Common Summer Ailments: What illness is common in the summer?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), food poisoning cases peak during the summer months due to warmer temperatures that allow bacteria to multiply more quickly. Understanding what illness is common in the summer is the first step to enjoying the season safely and protecting your family.

Quick Summary

This article explores the most common ailments associated with warmer weather, including heat-related illnesses, food poisoning, swimmer's ear, and insect-borne diseases. It covers symptoms, prevention tips, and treatment options for a healthier summer season.

Key Points

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water and other fluids to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration in high temperatures.

• Practice Food Safety: Adhere to strict food handling guidelines, especially during barbecues and picnics, to avoid food poisoning.

• Dry Your Ears: Prevent swimmer's ear by thoroughly drying your ears after swimming and avoiding the use of cotton swabs.

• Protect Against Insects: Use EPA-approved repellents and wear protective clothing to guard against ticks and mosquitoes carrying diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus.

• Recognize Heatstroke: Learn the signs of severe heat illness, such as confusion and high body temperature, and seek immediate medical help if necessary.

• Prevent Summer Colds: Practice good hand hygiene to protect yourself from enteroviruses and other seasonal respiratory bugs.

The summer season is a time for outdoor activities, vacations, and enjoying the sun. However, it also brings a specific set of health risks that differ from those in colder months. A combination of high temperatures, increased outdoor exposure, and changes in eating habits can lead to several common summer illnesses. By understanding these seasonal threats, you can take proactive steps to minimize your risk.

Heat-Related Illnesses

Heat-related illnesses occur when the body's natural cooling systems are overwhelmed by extreme heat and humidity. These conditions range in severity from mild heat cramps to the life-threatening heatstroke. Staying cool and hydrated is essential for prevention.

Symptoms and Prevention of Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a milder but still serious condition that can develop after prolonged exposure to high temperatures.

• Symptoms: Heavy sweating, paleness, headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, and a rapid pulse. The skin may be cool and moist, and the person may feel weak or tired.
• Prevention:
  • Drink plenty of fluids, especially water or sports drinks with electrolytes, throughout the day.
  • Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing.
  • Avoid strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m..
  • Take frequent breaks in the shade or an air-conditioned space.

Recognizing and Responding to Heatstroke

Heatstroke is a medical emergency that occurs when the body's temperature-regulating system fails, causing body temperature to rise rapidly.

• Symptoms: An extremely high body temperature (104°F or higher), hot and dry skin (though sometimes it can be sweaty), a throbbing headache, confusion, slurred speech, seizures, and loss of consciousness.
• Emergency Response: If you suspect heatstroke, call 911 immediately. Move the person to a cooler area, remove excess clothing, and try to cool them down quickly with a cool bath or wet cloths.

Food Poisoning and Gastrointestinal Issues

Warmer weather provides the perfect environment for bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli to multiply in food left unrefrigerated. This makes summer picnics and barbecues a prime setting for foodborne illnesses.

Safe Food Handling Practices

• Keep it Cold: Perishable foods must be kept below 40°F (4.4°C) using a well-packed cooler with ice packs. Discard any perishable food left out for more than two hours (or one hour if temperatures exceed 90°F).
• Cook Thoroughly: Use a meat thermometer to ensure that meats are cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Prevent Cross-Contamination: Separate raw meats from other foods during shopping, storage, and preparation. Use different cutting boards for raw and ready-to-eat foods.
• Wash Hands and Surfaces: Wash hands and utensils thoroughly with warm, soapy water before and after handling food.

Water-Related Infections

Spending time in the water can lead to common infections, particularly swimmer's ear.

Swimmer's Ear (Otitis Externa)

Swimmer's ear is an infection of the outer ear canal, typically caused by water trapped in the ear after swimming. This warm, moist environment encourages bacterial growth.

• Symptoms: Pain (especially when the ear is moved), itching inside the ear, redness, swelling, and drainage.
• Prevention: Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming by tilting your head to drain water and using a towel. Avoid using cotton swabs, which can scratch the ear canal. Over-the-counter ear-drying drops can also be effective.

Insect-Borne Diseases

As people spend more time outdoors, they face a higher risk of insect bites and the diseases they can transmit, such as Lyme disease from ticks and West Nile virus from mosquitoes.

