Holidays are a carefree time when we want to enjoy the sun, free time and relaxation. We don't think about problems until they arise. How to quickly deal with ailments that can spoil our mood during a summer trip?

Summer vacation is not always without complications. It happens that it is disturbed by unpleasant ailments: food poisoning, abrasions and blisters or itchy insect bites, infections or the effects of excessive sun. How to deal with them quickly so that they do not spoil the holiday mood?

Travel sickness or nausea

Motion sickness occurs mainly in children, but it can also happen in adults. How to minimize the risk of unpleasant sensations? Eat something light before the journey, do not overeat, but do not fast. A good remedy for nausea is ginger, so it is worth drinking ginger tea or sucking on ginger candy. You can take an over-the-counter motion sickness medication or use an acupressure wristband. When driving a car, do not look at moving objects, but at the horizon. Try to keep talking or listening to music. Assume a reclining position with support for your head. If nausea appears, put something cool against your forehead and neck and close your eyes. If you can, stop and get out, take a dozen deep breaths, or at least open the window.

Beware of blood clots

Thrombosis is a very dangerous disease, and unfortunately, sitting for long periods while traveling hinders the blood supply to the heart, which can contribute to a blood clot. It can be absorbed without any negative effects, but it can also clog the vessel causing pulmonary embolism. Disturbing symptoms of developing thrombosis include pain and swelling in the calf, warm and red skin, and fever. If they occur, see a doctor as soon as possible. To minimize the risk of thrombosis, drink a lot during the trip (but not alcohol!), Try to move your legs, do not cross your feet, take off your shoes. On the day of departure, do not take sleeping pills or tranquilizers, and wear loose-fitting clothes. Pulmonary embolism is rare, but can even be fatal, so don't underestimate its symptoms: shortness of breath, fever and coughing, loss of consciousness, balance disorders, and prickly chest pain.

Intimate problems onon vacation

It's very easy to get intimate infections in the summer. If you feel the first symptoms of a vaginal infection (vaginal itching and burning, pain during intercourse or urination, altered texture or the smell of vaginal discharge), reach for a vaginal probiotic, available at a pharmacy without a prescription, and use it according to the manufacturer's instructions. panties instead of thongs or figs made of artificial fibers. Frequently - every few hours - change the insoles. Wash intimate areas with a mild, scentless gel, and when you do not have access to water, use intimate or baby wipes. Give up intercourse. If the symptoms persist after a few days, see a gynecologist.

Cystitis in summer

Cystitis also happens in summer. As soon as you notice the characteristic symptoms - pain and burning when urinating, constant urge to urinate and passing only a few drops, pain in the lower abdomen and an increase in body temperature - act! Drink 2-3 liters of fluids a day, mainly water, can be with lemon juice, as well as juices from fruits rich in vitamin C, which makes it difficult for bacteria to multiply (cranberry, black currant, pomegranate). Also, ensure that this vitamin is supplied with your diet (parsley, chives, peppers, strawberries and kiwi are rich in it). Avoid coffee, alcohol, black tea, hot spices - they irritate the bladder. If you have stomach ache, use an over-the-counter painkiller. Don't hold your urine. Drink herbal infusions 3 times a day (horsetail, birch, goldenrod): brew a tablespoon of herbs covered for 15 minutes.

Excess sun: sunburn, overheating and sunstroke

Sunburn can still happen despite taking precautions. Start chilling the sunburned area immediately, for example by placing an ice pack wrapped in a towel (do not use ice cubes directly on the skin). Brush the skin with a light moisturizing cream or lotion. Avoid soaking burned skin for a long time - this will weaken its repair mechanism. Do not smear the skin with oily ointments or creams (especially butter) - this will keep the skin warm, magnifying the damage. If the burn is severe, you can take an anti-inflammatory medicine (e.g. ibuprofen). If severe pain, fever, or chills appear, consult your doctor.

Overheating of the body is manifested by weakening and slowing of the heart rate. The skin turns pale and moist, and you may feel sick. Do not cool the body down suddenly, all you need is airy shade and plenty of cool water, preferably with a little s alt.

Sunstroke occurs when we stay in the sun for too long, which causes excessive exposurecongestion of the meninges and the brain, disturbances in the work of the thermoregulation center and dehydration. Symptoms of a stroke can vary in severity, and in extreme cases, you may lose consciousness. The patient should be in a dark, cool place as soon as possible (do not cool the body rapidly!) And drink a lot, but in small portions. You should call a doctor if symptoms of stroke persist.

Ticks need to be removed quickly

If you notice that a tick has penetrated the skin, remove it as soon as possible. Do this with a pair of tweezers or a special device (available at a pharmacy), grabbing as close to the skin as possible to embrace the head as well. Pull the tick out firmly without twisting. Do not put pressure on the tick or lubricate it with butter or oil. Disinfect the place after the bite. If you have problems with removing the tick, contact the nearest medical center for help. Consult a physician after a week or two after a tick bite, erythema and other disturbing symptoms occurring even a few weeks after the incident require consultation with a doctor.

