How To Treat Summer Ailments, From Bug Bites To Splinters

This is not medical advice.

Warm weather, sunny skies and outdoor activities all point to one thing: Summer is officially here! There’s so much to look forward to during the blissful summer months, but there are also a number of seasonal illnesses and injuries to watch out for.

Spending time in the great outdoors — and especially in warmer weather — can make you more susceptible to developing summertime ailments, such as sunburn, stings and swimmer’s ear. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent these pesky problems and ensure that you and your family stay healthy this summer.

Before having some fun in the sun, be sure to educate yourself on this list of common conditions, their signs and symptoms, as well as the medications and supplies you may need to treat them.

Sunburn

From slathering on sunscreen to taking cover under an umbrella, there are many ways to prevent sunburn. But remember, you can get a sunburn even on a cloudy day! That’s why it’s important to take precautions whenever you find yourself in the great outdoors.

To avoid the harmful ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying in the shade during midday hours, wearing clothing, hats and sunglasses to protect exposed skin, staying hydrated and using sunscreen.

There are plenty of sunscreen options on the market, but there are also prescription sunscreens available, such as hydroquinone sunscreen, if you have extra-sensitive skin. When it comes to applying sunscreen correctly and effectively, it’s important to follow these simple directions:

• Use SPF 15 or higher.
• Look for “blocks UVA and UVB” or “broad spectrum” on the label
• Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, including ears, scalp, lips, neck, tops of feet and backs of hands.
• Reapply at least every two hours

If you do happen to get a sunburn, signs and symptoms usually appear within a few hours after sun exposure. You can treat a sunburn with a pain reliever, such as aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You should also stay hydrated and use a topical moisturizing cream or aloe to provide additional relief.

Bug Bites And Bee Stings

The more time you spend outdoors this summer, the more prone you’ll be to bug bites and bee stings. Depending on whether you’re allergic or not, a bee sting can be a minor summer mishap or a serious medical emergency. If you or your child have been stung before and have had an allergic reaction, it’s important to carry an epinephrine auto-injector with you at all times in case of emergency.

Popular, brand-name epinephrine auto-injectors such as EpiPen, EpiPen Jr., Auvi-Q and Symjepi are typically sold at extremely high prices. But GoodRx, the leading resource in health care savings, offers generic options that are much cheaper.

Mosquito bites are also very common in the summer months. The best way to prevent them is minimizing exposure by covering skin with clothing and using insect repellent. If you aren’t allergic, you can also use antihistamines to help reduce inflammation and itchiness associated with common summer insect bites, such as mosquito bites and bee stings.

Splinters

Typically tiny, splinters can be very painful — especially if you’re a barefooted child running around on a summer’s day. The best thing you can do to prevent your kids (or yourself) from getting a splinter in the first place is take these simple precautions:

• Wear socks and shoes, especially when walking on a wooden deck.
• Inspect wooden decks and playground equipment for deteriorated areas that may lead to splinters.
• Wear gloves when carrying wood or working in the garden.
• Clean up other objects that can get under the skin, such as glass, thorns, cactus spines and gravel.

If you or your child end up with a splinter, be sure to clean the area with soap and water. If it’s a small splinter that doesn’t hurt, it may work itself out over a few days. If it’s a larger splinter that is painful, you can use sterilized tweezers to gently pull out the splinter. Once the splinter has been removed, clean the wound again and apply antibiotic ointment and a bandage.

If you’re unable to remove the splinter or you notice any signs of infection — redness, increasing pain, swelling or pus at the site — call a health care provider.

Swimmer’s Ear

Summer is a time for beach days and pool fun — but for some people, it comes with an added risk of developing swimmer’s ear, an infection of the ear canal causing severe pain and redness. Swimming or spending time in a water-based play area is one of the most-common triggers of the bacterial infection — but fortunately, there are ways to prevent it. Here are some simple precautions to take to avoid swimmer’s ear.

• Wear a bath cap or ear plugs while swimming.
• Dry your ears well after swimming or showering.
• Don’t try to remove ear wax, as it protects and prevents bacteria from growing.
• Avoid swimming in freshwater lakes if you’re prone to swimmer’s ear.

If you do develop swimmer’s ear, the infection can be treated with ear drops prescribed by your doctor. If you’re hoping to get your prescription at a lower price, GoodRx offers the following medications used to treat swimmer’s ear at a price you can afford.

• Antibiotics: Floxin (Oflacin).
• Antibiotics + Steroid: Ciprofloxacin/dexamethasone (Ciproxex) or Cortisporin.
• Sterilizing ingredient: Acetic Acid.

Poison Ivy/Poison Oak

Whether you’re gardening or going for a hike, spending time outside increases your risk of being exposed to poison ivy or poison oak. Coming in contact with these poisonous plants can cause an allergic reaction in the form of a rash with redness, itching and swelling.

The earlier you realize you’ve been exposed to a poisonous plant, the better. The rash will occur only where the plant oil has touched the skin, so a person with poison ivy can’t spread it on the body by scratching or from person to person. When exposed, you should immediately clean your skin with soap and cool water to prevent spreading it further.

If your rash does not improve or begins to spread, you may want to visit the emergency room, an urgent care center or use GoodRx Care to book an online consultation at a price that works for you. If you’re prescribed medication, you can use the GoodRx drug search tool to find your prescription at the lowest possible price.

GoodRx provides coupons and discounts for many prescription medications. If you’re prescribed medication for any of the common summer conditions listed above, visit the GoodRx website or download the free GoodRx app to obtain your coupon.

See how much you can save with GoodRx: Download the GoodRx app or use its drug search tool on GoodRx.com to find the lowest price for your prescriptions.