treating minor holiday and summer ailments

Insect Bites and stings

Insect bites and stings can leave you with a red, swollen, itchy lump.

WARNING: In the case of wasp/bee stings and if the patient has been previously stung, always consider the possibility of anaphylaxis – a potentially life threatening allergic reaction.  Check to see if the person who has been stung carries an Epi-Pen.  Signs of anaphylaxis include itching and redness (not just at the site of the sting), welts (raised marks) and shortness of breath.  If you are in any doubt, call an ambulance immediately. These symptoms normally develop in the first hour, but can develop up to 24 hours later.

If the patient has been stung more than 10 times or stung in their mouth, nose or throat – seek medical attention.

First aid measures

• Wash the area with water
• Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling
• If you have been stung by a bee, remove the stinger as soon as possible.  It is more important to remove these quickly than worry about pinching the stinger to remove it.  Wasps and hornets do not leave a stinger behind and can sting multiple times

Home treatments – stings

There are various treatments you can try:

• Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the sting site
• Toothpaste can be applied to stings
• Bee stings – bicarbonate of soda applied (alkali)
• Wasp stings – vinegar or lemon juice (acid)

Home treatment – insect bites

• Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the bites

For both insect bites and stings, try aloe vera – either as a gel or straight from the plant. Its worth packing an aloe vera gel in your suitcase if you are going abroad as it can be tricky trying to find it when you need it!


Jetlag

If you are one of the lucky ones, you may be off on holiday but you could then suffer with jet lag as your body adjusts to the new time zone.

Simple measures to help you adjust:

• Try and establish a new routine once you arrive at your destination – eat and sleep at the correct time for your new country, not when you would at home.
• Avoid napping or sleeping when you arrive – try to stay awake until it’s bedtime.
• Stay well hydrated during your flight (but not with alcohol!) and take naps when you can.

Sunburn

Please remember to put on the sun tan lotion when you spend time outdoors on sunny days. It’s not just that you might get burned if you don’t; it’s also because the sun doesn’t do your skin any good at all. It damages the collagen, causing wrinkles, it causes freckles and sun-spots and worst of all it can lead to skin cancer. Use at least an SPF 15 and re-apply frequently.

Good sun lotion

If you want a sun lotion with no horrible additives, try Green People’s Sun Lotion - it’s scent free, has broad spectrum UV protection and is water resistant. Green People also do a lovely After Sun Lotion too, which calms and cools in moments. Both are available from Goodness Direct (http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk) which is a great site for all things natural.

First aid treatment for sunburn

• As soon as you notice any signs of sunburn, move into the shade or go inside
• Cool your skin with a cool shower or bath
• Apply aftersun lotion or Hypercal cream (to promote healing).  You can also try slices of cucumber or grated potatoes to cool your skin if you have no aftersun or Hypercal.  Aloe vera – either as a gel, or straight from the plant is also excellent.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water

WARNING: Watch out for signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke – your body temperature can rise to 37-40⁰C and symptoms include vomiting, dizziness and a rapid pulse.  If someone with heat exhaustion is taken to a cool place, their clothing loosened and plenty of water given they should feel better within half an hour.  If not they may be developing heatstroke which is a medical emergency.

Treating sunburn with diet

• You need to increase your antioxidants intake of Vitamin C and E and eat good quality protein to help your body heal sunburn.  A diet rich in antioxidants will help prevent your skin burning in the first place, but please always use sun screen.

Antioxidants can be found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish.

Injuries to fingers and toes

Finger and toe injuries are common and can ran
ge from minor cuts to major damage to bones, nerves, tendons and ligaments.  Undiagnosed or poorly treated injuries can lead to permanent deformity and loss of function, so always get your crush injury to your fingers checked out before attempting to treat it at home. The same goes for stubbed/crushed toes, a common holiday accident.

Warning: if the nail receives a direct blow, it is possible that the underlying bone will be fractured so go to A&E to get this checked.  A crushed finger can sustain tendon, ligament or bone damage, not just be bruised or cut, so again, get this checked if you are unable to straighten, bend or grip with the damaged finger.

First aid treatment

• Control any bleeding by using steady pressure for several minutes and raising the damaged digit above your heart to help slow the bleeding
• Wash the wound initially in running water if it is not bleeding to clean any dirt or foreign bodies from the wound.  Then wash with diluted Hypercal tincture to minimise risk of infection and promote healing.
• If your finger or toe is deformed in any way, splint it in any position which is least painful (use a pen, piece of cardboard or lolly stick) or tape it to the neighbouring finger for support before getting medical attention.
• If you stub your toe, apply an icepack (or frozen peas in a towel) for up to 30 minutes to reduce pain.  If you have persistent pain, get it checked out in case your toe is broken.

Travel sickness

Travel sickness can occur at any age (although it is more common in children).  It happens when the brain receives mixed messages from the inner ear (balance organs) and the eyes and can result in feeling nauseous, vomiting and sweating.  It is not always motion which triggers the sickness – it can be the smell of petrol or food, or anxiety that you may feel sick. 

Prevention is always better than cure!

• In the car, sit in the front, look straight ahead, keep the car well ventilated and take regular rest breaks. 
• On a boat get plenty of fresh air and look at the horizon, but if you can’t be outside find a seat in the middle of the boat on a lower deck as this where the boat moves the least.
• By air, try to get a wing seat as this is where the plane is most stable.

Before or during your journey:

• Avoid heavy meals and alcohol before travelling
• Try ginger biscuits or peppermints during the journey
• Use acupressure bands or apply pressure to the middle of the inner wrist about 3 finger widths above the crease of the wrist.