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Top Summer Health Risks Part 2

summer woods Last time I talked about two top summer health risks, how to prevent them and how to treat them. While we tend to think more about preventive measures in the winter during cold and flu season, we should also be prepared to combat the health risks of summer.

Summer will be a lot more fun when you can avoid getting sick or injured. Here is the rest of what you need to know to keep yourself and your family safe.

Poison Ivy (and Poison Oak, Poison Sumac)

No one wants to get the itchy and sometimes painful rash that comes from being in contact with a poison plant. What is worse is that sometimes you can just touch something that the plant has been on, such as an old log, and get a reaction.

In severe cases, the rash can become infected. You’ll notice blisters and pus. If that happens, seek medical treatment. A strong prescription antibiotic is the only real cure in that case. I’ve been there, so I know what I am talking about.

To prevent getting the rash, learn how to identify these plants and avoid them. If you know that you will be hiking in the woods, you can cover exposed skin with IvyBlock cream to prevent the oil from getting into your skin.

Lyme Disease

Around my neck of the woods, Lyme Disease is a big deal. We know several people who have contacted this condition that you get from the bite of an infected tick (usually carried by deer), and summer is an ongoing battle.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause a whole host of ongoing health conditions, from joint pain and fatigue to a stiff neck.

One warning sign that isn’t always present in all cases is the bulls-eye-like rash that appears on the skin after a bite. You may not develop the rash, so seek a doctor’s treatment if you develop any flu-like symptoms.

At our home, we do regular tick checks daily when the kids come in from outside play. The deer ticks are tiny and hard to see, and they like to find warm crevices such as the armpit to hide. Removing a tick within 24 hours of it biting can usually prevent the disease from occurring.

To remove a tick, it is best to use a pair of blunt not sharp tweezers. Remove the tick as soon as you find it by grasping it close to the skin and yanking it out quickly. Do not try to suffocate it or use other methods of removal.

To prevent a tick bite, keep backyards trimmed neatly, since ticks like tall grass and weeds. When venturing into the woods, wear light colored protective clothing and consider a DEET-based insect repellent.

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About Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot. The author of many magazine, newspaper and online articles, Mary Ann enjoys writing about almost any subject. "Writing gives me the opportunity to both learn interesting information, and to interact with wonderful people." Mary Ann has written more than 5,000 blogs for Families.com since she started back in December 2006. Contact her at maromans AT verizon.net or visit her personal blog http://homeinawoods.wordpress.com