Washington - Ah, summer, those warm days of outdoor adventure and relaxation.
Not to dampen your enthusiasm, but as you bask in the summerness of it all, there are some health issues – beyond sunburn – that spike at this time and are worth paying attention to.
For you – and, if you’re a parent, for your kids as well – here are four concerns to keep in mind as you navigate the heat and the great outdoors.
Athlete’s foot
The same fungus that causes jock itch and ringworm incites this scaly, itchy, stinging and burning rash on the feet, usually between the toes. It may seem a minor irritant, but untreated athlete’s foot can create skin fissures that become infected, says Stephen Pribut, a Washington podiatrist. One sure sign of infection: oozing pus.
The offending fungus lingers on warm, wet surfaces such as poolside pavement and the floors of locker rooms and public showers. It loves moisture, warmth and confined spaces, so once you pick it up on your skin and then sweat in your shoes, you’re setting the stage for athlete’s foot. Instead of going barefoot at the pool or in public showers, wear flip-flops.
As for hot-weather workouts, you might think cotton socks would be best – but they’re not, Pribut says. Opt instead for “wickable” fabrics, made from synthetic fibres or merino wool, that allow moisture to move away from the skin. (If you prefer cotton socks, make sure they’re clean, and take them off right after you exercise.)
As for shoes for workouts and general use, choose those that “allow your feet to breathe,” Pribut suggests. After a workout or a sweaty walk from the pool, thoroughly wash and dry your feet, especially between the toes.
Mild cases are easily treated with over-the-counter antifungal powders or creams. Start using them the first time you notice your feet are itchy, and use them for the entire time recommended on the package to prevent recurrence. Sometimes itchy patches develop into cracked skin that can become infected, in which case over-the-counter antibiotic creams may be necessary.
As for the toenail condition that leads to yellow, thickened nails, it is caused by a related fungus and can be prevented in similar ways, Pribut says: Give feet breathing room and a break from nail polish one week per month. Unlike athlete’s foot, toenail fungus is tough to treat once it has set in. Pribut says over-the-counter liquids and other remedies simply don’t work. Instead, go for a prescription treatment right from the start. (Some people resort to laser treatments, which can be pricey.)
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke
People of all ages are susceptible to heat-related illnesses, says Rebecca Noe, an epidemiologist at CDC’s National Centre for Environmental Health. Older people (especially those whose bodies’ ability to regulate temperature has been compromised by illness or medications), young children (whose bodies haven’t yet fully developed the ability to regulate their temperature), people who are obese (which can cause your body to run hot) and those who work and exercise outdoors in the heat are at heightened risk.
Heat exhaustion occurs when people are exposed to very high temperatures and don’t drink enough fluids. Symptoms include heavy sweating, clammy skin, weakness, nausea, vomiting and fainting. Getting out of the heat and drinking fluids will often remedy the situation, Noe says.
Heat stroke is another – and far more serious – matter. It develops when the body temperature rises to 41ºC, and it is a life-threatening condition. People suffering from heat stroke stop sweating and become confused. Heat stroke requires emergency medical attention.
Noe says focus on prevention with the mantra “Stay cool. Stay hydrated. Stay informed”. When it’s very hot, find somewhere air conditioned – a library, a shopping mall, a public building – if possible. If you have to be outside, Noe says, drink plenty of fluids, wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, and take frequent breaks in the shade. Also, wear a hat and take cool showers. Talk to your physician about how much water you need to keep your body hydrated. And stay informed about weather conditions and the availability of local cooling stations during heat waves.
Adults should be especially careful during the summer not to leave children or animals in parked cars. Even with the windows cracked open, the temperature inside can rise swiftly and lead quickly to heat stroke or worse.
Heat rash
When it’s hot and humid, sweat glands can become blocked by excess perspiration, trapping sweat beneath the skin and causing a red, bumpy, prickly rash – heat rash.
It’s more common among babies, whose sweat glands are immature, and among people who aren’t accustomed to heat and humidity, says Maral Skelsey, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical School. She says tight-fitting clothing can further encourage the rash to develop by trapping sweat against the skin instead of allowing it to evaporate.
In babies, Skelsey says, the condition tends to resolve on its own; keeping a baby cool and lightly dressed – or even naked if the temperature is warm enough – is usually all that’s required.
Adults, she says, may wish to treat the rash with over-the-counter topical steroid cream (to calm the itch), calamine lotion or anhydrous lanolin, an over-the-counter balm that can help keep skin ducts from getting blocked.
Avoid getting overheated in the first place by taking breaks from outdoor heat in air-conditioned spaces when possible. As your body gets acclimatised to hot and muggy weather, it will become less prone to heat rash.
Swimmer’s ear
You don’t have to go swimming to get swimmer’s ear, an infection of the skin of the ear canal.
“It can really, really hurt and ruin a holiday,” says Richard Rosenfeld, an otolaryngologist in New York. Rosenfeld co-wrote his specialty’s latest swimmer’s ear guidelines, which call for shifting away from routine use of oral antibiotics in favour of topical treatment using antibiotic eardrops and, if needed, over the counter pain medicines.
Moisture in the ear from the pool, sea, a shower or even sweat helps set the stage for swimmer’s ear, Rosenfeld explains, by promoting bacterial growth in the ear canal. When bacteria that normally live in even healthy ears find their way under the skin via a scratch or an irritated spot, they can spread and cause infection.
Anything poked into the ear – including hearing aids, ear buds and cotton swabs – can scratch or break the skin there, Rosenfeld says. “Ironically, people using ear plugs in the pool to prevent swimmer’s ear are probably causing it by poking those plugs in their ears.”
The first sign of swimmer’s ear is usually a sense of fullness in the ear, Rosenfeld says, and pain when the tragus, the triangular flap of skin at the entrance to the ear canal, is pulled or pushed with your finger.
“If you leave swimmer’s ear alone, it will progress and become awful,” Rosenfeld says.
A physician can prescribe eardrops containing antibiotics, he says. But it’s easy to treat a mild case on your own, Rosenfeld says, with a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Fill an ear dropper with it and, lying on your side with the affected ear up, fill the ear with the solution. Lie still for a few minutes while the liquid is absorbed. The vinegar is acetic acid, which hinders bacteria growth, and the isopropyl alcohol is an antiseptic and drying agent.
“If you’re prone to water in your ears,” Rosenfeld recommends preventive steps after swimming or showering: “Dry your ears with a blow drier on a low setting, and use an ear dropper to put rubbing alcohol in your ears, to break up the water and help it evaporate.”
Washington Post