Summer is all about the outdoors, fresh air, and sunshine. It’s also prime time for a whole host of new health concerns, besides the one we’re already facing with the coronavirus. Find out the symptoms of some of the more common summer health issues (including a few less common — but super-scary — ones you need to know about) and which ones require a visit to your physician ASAP.
Allergies
Food poisoning
Knowing if your stomach hurts from a bug or bad food is tricky. Food poisoning occurs hours after eating a contaminated meal and results in diarrhea, fever, cramps, nausea, and vomiting, with symptoms usually resolving after a day. Norovirus includes the above ailments plus weakness, dizziness, muscle and headaches, and can take more than a week to clear up. If you see blood in your stool or vomit, or can’t keep liquids down, call your doctor immediately.
Sprains and strains
All that moving and shaking this summer could leave you with a painful injury. Figuring out what’s going on with your body is an important step in knowing how to treat the pain, but the only person who can accurately do so is a qualified physician. If you’re experiencing pain anywhere in your body that hasn’t resolved within 24 hours, go ahead and make an appointment with your doctor. You don’t want to inadvertently make the problem worse by self-diagnosing and treating at home.
Parasites
Nothing spells misery like a nasty parasitic infection. Typical summer activities like eating, traveling, and swimming are easy ways to catch a parasite. Symptoms vary based on the type of parasite but may include genital itching and redness, diarrhea, greasy stools, gas, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and more. If you’re feeling crummy and can’t figure out why, see your doctor.
Yeast Infection
A yeast infection thrives in warm, moist places. Treating a yeast infection is easy, but it’s important to know if you actually have one. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and yeast infections have similar symptoms, including pain, itching, and vaginal discharge. Usually discharge from BV is thin and yellow or gray, while it’s thicker and cottage-cheese-like with yeast. The best bet is to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Stings and bites
Often, biting and stinging insects flee the scene long before we even realize what’s happened. Insect bites and stings typically include localized pain, some swelling, itching, redness, and discomfort. Tick bites (which we’ll cover later) are easier to spot because the tick latches on to feed. If the pain or swelling spreads to other areas of your body, or you feel shortness of breath, call 9-1-1, as it could be a sign of anaphylaxis.
Alcohol poisoning
The combination of being outdoors in the heat while drinking alcohol is dangerous and can lead to dehydration, over-intoxication, and alcohol poisoning. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include passing out, shallow, slow breaths, vomiting, confusion, and low body temperature. Alcohol poisoning requires immediate medical attention, as it can be fatal. Make sure you limit your alcohol and follow with water to help keep you hydrated.
