7 Summer Maladies And How To Heal Them

Swimmer's ear

What are the symptoms? An itchy discharge from your ear.

What causes it? This is an infection. It results from you marinading your ears in pool or sea water, then baking them in sunshine.

How can I treat it? Prevention is important because it tends to recur. Keep water out of your ears; use earplugs when you swim. And don't be tempted to ease the symptoms by prodding about with a cotton bud as it will only make matters worse. If it doesn't settle down, it'll need treatment with drops or a spray containing anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. See your GP.

Juvenile spring eruption

What are the symptoms?

This mainly affects young boys and causes sore swellings, blisters or crusts on the ears, usually a day or two after exposure to the sun. Typically, it appears in spring or early summer and may recur.

What causes it?

It's an unusual sensitivity to sunshine. Boys are more affected because their shorter hair does not shade their ears from the sun.

How can I treat it? Sunscreens and hats will shield the sensitive ear skin. So, too, will long hair - this may be a good excuse for your son to adopt that hairstyle he has always wanted. Any cooling cream will help the rash.

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Comments

[querencia]

Swimmers ear is mostly caused by ecoli and other bacteria in the water getting into the ear and the immune system not quite prevailing--- it doesn't actually have anything to do with whether you sit in the sun after you swim or not, poetic license notwithstanding. Since they don't actually have sun or swimming in London, I guess we can be forgiving of a certain level of imagination on the entire subject from this particular source. Nurtra Biotics grapefruit seed extract in eardrop form (you can get it at Whole Foods... if you live in California where we actually do have a lot of swimming and sun) or heated olive/garlic oil in the ears are the best home remedies I have run across in years and years of swimming in public pools. Tea tree oil is fantastic for curing Athelete's foot and helps with insect bites as well You can get little applicator sticks at Trader Joes... (if you live in California). Not sure where you get such things in the rest of the planet. Mail order? Sorry to be Cali- centic.

[kdubbg]

Is it not spelled marinating, with a T?

[OtayPanky]

Juvenile spring eruption: This mainly affects young boys...

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I believe that actually can afflict boys of all ages.

[research]

Good list.

Athletes foot is best cured with ultraviolet sun lamp or direct exposure to the sun. Don't over do it. A couple of minutes of a sun lamp or direct sun, each day for 3 days should wipe it out.

I'm allergic to mosquito bites, besides not wanting to get west Nile etc.. Hot air from a blow drier seems to shorten the duration and symptoms. Don't burn yourself.

[wm1066]

For bee stings try mud, the kind women use for facials, it draws the poison out.