How to Handle Common Summer Ailments

July officially ushers in the dog days of summer, a time for lounging lazily by the pool, hosting get-togethers, and vacationing. However, enjoying all this fun to the fullest requires preparation—especially regarding your health. Keep the good times rolling by learning how to recognize, prevent, and, if need be, remedy these all-too-common seasonal health hazards.

Heat-related issues

The sun can be your best friend or worst enemy over these next few months—even as its rays provide comforting warmth, they can also expose you to serious problems. Perhaps the most common of these is sunburn. Every year, about one-third of adults experience it, with over 33,000 making ER visits. First-degree sunburn is relatively minor, making the skin feel super sensitive and, well, burned. However, the next level can involve symptoms like blisters and swelling, potentially mixed in with those of heat illness. To protect yourself, cover up or use sunscreen on all exposed areas from head to toe. And if you do get burned, stay out of the sun, cool your skin with creams (preferably aloe based), and hydrate.

Speaking of, dehydration can easily sneak up on you as you lose yourself in summertime bliss. Symptoms can range from the expected (dry mouth, thirst, and fatigue) to the serious (urinary, kidney, and blood pressure problems). If you’re spending time outdoors, even if you’re not in direct sun, you should replenish frequently with plenty of liquids and water-dense foods like berries and melons. (Check out the guide to whole foods and accompanying recipes in this issue for some ideas!) Additionally, when the weather’s super hot or you’re extra active, you’ll need to drink more to compensate for your additional fluid loss. Just make sure to stick to water instead of caffeinated drinks, sodas, or alcohol since these will likely only make your dehydration worse.

An often underdiscussed and unexpected heat-related problem is food poisoning, which is more common in summer because bacteria thrive in hot temperatures. To help prevent foodborne illnesses, always prep, cook, and store food properly per CDC guidelines and avoid letting let it sit outdoors for more than two hours—and only one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.

Water woes

Utmost care should always be taken in and around pools, but even then, a common malady can still strike: swimmer’s ear. It’s a bacterial infection that affects millions of people each year, especially children, and it occurs more often in summertime because people are frequently in water and the amped-up humidity improves the odds of bacteria growth. For prevention, common sense rules—keep water from entering your ears with a bathing cap, and dry them immediately after showering or swimming. And if you find your ear has become itchy, red, or swollen, has drainage, or hurts, see your doctor. Upon diagnosing you with swimmer’s ear, they can treat it with simple antibiotics.

Illnesses

It may come as a surprise, but you can get sick in summer thanks to the prevalence of certain viruses, with enteroviruses such as hand, foot, and mouth disease and even the flu being relatively common afflictions. And while kids may not be in school, both they and adults may still have to deal with highly contagious pink eye. To minimize your risk of catching something, just do as you would in cold-weather months—wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, and don’t share items like towels. Of course, there are also other serious and more common summer illnesses to worry about, thanks to . . .

Insect bites and stings

Summertime is a breeding ground for many tiny creatures, which makes knowing the risks involved paramount. Mosquitos, for example, are mostly regarded as a mere annoyance that you can simply swat away on sight. However, they can transmit the West Nile virus and other diseases through their bites, so you should also take proactive measures, such as preventing or avoiding areas of standing water and wearing repellant.

You can likewise protect yourself against ticks—another common summertime nuisance, which can transmit Lyme disease—by prioritizing coverage. Besides using repellent, wearing long sleeves, pants, and a hat while in grassy or wooded areas makes it difficult for these creatures to latch on to your skin. After being outdoors, be sure to thoroughly check your body, even your scalp, for them. If you find a tick on you, use tweezers to grab it close to where it’s attached and pull it out firmly but steadily. Then dispose of it by flushing it down your toilet or putting it in a sealed bag (never crush it with your fingers), wash the area, and monitor your health in the coming days and weeks.

In addition, an estimated 500,000 people go to the emergency room each year because of insect stings. To minimize the odds of attracting bees, wasps, hornets, and the like, cover your food when outdoors and seal any cracks around your home’s exterior, where they like to build their homes. And if one comes your way, don’t be combative—flailing at it out of fear will likely make it get hostile and sting you. In the event that you do get stung, simply remove the stinger by scraping it with a fingernail or credit card and then clean the area with soapy water. You can use hydrocortisone to help with the pain and inflammation, but if you notice signs of an allergic reaction, such as fever, nausea, trouble breathing, or dizziness, seek medical help immediately.

Plant problems

Arguably, nothing in summer is more taxing than having a reaction to poison ivy, poison sumac, or poison oak—the unending itchiness! Be on alert when you’re out and about, keeping in mind the mantra “Leaves of three, let it be” (though sumac is actually much leafier). This advice also applies to your four-legged friend if they join you; while cats and dogs are immune to these plants’ rash-causing oil, urushiol, they can still transfer it to you.

If you think you’ve touched one of these irritating plants, washing the area right away can prevent the notorious bumps from forming. Also, follow the age-old wisdom of not scratching the affected area since doing so can spread the oil to other parts of your body and even cause infection.

You’ve undoubtedly heard that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—and during summertime, this health equation multiplies. Through awareness and preventative action, you can better avoid these common issues and enjoy the season to the fullest.

*For any serious health concerns, contact your doctor immediately.