing fly balls. That is a classic setup: high-intensity bursts, sudden stops, and quick direction changes, all high-risk moves for the Achilles.

If ignored, tightness can escalate to tendonitis (inflammation), partial tears, or the dreaded rupture, which is basically the tendon snapping in two. That is a season-ending injury, often requiring surgery and months of rehab.

When the Body Says No

But ignoring Achilles issues can backfire in the worst way. What starts as tightness today could be crutches tomorrow. The tendon does not heal fast, and re-injury is a very real risk if recovery is rushed.

The Game Plan for Recovery

Recovery is not just about waiting for the pain to stop; it is about rebuilding strength, restoring flexibility, and ensuring both legs are balanced and strong.

Why This Matters for Everyone Who Plays

Stretch regularly, warm up before activity, avoid sudden ramp-ups in intensity, and listen to your body. And if the pain lingers or worsens, see a specialist. Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Achilles flare-up might just be tightness, but it is the kind of tightness that turns trainers serious and fans anxious. It’s also a timely reminder that this tendon is small but mighty, and when it acts up, rest is not optional. Whether you are chasing fly balls or your morning run goal, treat your heels with the caution they deserve.