Sun, sand, surf. Mosquito bites, poison ivy, sunburn. Ah, the joys of summer. Here's a look at some of the season's common health concerns and how to prevent and treat them.
Sunburn
Caused by skin's overexposure to the rays, which leads to redness, peeling, blistering, sun-induced aging, and skin cancer.
•Symptoms
Itchiness, irritation, tenderness, pain, blisters, swelling.
•Prevention
Wear a wide-brimmed hat, a long-sleeved shirt, pants and sunscreen. "Put the sunscreen on before you go in the sun so it blends into the skin, and put on a lot, not just a thin coat," says Ian Arnold, MD and lecturer at the department of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto. Also, avoid peak sun hours — between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
•First Aid
Try to cool the burn with cold water, an ice pack or a cool shower. Aspirin, Motrin or Advil can help to decrease the pain, while hydrocortisone cream can reduce inflammation. If blistering, see your physician.
Sunstroke
Sunstroke is not common, but when it strikes, it can lead to shock, brain damage and death. Sunstroke is the third stage in a heat illness and results from excessive sweating and salt loss, and heat exhaustion from dehydration. Athletes, like marathon runners and golfers, are at a higher risk because they exercise in extreme weather conditions.
•Symptoms
Faintness, weakness, dizziness, fever, shallow breathing, dark urine.
•Prevention
"Drink fluids before you get thirsty and always have a bottle of water with you," advises Dr. Arnold.
•First Aid
Lie down in a cool place and apply cold compresses and wet cloths to skin. If your body doesn't cool, get to a physician quickly.
Rashes
Common rashes stem from allergic reactions to the sun and plants. Unfortunately, "There is no way of predicting who will get [polymorphous light eruption]," says Dr. Cheryl Rosen, head of the division of dermatology at the University Health Network. "Some people are sensitive to the UVA part of the sun, others the UVB." Meanwhile, contact with poison ivy, sumac and oak can lead to a severe rash, blistering and infection.
•Symptoms
Redness, bumps, blistering (in tracks indicates a rash from plants), swelling, itchiness, clear fluid.
•Prevention
For sun: seek shade and wear sunscreen. For plants: know where poisonous plants grow and what they look like. For both: wear long clothing.
•First Aid
A sun rash can appear hours later, but also settles if you stay in the shade. Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream can reduce the itchiness. Same for plants, but first wash the area immediately. If blistering, see your physician for cortisone by mouth.
Bug Bites
Mosquitoes suck. Black flies bite. Bees and wasps sting. All can cause allergic reactions.
•Symptoms
Itchiness, irritation, pain, stinging, redness, pus, difficulty breathing.
•Prevention
For flies and mosquitoes, wear long clothing and netting around the head. Insect repellent like DEET is recommended, but "DEET can affect how well a sunscreen works so apply them at different times," Says Dr. Rosen. For bees and wasps, don't aggravate them — they sting when frightened.
•First Aid
After Bite softens the sting and hydrocortisone cream soothes the skin after a mosquito bite. Cover fly wounds with an antibiotic ointment. Try to remove a bee or wasp's stinger, then apply a hydrocortisone cream. If redness remains or pus appears, see your doctor. If you're having trouble breathing, get to a hospital immediately.
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