Bites and stings are all too common in the summer. The findings of a recent survey – conducted by the Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC) - showed that in the last few months one in three people have suffered an insect bite. You can be bitten by a variety of insects including midges, mosquitoes, horseflies, fleas, lice and ants and some people react worse to bites and stings than others.

The site of the bite may appear red and swell or be itchy. This reaction is an allergic response to a chemical injected into the skin by the insect when it bites and cause a great deal of misery. But, the same CHIC survey found that 25 per cent of people would suffer to the extreme before seeking advice or treatment.

Stings from wasps, bees and jellyfish can also be very painful and cause a red itchy rash. Plants such as nettles can also irritate the skin, leaving a red mottled rash. Although the redness and swelling usually clear quickly, again, some people are very sensitive to stings and can develop a severe allergic reaction. This can cause swelling of the face, difficulty in breathing and dizziness, and it is vital to get medical help immediately.

Treatment
If a bee or a wasp stings you, the sting is often left behind. This should be removed immediately by scraping the skin with the blade of a knife or a fingernail. Do not squeeze the skin because this will only push more of the sting under your skin.

Bites and stings should be kept clean, and an antiseptic cream applied to stop an infection developing. And, however tempting, insect bites should not be scratched as this may increase the risk of infection.

A wide range of sprays, creams and lotions can be used to ease a bite or sting. These contain ingredients such as hydrocortisone to clear up the redness and lidocaine or benzocaine to ease the pain. Painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin can also be used to reduce the pain. A cold compress can be applied to bee and wasp stings and is very soothing. If you are bitten on the ankles or lower legs and experience swelling, raise your legs on a stool or coffee table.

Should you have a bad reaction to an insect bite, ask your pharmacist for tablets containing an antihistamine.

CAUTION: If you have a very severe reaction - difficulty in breathing, dizziness, vomiting or swelling of the face - seek medical help immediately.

• Prevention
  What can you do to prevent bites?
  
• Use insect repellent to protect yourself from insect bites, especially when sitting outside on summer evenings
• If you know you are particularly susceptible and/or sensitive to insect bites, cover your arms and legs when outside
• Avoid eating sweet, sticky food, or drinking sugary drinks when outside in the summer as these attract insects.
  

Hayfever is one of the most common allergies in the UK. The findings of a recent survey by the Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC) showed that 27 per cent of people had suffered from hayfever during the last year. Women are more frequently affected than men and are also more tolerant of symptoms of hayfever and allergies than men, with double the number of women than men saying that they would suffer to the extreme before treating the condition. Research suggests that hayfever can run in families, particularly those who also have a history of atopic conditions such as asthma and eczema.

You can download CHIC's latest hayfever leaflet here

Also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, hayfever is an allergic reaction to pollen grains or spores produced by trees, grass, flowers and moulds. It occurs between the early spring and autumn, but for those people who are allergic to tree pollens, symptoms can start as early as January. Fungal spores are present all year round, but counts are particularly high in the late summer and autumn, while the grass pollen season normally runs through from May to early August.

Symptoms vary in severity, depending on the individual and the type of pollen causing the reaction. Usual symptoms are:
- a blocked or runny nose
- red, itchy and watery eyes
- frequent sneezing
- itching of the roof of the mouth
- loss of smell and taste.

When the symptoms first appear, you may think you are developing a cold, but unlike a cold, the symptoms do not often disappear after a few days, and may last for a few weeks.

Treatment
The good news for people with hay fever is that a wide range of effective treatments is available to reduce the allergic response. This response triggers the release of histamine by the body, and it is the histamine that causes the unpleasant symptoms of hayfever. Treatments for hayfever therefore focus either on preventing the body releasing histamine or on treating the symptoms arising as a result of histamine release.

Hay fever symptoms can be prevented by use of nasal sprays containing steroids or antihistamines. It is best to start using these two weeks before your symptoms normally appear.

There are also nasal sprays and eye drops containing sodium cromoglycate, which act by reducing the release of histamine and help to reduce itching, swelling and sneezing. These are suitable for both children and adults and should be used regularly throughout the season. If you wear contact lenses, check with your pharmacist before using eye drops, as some contain an ingredient that can damage your contact lenses.

When symptoms of hayfever develop, they can be treated with antihistamines. There are two types of antihistamine, one of which is sedating and makes you sleepy (cetirizine) and the other, which is non-sedating (loratadine). Available in the form of tablets, liquids and nasal sprays, they work by blocking the release of histamine and by preventing the body responding to the histamine that has been released.

