Don’t Let Outdoor Health Hazards Get Under Your Skin

Summertime heading into the fall brings many opportunities for outdoor activities. From camping and hiking to backyard parties, kids and adults alike are outside enjoying the warm weather. Unfortunately, many of those same activities can all pose serious dangers. American Family Care (AFC), an urgent care facility, wants to keep everyone safe and healthy all year long.

“We want to arm families with the proper information to protect them any time they are outdoors,” said Dr. Iftikhar Ali, Medical Director of AFC. “By taking simple precautions they can avoid minor and sometimes serious bites, rashes and diseases."

Spending more time outside means sharing space with ticks, mosquitoes and other insects. Knowing when a bite requires medical attention is a must, especially since the State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program announced that mosquitoes trapped in East Haven on July 30, 2019 tested positive for West Nile virus. Additionally, September and early October is the time of year the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus has been found in mosquitoes in Connecticut. EEE is a rare but serious disease caused by EEE virus.

Dr. Ali shares tips before going outside, particularly during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

• Use bug repellent on your skin and clothing.
• The CDC recommends wearing an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains active ingredients such as DEET or picaridin.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks to cover your skin.
• If you’re going into a brushy area or the woods, wear repellent that contains 20% or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin.
• Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so clean up toys and other items outside that may be collecting water.
• Close gaps in your windows, walls, doors and screens to help keep mosquitoes from getting into your house.

“It’s very important to be aware of any bites you or family receives after being outside,” said Dr. Ali. “If you happen to get sick and suspect that a mosquito or tick is the culprit, let your American Family Care doctor know immediately.”

If a person is bitten by a tick, the best thing to do is to go to a medical provider who is knowledgeable and experienced in proper removal techniques. In the event of a potential case of Lyme disease, antibiotics can make a big impact early on.

Dr. Ali urges residents to be on the lookout for the warning signs of Lyme disease such a circular rash, typically within 1-2 weeks of infection, or flu-like symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and most importantly, joint pain.

Poison ivy is the most common allergy in the United States, affecting about 50 million people every year. The rash from poison ivy is caused by an allergic reaction to urushiol, an oily substance in the leaves, stems and roots of poison ivy, through direct contact. Urushiol is also found in poison oak and poison sumac, which means the rash can be contracted by interacting with any of the three plants.

Other than direct contact, poison ivy can spread through anything that touches the oil such as skin, pet fur, clothing etc. However, blister fluid from a rash will not cause spreading.
The best way to avoid getting poison ivy is to wash clothes, gardening tools or skin that may have touched the plant immediately upon returning indoors. Most causes of poison ivy can be treated at home with lotions and cool baths. However, if your rash is widespread on the face or genitals, a prescription medication may be needed to treat your poison ivy symptoms.

In rare cases, medical attention is needed to treat poison ivy. Serious symptoms are a fever over 100 degrees F, no sign of improvement after a few weeks, difficulty breathing, or a large area of broken blisters, or other broken skin.

Finally, two other important points to remember in the summer weather are to stay hydrated and protect your skin from sun damage. Dehydration and heat lead to many problems including heat illness and stroke. Aside from the immediate discomfort of the first-degree burn that the sun can cause, even only one episode of sunburn can increase the chance of skin cancer in the future.

“We just urge people to use common sense and plan ahead to stay safe when enjoying nature,” said Dr. Ali. “If an injury or illness does occur, AFC can help families can get back to their fun faster and avoid the long wait at an emergency department."

AFC locations are open Monday through Friday from 8 am-8 pm and weekends from 8 am-5 pm. No appointment is required and care is dispensed with the utmost quality and efficiency. The centers are located at 1171 East Main St. Torrington CT; 135 East Main St., New Britain CT; 1030 Boulevard West Hartford, CT; 179 Talcottville Rd., Vernon, CT; Danbury locations 2 Main St., 100 Mill Plain Rd & 76C Newtown Rd). All locations offer convenient, private parking.

For more information visit www.afcurgentcare.com.