From food poisoning to heat stroke, these are illnesses to look out for this summer and how they are treated
Summer months can bring on a set of illnesses that must be treated with care.
Spending time out in the sun and fresh air provides great benefits for your body, such as getting vitamin D and an improved mood.
However, it can also bring on more illnesses that are less common in colder months when time is spent indoors.
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Being aware of common summer illnesses, how to prevent them and treatment steps can help protect you and your family this summer.
- Sunburns
- Lyme disease
- Heat stroke
- Swimmer's ear
- Food poisoning
1. Sunburns
Unfortunately, time spent in the sun can cause some pretty severe sunburns.
To avoid getting a painful sunburn this summer, wear plenty of sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. (iStock)
It is vital to wear sunscreen with proper SPF to best protect your skin against the sun's harmful rays.
Some ways to protect against sunburns are seeking shade when possible, according to Medical News Today, covering up the skin with longer-sleeved clothing and using sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher with regular, frequent application.
You can also wear a wide-brimmed hat when outdoors and sunglasses, plus avoid going outside during the hottest part of the day, the source recommends.
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Sunburns can be harmful to the skin and extremely painful.
If you get a sunburn, take a cool shower and use aloe vera to soothe the burned skin.
2. Lyme disease
Most prevalent during the summer months, Lyme disease happens when you get bitten by a tick.
While outdoors in the summer, especially in woody areas, check yourself for ticks. (iStock)
Lyme disease is common during the summer months because this is the time of year when ticks are the most active.
Ticks typically are found in areas with tall grass, so when in these kinds of spaces, wear long clothing if possible.
Also, be sure to wear insect repellent and check your body for ticks after being outside.
If diagnosed with Lyme disease, patients are usually prescribed antibiotic treatment, like doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
3. Heat stroke
When the body's temperature gets too high and can't cool down, heat stroke can happen.
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Heat stroke often happens when too much time is spent in the hot sun, making summer the prime time for the condition to occur.
If possible, try to avoid overexerting your body during peak heat hours.
There are many precautions you can take to avoid heat stroke. One thing to do is wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing whenever possible, the CDC recommends.
One of the most important things you can do when spending time in the heat to avoid heat stroke is to drink lots of water and keep your body hydrated, even when you are not doing any rigorous activity, the CDC says.
Reminding yourself to drink water, even when you're not exercising or outside in the sun, is important to keeping your body hydrated. (iStock)
If possible, try to avoid overexerting your body during peak heat hours. Also, keep your skin protected against the sun by wearing sunscreen.
If you do wind up with heat stroke, there are ways to get your body back to a regulated temperature.
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Some things that you can do are take a cold bath or an ice bath, use a cooling blanket or use evaporation cooling techniques, like misting cool water on the body, according to Mayo Clinic.
4. Swimmer's ear
Swimmer's ear is caused by water in the outer ear canal for a prolonged time, according to the CDC.
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While in this moist condition, bacteria is more likely to grow. This condition is mostly seen in children.
To prevent getting swimmer's ear, try to keep ears dry during and after swimming by wearing a cap or earplugs.
To avoid getting swimmer's ear while in the pool or at the beach this summer, wearing earplugs in the water is a preventative measure to take. (iStock)
The condition can be treated with antibiotic ear drops, according to the CDC.
5. Food poisoning
Warm weather is lovely, but bacteria is not.
Unfortunately, bacteria likes warm weather just as we do, making food poisoning another disease to keep an eye out for this season.
With barbecues and other outdoor events in the summer, bacteria grows on food faster when it is left in the warmth.
This can lead to food poisoning if food is consumed after being left out for too long.
To avoid food poisoning at your next outdoor party, leave any food items like meat or seafood in the fridge or a cooler until you are ready to cook them. Also, make sure the meat is cooked to a safe-to-consume temperature and keep your cooking space clean.
If food is left out in the sun too long and not properly cooled, don't eat it to avoid getting food poisoning. (iStock)
If food is sitting out for hours, throw it out.
If you want to keep leftovers, make sure to pack them up within a couple of hours of cooking.
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If you do get food poisoning, symptoms could last just a few hours or could last multiple days, depending on the severity of the condition, according to the CDC. Some of the symptoms associated with food poisoning are diarrhea, stomach pain, fever, nausea and vomiting.
If you do get food poisoning, keep your body filled with fluids and electrolytes.
You may also be given antibiotics if your case is severe.
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