CAUTION: If you have existing problems, such as kidney, liver or prostate problems, or take other medicines such as antidepressants or sedatives, consult your pharmacist before taking an antihistamine.

• What else can you do?
• Close windows at home, in the office and in the car
• Wear sunglasses to prevent pollen from reaching the eyes
• Check pollen forecasts in the media
• Try to take holidays near the sea or in the mountains
• Wash your hair and splash your eyes after you have been outside to get rid of stray pollen
• If you are a contact lens wearer, you may need to return to wearing glasses during the hayfever season as your eyes may become itchy and sore
  

Headache is one of the commonest ailments. Women suffer more than men: in fact, in a recent survey by the Consumer Health Information Centre, 72 per cent of women said they had experienced a headache during the last year compared to 52 per cent of men.

Hot weather is a frequent cause of headache, and may also bring on a migraine in those who are prone. Stress, exhaustion, not eating and drinking regularly – which frequently occur when it is hot - can increase the chance of getting a headache.

The pain of a headache varies both in intensity and location. It can be throbbing or sharp and can be mild or severe. The pain may be felt all over the head or in just one part of the head, such as the forehead, the back of the neck or on one side of the head. Most headaches induced by heat will usually clear up after a few hours, especially when it gets cooler.

Migraine causes severe pain that can last from a few hours to two days. It is often accompanied by sickness, vomiting, visual disturbance and an inability to cope with noise or light.

Treatment
Most ordinary headaches can be treated with painkillers, such as paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen. Heat-related headaches are also induced by dehydration: during the summer, you need to make sure that you are consuming more than the recommended eight glasses of water each day in order to prevent dehydration.

Indigestion is a very common condition. A recent survey found that in the last year alone, 36 per cent of people had suffered from a bout of indigestion. Indigestion means different things to different people, but the most common symptom is pain or discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen under the rib cage. The pain may be confined to a small area or may extend into the chest and through to the back. You may also experience bloating, a gurgling stomach and a feeling of wanting to be sick.

Indigestion tends to be worse after a meal of if you haven’t eaten for several hours and is often linked to stress. Drinking too much alcohol or too much coffee and eating hot, spicy foods can increase the risk of indigestion. Bending over or lying down can exacerbate the symptoms of indigestion, which is why you often feel worse when in bed.

Indigestion occurs if the lining of the stomach becomes damaged, which makes it vulnerable to attack from stomach acid, causing pain and discomfort. Some medicines, including aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids can damage the stomach lining and make indigestion worse.

Heartburn is a particular type of indigestion in which you experience a burning feeling in the chest that travels up to the throat, often accompanied by an acid taste at the back of your mouth. Heartburn is caused by the stomach acid damaging the food tube (oesophagus): normally, the valve between the stomach and the food tube prevents acid and food coming back up, but if acid does escape into it, pain will often occur. Acid is more likely to leak into the oesophagus if you have a very big meal, drink large amount of alcohol or wear tight-waisted clothes. It is also common during pregnancy.

Prevention
You can help to prevent indigestion by:

• avoiding large meals and too many spicy foods
• eating regular meals, including breakfast and avoiding going for long periods of time without eating
• avoiding large amounts of alcohol and large amounts of coffee
• noting which foods and drinks cause your symptoms and avoiding them
• not wearing clothes that are too tight round the stomach.

Treatment
Amongst the people who had suffered from indigestion in the CHIC survey, 44% said they would suffer to the extreme before seeking help. Yet there are several kinds of treatments available from your local pharmacy for indigestion. These include:

• Antacids. These are the most commonly used treatments for indigestion and work by neutralising the stomach acid. A wide variety of antacids are available in tablet and liquid form and in different flavours. Liquids work more rapidly, but tablets are easier to carry around, so it is a good idea to keep a bottle of liquid at home and a have a small supply of tablets to carry around in a bag. Antacids tend to contain aluminium or magnesium salts or a mixture of the two. Aluminium salts can cause constipation and magnesium salts can cause diarrhoea, so a product containing a mixture of the two helps to avoid these problems. Antacids are sometimes mixed with “rafting” agents: these react with the stomach acid to form a raft which floats on top of the stomach contents, helping to prevent the acid from spilling into the oesophagus. This type of product is particularly useful if you suffer from heartburn. Antacids can also be combined with an ingredient called simethicone which helps release trapped gas and aids belching. This type of product is especially useful if you suffer from belching.
• Acid-suppressant drugs. These medicines work by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. Until fairly recently they were available only on prescription, but you now buy them over the counter for short-term treatment of indigestion.

