Summer safety

Nothing ruins a lazy summer day faster than a trip to the emergency room. Here’s a first-aid guide to treating the most common summer ailments, from Woman’s Day:

Sun and heat fixes

¢ If you’ve been burned by the sun: Take aspirin, apply cool (not cold) compresses, slather on lotion to re-hydrate the skin, avoid petroleum-based products that can prevent heat from escaping, and try aloe gel and resist scratching.

¢ Heat exhaustion and heatstroke: Rest in a cool, shaded area and elevate your feet above your heart, bring down body temperature as quickly as possible using cold water, sip salt water or sports drinks to replenish sodium levels, don’t take medicines used to treat fever (such as aspirin or acetaminophen), and call 911 or get to the ER if you have a high fever, nausea, pale and clammy skin or a rapid pulse, or if you feel faint.

Treating bug bites

¢ Bee stings: Remove the stinger by scraping with the edge of a credit card, apply a cold pack to numb the area, take oral Benadryl (if safe) to reduce symptoms of allergic reactions, and see a doctor right away if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction.

¢ Mosquito bites: Numb the area with a topical anti-itch, apply a cool compress to calm itching and swelling, and use a topical hydrocortisone cream if you have an allergic reaction.

¢ Tick bites: Remove the tick with needle-nose tweezers by grabbing the head or mouthparts (not the body) and pulling firmly outward. Place the tick in a jar of alcohol to kill it and show it to your doctor. Watch for rash that signals Lyme disease, which tends to expand in a ring around the original bite, clean the wound with disinfectant and ask your doctor about preventive antibiotics within 72 hours after a tick bite if you live in an area where Lyme disease is common.