Lice not only on colonies

The most common infections are children in colonies, but not only, because lice can survive 48 hours without a host (on bedding, carpets, furniture). Itchy scalp and mosquito-bitten red spots are signs of head lice infection. If they do appear, the head needs to be reviewed. Lice are transparent, the size of sesame seeds, and their eggs are white and dandruff. If you spot them, act right away. Buy a lice remedy (in the form of a liquid, foam or shampoo) at a pharmacy and use it according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the treatment, you will thoroughly brush the dead insects and remove their eggs from your hair by hand, as they stick firmly to your hair. After one week, repeat the treatment, then comb the hair with a fine comb every day for 10 days to check for flare-ups.

Painful corns and blisters

Hot days filled with sightseeing may end up with painful imprints. Corns are clumps of hardened epidermis on the feet, formed in response to excessive pressure or friction by the skin. If you plan to walk a lot during your trip, it is worth packing an ointment, liquid or patches for corns in your suitcase. Such a preparation contains salicylic acid, which in a few days softens the callous epidermis and makes the imprint easy to remove (or it goes away on its own). The patches also reduce pressure. The protective pads against the blisters will also bring relief, thanks to which the lesion will not enlarge.

Blisters on the feet or blisters on the hands just need to be covered with a band-aid to reducefriction. They should not be pierced, because then bacteria will penetrate inside. However, if the bladder has ruptured, which is often the case, it must be disinfected before dressing is applied. Note - do not peel off the skin that covers it, as it limits the access of microorganisms to the underlying tissue.

Itchy mosquito bites

Mosquitoes can ruin your best vacation. In addition to traditional insect repellants - repellants - it is worth reaching for natural essential oils: eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint or Italian fennel. You can add a few drops of essential oil to your body lotion or base oil. It is also worth preparing an insect repellent spray based on oils that you spray in the air. Disinfect places bitten by insects. Relief will be brought with lemon juice or aloe vera, crushed basil leaves or parsley. If you are going to an area that is a haven for mosquitoes, get a special ointment or gel to soothe itching and reduce swelling.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea can bother you due to water changes, exotic menus or - most often - it is caused by food poisoning. Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Avoid dehydrating drinks (coffee, black tea, cola). Follow an easily digestible diet (eat carrot soup, rice, pudding). Meals should be small but frequent (up to 7 a day). If the diarrhea does not go away within 1-2 days, you feel unwell or your stools contain blood or mucus, see your doctor. Do not use drugs that constrict or slow down intestinal peristalsis without consulting your doctor, because if the cause of the ailment is poisoning, you will delay the expulsion of toxins from the body. You can use charcoal, which binds toxins in your gut.

Viral infections

Herpes or warts like summer. The sun and cold water baths are responsible for the activation of the herpes simplex virus ( Herpes simplex ). Summer is also favorable for warts. Abrasions of the epidermis and wounds facilitate infection with the human papillomavirus, which results in the formation of warts on the skin. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to spread, so do not hesitate to treat them. Freezing is a quick and effective method recommended by dermatologists. Another way to treat warts is acid therapy, in this case trichloroacetic acid is the most effective.

Abrasions, cuts

They must be cleaned with water, and then disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic liquid. Salicylic alcohol should not be used for disinfection as it slows healing. Then we protect the mornings with a plaster with a dressing. If they are bleeding heavily, firstpress down on them with a sterile gauze pad. You can also use a spray that disinfects cuts, abrasions of the epidermis and covers it with a gel dressing that speeds up healing. A deeper or more extensive wound, bleeding profusely, requires professional help. If there is, for example, a piece of glass in it, do not remove it yourself - only cover the wound with a sterile dressing and go to a doctor.

Sprain ankle

It is not always necessary to report to an orthopedist with such an injury. It depends on its degree. If it is just a slight stretching of the capsule and ligaments, an appointment with the doctor is not necessary. With such an injury, the pain is slight, it only slightly disturbs walking, a slight swelling disappears quickly, and there is no hematoma at all. Ailments will be alleviated by applying cold compresses (in the first day after the injury), applying anti-swelling and analgesic gel, limiting walking and stiffening the ankle with a bandage or elastic bandage.

Bee sting

Causes a local inflammatory reaction: redness, burning, pain, swelling. If you are attacked by a bee, you first need to remove the stinger (only it leaves it) by prying it close to the skin, e.g. with a knife or fingernail. Then apply cold compresses, a sliced ​​onion or smear the skin with anti-swelling, antihistamine ointment. If you have a sting in your mouth or throat, suck on ice cubes, apply a cold compress to your neck and seek medical attention immediately as the swelling of the throat may prevent you from breathing. Attention, even a single sting, for example in the hand, can be dangerous. So when breathing disorders, drop in blood pressure or swelling appear, you need to call an ambulance.

Bruises

Soft tissues are damaged by a strong impact, with symptoms such as pain, swelling and hematoma. To minimize them, apply cold compresses (ice or, for example, a can with a drink taken out of the refrigerator) for about 20 minutes as soon as possible after the injury. You can also spray the affected area with a cooling spray several times a day. The cold reduces pain and stops the swelling and hematoma from building up. After 24 hours, use warm compresses that accelerate the absorption of the spilled blood and tissue healing, as well as gels with analgesic and anti-swelling properties.

"Zdrowie" monthly

Category:

He alth