When choosing an indigestion remedy, ask your pharmacist which product is most suitable for you.

CAUTION: It is important not to treat yourself for indigestion for long periods of time without seeing your doctor. Acid suppressants should not be taken for longer than two weeks without consulting your doctor. You should also see your doctor if you have lost weight unintentionally, have difficulty swallowing, feel that food gets stuck at the back of your throat or your symptoms change or get worse. It is also important to consult your doctor if you vomit frequently, vomit blood or pass black stools.

Tip: If you are troubled by indigestion at night, raise the head of your bed by six inches or use extra pillows

When it gets hot, your eyes can suffer just as much as any other part of your body. Sunshine and glare can result in your eyes becoming strained and uncomfortable, while dust - which is more common when it is dry and hot - can irritate your eyes. Lack of sleep during a very hot spell can also make your eyelids puffy and uncomfortable. However, the two most common minor eye infections are conjunctivitis and styes.

Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva (the tissue covering the eye and inner surface of the eyelids) in which the white of the eye becomes red and sore. The affected eye(s) may feel gritty and they may water and discharge yellow mucus. The discharge tends to accumulate on the lashes and dry out during the night, making if difficult to open the eyes the next morning. The eyelid may also be affected and become red and swollen.

Conjunctivitis can be caused by an infection or an allergy. Almost any germ can be responsible, although conjunctivitis can occur on its own or at the same time as a cold. Allergic conjunctivitis commonly occurs with hayfever.

Treatment
Mild, infectious conjunctivitis can be treated with eye ointment, eye drops or eye lotion bought from your pharmacy. You may find it helpful to use an eye ointment at night and eye drops during the day. Before using these products, make sure you remove the sticky discharge from in and around the eye by bathing the eyes with a piece of gauze soaked in water that has been boiled and left to cool.

Allergic conjunctivitis - caused by hayfever - can be treated by using eye drops (containing sodium cromoglycate) or an antihistamine, which helps to reduce the redness and itching.

CAUTION: It is important to note that there are other causes of red eye that are not due to conjunctivitis. These can be more serious and include a foreign body in your eye, ulceration of the cornea, acute uveitis (inflammation of the iris and surrounding muscle) and glaucoma (a sudden rise in the pressure within the eye). You should report immediately to a doctor any pain in the eye or loss of vision.
Styes
A stye is a common problem where the area at the root of an eyelash becomes sore and inflamed. A red lump appears which becomes more painful as it swells in size. After a couple of days a head forms, filled with yellow pus, which in time bursts and dries up. Styes just happen: there is no known cause for them, although conditions like diabetes make you more susceptible to them.

Treatment
Antibiotics are of little value and the stye will invariably clear without them. But, if you develop a stye, apply compresses made from clean white cotton cloth soaked in warm water – this should be done four times a day. This may be painful but it does help to bring the stye to a head. The stye can often burst on its own, often during sleep.

What else can you do for minor eye conditions?

• Bathe the eyes with cooled boiled water. Use fresh cotton gauze and fresh water for each eye to prevent infection from spreading
• Try not to touch or rub your eyes
• Stop wearing eye makeup until the infection has cleared
• Avoid smoky atmospheres as this will irritate any eye condition
• Avoid wearing contact lenses, especially the soft or permeable types, while you have any kind of eye infection, but if you do wear contact lenses, check with your pharmacist before using any eye drops or eye ointment
• When applying eye drops, do not let the dropper touch your eyes and wash your hands before and applying after eye drops. Dispose of eye drops or ointment as soon as the infection has cleared. Do not be tempted to re-use them later or offer them to a friend or relative
• If you work at a computer, try to make sure the screen does not face the window as the glare from the sun will add to the glare from the screen and make your eyes feel worse.

CAUTION: If you suffer from styes regularly, you should consult your doctor.

Prickly heat - as its name suggests - is a very itchy red skin rash, causing a prickling or burning feeling and occurs in people who are particularly sensitive to the sun. A recent survey by the Consumer Health Information Centre showed that over one in ten people in the UK currently suffer from the condition.

Prickly heat may occur when you sweat a lot in hot or humid weather. Dead skin cells and bacteria block the sweat glands and the skin becomes inflamed with a spotty rash that may blister. The rash develops most commonly on the backs of the knees, waist, under the arms, inner thighs and anywhere where there is friction between the skin and clothing.

