Summer health risks Published Aug. 22, 2011 23rd Medical Group MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Summer is a great time to be outside and enjoy the weather, but summer activities bring additional risks to your health. Be sure to stay safe this summer by knowing these top 10 summer health risks. A little bit of prevention can keep your summer safe. Skin cancer According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. More than 1,000,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. If caught early, skin cancer is usually treated easily. Skin cancer is more common in people who · have spent lots of time in the sun or have been sunburned · have fair skin, hair and eyes · have a family member who has had skin cancer · are over the age 50 You should check yourself for skin cancer every few months. When in the sun, wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. Sunscreen should be considered a vital part of a comprehensive sun protection regimen that includes seeking shade, covering up with clothing including a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. When shopping for sunscreen, consumers should look for The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation, which is awarded to sun protective products that meet stringent criteria for safety and effectiveness. For additional information regarding skin cancer and sunscreen use, visit the Skin Care Foundation official website at www.skincancer.org. Heat stroke Heat stroke is a serious medical condition that can be life threatening. In heat stroke, the body's core temperature rises. Much like a fever, extremely high body temperatures can lead to permanent damage. Some signs of heat stroke include: · confusion · short, rapid breathing · no longer sweating, decreased sweating or dry skin · fast pulse or accelerated heartbeat If someone has these signs, call 911 immediately and move person to shaded, cooler environment. For more information on heat stroke, visit the Mayo Clinic website at www.mayoclinic.com and search for heat exhaustion. Food poisoning The CDC estimates that 76 million people suffer from food poisoning. Summer time is full of picnics, and picnics bring food out into the open where it can stay warm too long. Avoid an outbreak of food poisoning this summer by following simple guidelines available at www.cdc.gov about food safety and food handling. Common sense will prevent you, your friends, and families from coming down with a food-borne illness. Eye damage UV rays in sunlight can damage your eyes. If you are out in the sunlight in the summertime, be sure to wear sunglasses that filter out 100 percent of UV light. Otherwise, your sunglasses make your pupils open up more because things are darker, which actually lets in more UV rays, not less. Also be sure to wear them around water since water can reflect a tremendous about of light to your eyes. Driving accidents (driver fatigue, defensive driving, etc.) Driving accidents are the number one killer for young people. Avoid summer car accidents by: · never drinking and driving · keeping summer road trips to a reasonable length · never driving after midnight For additional safe driving and travel tips, go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at www.nhtsa.gov. Drowning Each year, more than 3,000 people drown in pool-related accidents. More than 650 drown in boating accidents. For each child under 14 that drowns, another five suffer from near drowning incidents. Prevent these summer tragedies through supervision, proper pool safety and enforcing rules around the water. Visit the CDC website for Injury and Violence Prevention and Control at www.cdc.gov/injury. Dehydration Dehydration can happen quickly in the summer heat. Be sure that you have water handy whenever you will be in the heat for a long time. Don't forget about children- they may not ask for water. Be sure to take frequent water breaks during the kids' summer activities. Bug bites Bug bites can be annoying and itchy. They can also be serious if they bring an infectious disease like West Nile or Lyme disease. Prevent bug bites and infection this summer by avoiding buggy situations, using a good bug repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves when in which the bug population is high. Unsafe sex Summer brings thoughts of romance and new love interests. While the spontaneity of a summer romance is exhilarating, the risks of a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV, are very real. Before engaging in any summer fling, know how you will protect yourself. For more information, visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov and search for "sexual health." Fireworks injury Each year, almost 10,000 people are injured by fireworks so severely that they must go to the emergency room. Avoid these serious injuries by leaving fireworks to the professionals. If you insist on doing fireworks in your own backyard, use common sense safety, understand what each firework does and keep children at a safe distance. For questions regarding the information in this article, please contact the 23rd Medical Group at 229-257-2892.