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Top Summer Health Risks to Watch Out For

With summer just around the corner, many people are looking forward to it for obvious reasons. But as much as summer is exciting, there comes a lot of risks to our health that we need to be cautious of. Below is a list of the most common health risks you need to look out for, and what you can do about it.

Skin Cancer

With warmer temperatures means the sun is out longer, but also higher exposure to UV lights from the sun. If you are an outdoor person, you need to wear proper protection or else you could develop skin cancer. If you’re an individual with fair skin, have hazel or blue eyes or have blonde or red hair, you are particularly vulnerable to UV light exposure and could develop skin cancer. You can prevent this by using sunscreen, or by avoiding the long exposure to the sun during peak hours (9 am to 3 pm).

Sunburn

Sunburn is another common health risk. We may not think much of it as the vast majority of the US population experience this every summer, however, there’s a lot that goes on with it. Sunburn, in the end, damages our skin but can also damage our DNA which can lead to developing skin cancers. You can prevent all this by wearing sun protective clothing, avoiding the sun at peak hours, or by wearing sunscreen.

Heat Stroke

Heatstroke is another big one and can even cause death. One of the most dangerous health risks on our list, heatstroke is caused when you are exposed to the suns rays for long periods of time while also dehydrated. You can prevent this by ensuring you are drinking plenty of water, especially if you plan to work out outside.

Dehydration

Dehydration stems from you losing more fluid than what you are putting in. Since your body needs water in order to function, if it doesn’t get that, you will start to feel dehydrated. Dehydration isn’t always identified by that. For adults a sign of dehydration is urinating less frequently, your urine being dark-colored, feeling dizzy, tired, or confused. The only way you can treat dehydration is to drink water.

Bug Bites

Bug bites can seem rather harmless, but it depends on the area in which you live. Bugs can carry all sorts of viruses that we’re not aware of so it’s wise to take some level of caution depending on the area. For most of us, bugs are quite harmless aside from the bites on our skin. In order for those areas to heal fast is to avoid the irritated skin area. You can do this by applying some anti-itching cream. Furthermore, you could prevent bug bites by applying bug spray on you.

Sports Injury

Injuries in sports is not an uncommon thing and during the summer there’s a lot of activities that we can do outside. The best way you can prevent injury is by wearing protective gear when the situation calls for it. Furthermore, since we can’t predict what kind of injuries you may have, make sure that you have a first aid kit handy or at the very least some band-aids to help with scrapes and cuts. For more serious injuries make sure you call 911 immediately.

If you have any concern about our primary care services, call us at 410-730-3399 or stop by today!