Babies and children are particularly prone to prickly heat because of their immature sweat glands, and the rash is most commonly found in the nappy area, on the neck or in the folds of the skin. Those who are overweight or sweat easily are also more likely to develop prickly heat.

Treatment
If you develop prickly heat, try oily calamine lotion or an oatmeal-based cream, which will help sooth the itching. If the rash is very itchy, antihistamines can help, but if the rash persists for more than a few days, a mild steroid cream may be better.

Prevention
When you go out into the sun, you should always wear a sunscreen. But if you suffer from prickly heat, it is best to:

• totally avoid the sun if possible
• use a sunscreen with a high SPF if you must go outdoors in the sunshine
• wear loose cotton clothing to encourage evaporation of sweat and prevent further skin irritation.
  Also, keep as cool as possible - with air conditioning or regular cold showers – as this will also help the sweat evaporate from the skin.
  

Colds are something we tend to associate with winter, but many people suffer in the summer too. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Consumer Health Information Centre found that 34 people of Britons had suffered a “summer cold” during the last few months.

Symptoms tend to be similar to those experienced with a winter cold and include:
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• A tickle in the back of the throat
• Watering eyes
• A cough
• Headache, which may be accompanied by a slight fever.

A cold is caused by a virus and tends to last from around three to ten days. However, sometimes the cold spreads and you can get a secondary infection, which may lead to inflammation of the airways (bronchitis), sinuses (sinusitis) or middle ear (otitis media).

In the spring and summer a cold can sometimes be mistaken for hay fever and vice versa, but hay fever occurs when there is pollen in the air. Some people suffer from a runny nose all the year round. Known as perennial rhinitis, this can also be mistaken for a cold, but like hay fever, it is caused by an allergy.

Treatment
Since viruses cause colds, antibiotics do not work, unless there is a secondary infection. There is therefore no cure for a cold, but there are various treatments, which you can use to ease the symptoms. These are available in the form of tablets, capsules, hot drinks and syrups.

Aches and pains, fever and high temperatures can be relieved with a pain killer such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin. Many cold/flu relief products contain paracetamol, therefore care must be taken so that not more than one paracetamol-containing product is taken at any time. Remember that aspirin should not be given to children under 12 or to youngsters between the ages of 12 and 16 if they have a feverish condition, and always read the label.

If you have a blocked nose, use a product containing a decongestant. Some decongestants may raise blood pressure, and you should not use these if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or an overactive thyroid gland. If you are taking other medicines prescribed by your doctor, check with your pharmacist or doctor before taking any cold treatments as the two medicines may interact.

Oils such as eucalyptus, menthol, camphor and clove can be inhaled to help relieve a blocked nose. Put a few drops on your handkerchief or add to a bowl of hot (not boiling) water and inhale the steam. Alternatively, you can use these products as a vapour rub and apply to the chest or back. This is a particularly useful method for children, and will help them to sleep. Breathing in steam from a hot shower or bath can also help ease a blocked nose and sore throat.

What else can you do?

• Keep warm and get plenty of rest
• Drink lots of fluids – 8 to 10 glasses a day, if you can. Try drinking hot water with blackcurrant or lemon and honey.

Most people love the feel of the sun on their skin, but too much sun can lead to sunburn, which is extremely painful. In fact, in a survey conducted by the Consumer Health Information Centre, 24% of Britons have suffered from sunburn this summer, with one in four suffering to the extreme.

Continued exposure to the sun increases your risk of developing skin cancer, and if you have pale skin, blonde or red hair or work outside, you are more at risk. Babies and young children are at special risk because of their delicate skins.

Repeated short, acute periods of intense exposure seem to be more dangerous than daily exposure to lower intensities of sunlight. However, long-term exposure to the sun causes premature ageing of the skin and can lead to the development of freckling and flat brown spots – usually on the back of the hands and arms.

Prevention
Prevention is better than cure for sunburn. When you go out into the sun, protect your exposed skin with an effective sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Sunscreens are marked with an SPF, which refers to the level of protection from UVB rays. UVB rays are responsible for burning, tanning and causing damage to the surface of the skin. These rays are present mainly in the summer. UVA rays are present all year round, and are responsible for ageing, wrinkles and long-term deep damage to the skin.

Other preventive measures include avoid staying out in the sun through the middle of the day between 11am and 3pm. In the UK, sunburn times are regularly broadcast with weather reports, and you can use this information to help you to stay within safe limits. It is important to remember that you can still burn yourself when you are swimming, so apply sunscreen before and immediately after you go for a dip. Snow powerfully reflects the rays of the sun; so if you are skiing, always remember to use a sunscreen.

