 Insects have also enjoyed the extended hot weather |
Britons have been wilting under the recent heat, with millions affected by ailments ranging from hay fever to insect bites. A survey by the Consumers Health Information Centre found insect bites were a particular problem.
The extended hot weather has meant bees, wasps and midges have not started to die out by now, as would normally happen.
Pollution has been blamed for more people suffering asthma symptoms.
Hospitals have already reported an increase in the numbers admitted for respiratory disorders linked to the smog created by the combination of atmospheric pollution and the heat.
The Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC), part of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, surveyed 1,000 people to see how the hot weather had affected them.
One in three said they had suffered an insect bite and a quarter had experienced heat exhaustion and dehydration, according to the survey. Over a third reported suffering from indigestion, and the popularity of barbecues, with their risk of uncooked meat, had led to many people being hit by upset stomachs.
One in three have had a 'summer cold'.
'Busier'
The CHIC advised people to take care in the heat, ensuring they drink plenty of water to prevent becoming dehydrated.
It warned the elderly and people with high blood pressure were at particular risk.
Pharmacist Alan Nathan, a spokesman for the CHIC, said: "The heatwave brings ailments that can give people the hot weather blues."
Dr Jonathan Wastie, a GP at the St Peter's Medical Centre in Brighton, told BBC News Online: "We have been more busy than in most summers.
"We've seen quite a lot of insect bites, and there have been a few more asthma cases than one would expect in the late summer months."
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The heatwave brings ailments that can give people the hot weather blues 
