During the summer, many of us participate in outdoor sporting events - Marathons, charity runs/walks, cross-country bike rides. In rare cases, people unused to exercise - or even well-trained athletes participating in a grueling endurance event - can experience rhabdomyolysis, a serious syndrome that results when muscle fibers break down and are released into the bloodstream. In these cases, rhabdomyolysis is caused by extreme muscle strain.
Summer is the season of ticks - and the potential to be exposed to a tick-borne illness. One of those illnesses is ehrlichiosis, a bacterial illness that causes mild to severe flu-like symptoms. While you can be exposed to ehrlichiosis via a blood transfusion or by direct contact with an infected, slaughtered animal, most people are infected by a bite from a tick. When a tick latches on to you and feeds it can transmit Ehrlichia chaffeensis bacteria to your bloodstream. The result is a range of flu-like symptoms including:
- Muscles aches
- Joint pain
- Mild fever
- Headache
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Coughing
- Rash
Symptoms usually appear within 14 days of having been bitten by a tick. If you experience the above symptoms and have been in an area with ticks visit your physician. Be certain to tell them that you have been in a region with ticks so they know to check you for signs of a tick-borne illness. Abnormal blood tests are the best indicators of a tick-borne disease. If you are infected, your blood test may show abnormal liver function, low white blood cell count or low platelet count. If you do have ehrlichiosis your physician will mostly likely prescribe a seven- to ten-day round of antibiotics.
While ehrlichiosis is generally a mild infection, people with weakened immune symptoms may experience more serious side effects from ehrlichiosis, such as seizures, coma, respiratory, kidney or heart failure.
In most of Wisconsin, we experienced a very cloudy, rainy spring - so most of us are ill-prepared to adapt to the intense rays of the sun this June. It is always important to protect yourself from the sun in summer - sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and avoiding peak sun exposure (10 am to 2 pm) are key. But this year I’m seeing even more cases of severe sunburn and skin reactions caused by exposure to the sun.
What determines whether or not you get sunburned? Your skin type, how long you are in the sun, when you are in the sun and where you are - including your altitude. The type of sunscreen you use and medications you are taking can also determine how your skin reacts to the sun. Medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, heart drugs, birth control, antidepressants, antifungals, antibacterials and acne medications can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
The latest research indicates the link between tanning beds and melanoma may be greater than previously suspected. While only 4 percent of skin cancers are melanomas, 75 percent of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma. According to this article, the more time you spend in the tanning bed, the greater the risk. The World Health Organization has labeled tanning beds as carcinogenic and recommends banning them for children under the age of 18.
Ask most people how to avoid skin cancer and they’ll reply, “Wear sunscreen.” The fact is, although the use of sunscreen is on the rise, so is skin cancer - it now accounts for nearly half of all cancer cases and is five times more prevalent than breast cancer. Startling? Indeed.
The reason? Sunscreen may not be all it has been promoted to be. A new report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that the majority of sunscreens lack protection from all forms of radiation, that many make false claims or most contain harmful chemicals. Of the 500 sunscreens tested by EWG, only 39 were recommended by EWG.
Yes, sunscreens can protect you from sunburns. But experts are uncertain as to the benefits of sunscreen in preventing skin cancer. Further, scientists are still debating whether UVA or UVB is the most dangerous form of radiation. Most experts believe that it is a combination of UVA and UVB rays that lead to increased melanoma risks.
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