Protecting Against Ticks and Mosquitoes

• Use Repellent: Apply EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin.
• Wear Protective Clothing: When hiking or walking in wooded areas, wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pant legs into socks.
• Check for Ticks: Perform thorough body checks for ticks after spending time outdoors, focusing on areas like the scalp, armpits, and groin.
• Eliminate Standing Water: Prevent mosquito breeding by emptying standing water from flowerpots, birdbaths, and gutters.

Summer Viruses

While flu season peaks in winter, other viruses circulate in the summer. Enteroviruses are a common culprit for so-called “summer colds”.

• Symptoms: Similar to a common cold, they can cause fever, sore throat, runny nose, and body aches. Some enteroviruses can also cause gastrointestinal issues like nausea and diarrhea.
• Prevention: The best defense is good hygiene, including frequent handwashing and avoiding close contact with sick individuals.

Sunburn and Dehydration

Excessive sun exposure without protection can lead to sunburn, while high temperatures and increased sweating can cause dehydration.

• Sunburn Prevention: Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply it every two hours, or more often if swimming or sweating.
• Dehydration Prevention: Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, which can contribute to dehydration.

Comparison of Common Summer Illnesses

Feature	Heat Exhaustion	Food Poisoning	Swimmer's Ear	Lyme Disease
Cause	Overheating, dehydration	Bacteria or viruses from contaminated food	Water trapped in the ear canal	Bite from infected tick
Onset	Gradual, after heat exposure	Hours to days after eating contaminated food	Within several days of swimming	3 to 30 days after tick bite
Primary Symptoms	Heavy sweating, nausea, dizziness, weak pulse	Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps	Ear pain, itching, redness, swelling	Bull's-eye rash, fever, fatigue, aches
Prevention	Hydration, cool breaks, proper clothing	Safe food handling, temperature control	Dry ears after swimming, no cotton swabs	Insect repellent, tick checks
Treatment	Cool down, rehydrate	Rehydrate, rest; may need antibiotics	Antibiotic or steroid ear drops	Antibiotics

Conclusion

Summertime brings with it a host of enjoyable activities, but also several health risks that can quickly turn fun into misery. From heat-related emergencies to foodborne bacteria and insect-borne diseases, being aware of the threats is key to staying healthy. By taking simple preventative measures—staying hydrated, handling food safely, protecting yourself from insects, and practicing good hygiene—you can significantly reduce your chances of experiencing a common summer illness. Always seek professional medical advice if symptoms are severe or persistent.

For more detailed information on preventing heat-related illness, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance on the topic(https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/heat-stress/about/illnesses.html).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke?

Heat exhaustion is a milder condition with symptoms like heavy sweating, nausea, and a weak pulse, often caused by dehydration. Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency where the body's temperature-regulating system fails, characterized by a very high temperature, hot/dry skin, and confusion.

How can I prevent food poisoning during a summer picnic?

To prevent food poisoning, keep perishable foods chilled below 40°F in a cooler, use separate utensils for raw and cooked foods, and cook meats to their proper internal temperature. Do not leave food in the 'danger zone' (40-140°F) for more than two hours.

What are the first signs of Lyme disease?

Early symptoms of Lyme disease, which can appear 3 to 30 days after a tick bite, often include a characteristic bull's-eye rash, fever, chills, headache, and fatigue. Not all cases develop the rash.

Are summer colds contagious?

Yes, summer colds caused by enteroviruses are contagious and can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets, similar to how winter colds spread. Good handwashing is crucial for prevention.

How do you treat swimmer's ear?

Swimmer's ear is typically treated with antibiotic or steroid ear drops prescribed by a doctor. Mild cases may be treated with a one-to-one mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol to dry the ear canal, but a physician should be consulted for proper diagnosis and care.

Can dehydration cause headaches and nausea?

Yes, dehydration is a common cause of headaches, dizziness, and nausea in the summer. It is important to drink plenty of water and replenish lost electrolytes, especially when active in the heat.

What should I do if I get a bad sunburn?

For mild sunburn, take a cool bath or shower, and apply soothing moisturizing cream with aloe vera. Use over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen if needed. Seek medical attention for severe reactions, including fever, blisters, or signs of shock.