THE balmy temperatures and longer days will send Brits out to pools, parks and beaches in droves.
But these hot weather outings bring their own unique health risks, with doctors saying they notice a specific pattern of illnesses and injuries during the summer months.
Speaking to The Sun, GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye named the most common ones she tends to come across in the height of summer.
According Dr Kaye, these include:
- Insect bites and stings
- Nettle rash
- Sprains and strains – for example from jumping off trampolines
- Sunburn
- Heat stroke and heat exhaustion
- Lyme disease
The GP specifically named Lyme disease – a bacterial infection that's spread to humans by infected ticks – as "a concern".
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It can be easy to treat if caught early – but debilitating complications can occur if the infection is left undetected and undiagnosed, and the virus spreads to the nervous system or heart.
When it came to avoiding the tick-borne illness, Dr Kaye recommends wearing long trousers and sleeves, and tucking your trousers into your socks when in tick-infested areas.
"Stick to hard paths as opposed to walking through long grass," she added.
Insect repellant containing DEET will be your best friend on woodland walks, and it's also "useful and wear light colours so ticks can be seen easily", the GP added.
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Dr Kaye went on to describe what you should do if you are bitten by a tick.
"When you get home, shower off to get rid of any insects on your body and inspect your skin – and those of any children and pets – so that you can remove any ticks as soon as possible, as the quicker they are removed the less likely it is that you will develop the infection," she said.
"If you do see a tick use a pair of fine toothed tweezers or a tick remover tool to gently grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin, pull steadily and firmly away without crushing or twisting the tick and then wash with soap and water."
Dr Kaye stressed: "Do not use alcohol or Vaseline to remove a tick."
And she advised that you see your doctor if you develop a rash or feel unwell.
A rash from an infected tick bite can be circular or oval shaped – like a bullseye on a dartboard – and usually appears one to four weeks after being bitten.
The NHS notes that not all ticks in England carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
But it's still important to be aware of ticks and to safely remove them as soon as possible, just in case.
High-risk spots include grassy and wooded areas in southern and northern England and the Scottish Highlands.
Dr Kaye provided some general advice for staying healthy and safe in the summer.
"Don't forget to slap on a broad spectrum high protection sunscreen and keep reapplying it, wear a hat and sunglasses in the sun and make sure you are well hydrated," she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, highlighted the risks that high temperatures could pose to your health.
"We know that climate change is making our summers hotter, and society needs to acknowledge and be alive to the serious health risk that extreme heat presents," he stated.
Dr Boyle referred to the scorching temperatures that hit the UK in 2022.
He said: "Last summer we saw temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius and there were more than 3,000 excess deaths associated with the heat."
Though hot weather can pose a risk to anyone, he said certain groups of Brits could be particularly vulnerable.
"Hot weather is of particular risk to people who are frail or suffering from dementia who may be less able to respond to their body’s own warning signs," Dr Boyle added.
"People experiencing mental ill health – especially those taking anti-psychotic medication – are also disproportionately affected, similarly people experiencing homelessness who may not be able to find shelter or easy access to water.
"Our advice would be to ensure that people check on anyone who is older, has existing health problems or frailties.
"Try to stay out of the heat as much as possible and keep hydrated by drinking lots of non-alcoholic fluids."
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