Some people are particularly sensitive to the sunlight and suffer from allergic reactions, such as prickly heat. Some medicines can also make your skin sensitive to the sun, causing a red, itchy rash. If you are concerned that this is the case,you’re your doctor or pharmacist for advice and ensure that all exposed parts of your body are covered with an effective sun protection cream (minimum SPF 25) whenever you are outside during the summer. Perfumes and cosmetics can also cause a skin reaction in some people when they are out in the sun, therefore if you think this may be the case, refrain from wearing perfume until the evening.

Treatment
If you do develop sunburn, take a cool shower, or soak a towel or flannel in cold water and use it as a cold compress. Wash off any salt from your skin, as this will aggravate it. Then apply an after-sun cream to the affected areas, avoiding areas where the skin is broken. After a few days, your skin may begin to peel and feel dry and itchy. Use a moisturising cream and add a moisturising oil or emollient lotion to the bath to help replace the moisture you have lost which will also help to reduce any itching. Stay out of the sun until your skin is completely better.

If your sunburn is severe and your skin is blistered, consult your pharmacist or doctor.

Travel sickness – also known as motion sickness - can occur when travelling by car, bus, boat or aeroplane, but movement such as riding on swings or fairground amusements can also induce the condition. Motion sickness occurs when repetitive small movements mean the brain is sent mixed messages. The eyes say one thing about the position of the body, whilst the delicate inner ear balance mechanisms are reporting something different which leads to disorientation.

Generally, this results in the sufferer feeling queasy and unwell, but symptoms can progress to sweating of the face and hands, salivation, retching and/or vomiting. In most cases, motion sickness occurs only as long as the motion continues. Sometimes, certain smells, such as food or petrol can make the symptoms worse.

Treatment
There are a number of treatments available from pharmacies. Anti-sickness remedies contain ingredients such as hyoscine, and antihistamines such as cinnarazine, cyclizine, promethazine and dimenhydrinate. These tablets are most effective if taken before your journey commences: the length of time these tablets need to be taken before a journey varies from 20 minutes to 2 hours or even the night before but you will find this information on the packet. If you know you suffer from travel sickness, do not wait to start the journey before taking a tablet, because you may be sick before the tablet has had time to be absorbed.

Travel sickness tablets may cause drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness or a dry mouth. They can interact with alcohol and other sedative-type medicines such as antidepressants and tranquillisers. If you are taking any other medicines, ask your pharmacist before taking travel sickness remedies. This also applies if you are pregnant – always consult your pharmacist before taking any over the counter medicines while you are pregnant.

Traditional remedies include stem ginger and peppermint: eating a ginger biscuit or sucking a peppermint may help some people. Travel sickness bands, which are worn on the wrist in the position where a watch is usually worn, can help to alleviate nausea using the principles of Chinese acupressure.

What else can you do?

• Try to sit in the front of a car rather than in the back seat or if travelling by boat, try and stay on the deck in the middle of the boat where the motion is least felt
• Make sure there is plenty of ventilation/fresh air while you are travelling
• Fix your gaze on a stationery object, if possible
• Avoid reading
• Listen to music if possible as this sometimes helps to distract from the symptoms
• Do not travel on an empty stomach, but also avoid a heavy, fatty meal or drinking alcohol before travelling.
  

Heat stroke is a potentially dangerous condition and occurs when the heat-controlling mechanism of the body breaks down. A recent survey by the Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC) found that 25% of those questioned had suffered from heat stroke and dehydration this summer.

Dehydration is caused by the loss of large volumes of water and salt from the body. Warning signs can include:
- headaches
- nausea
- muscle cramps
- a rapid pulse
- rapid breathing
- in more serious cases, may also faint and may become unconscious.

Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

Treatment
If you develop signs of heat stroke, go into a cool room, if possible, and have a cool shower or sponge yourself down with cool water. If you have access to a fan, use it. Paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen should be taken to treat your headache and will also help to bring your temperature down. Continue to cool yourself down as much as possible and take your temperature every half an hour until it returns to normal.

Prevention
Heat stroke and dehydration is best prevented by avoiding going out in the sun, particularly between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its hottest. Drink plenty of cold water – more than the usual 8 glasses a day to help your body replace the fluid lost through sweating. Remember that alcohol dehydrates you, so make sure you have a glass of water for every alcoholic drink taken.

CAUTION: If the person becomes unconscious, check that they are breathing, then place them in the recovery position and call immediately for medical help.