It’s that exciting time of year again where many of us are planning to pack up our suitcases and head to a warmer climate for our summer holidays – we hope you have something fun planned! For those who have set their sights on travelling abroad for their holidays, there will be lots to prepare and pack for your journey. It’s also a good idea to prepare yourself for any potential health risks so you can deal with them quickly and easily.

One of the most common holiday complaints are sickness bugs, which can be caused by a number of factors. To make sure you make the most of your hard-earned holiday, here are some top tips for keeping sickness bugs away when holidaying abroad.

Food poisoning

Some countries you will travel to may not have the same food safety standards as we do in the UK, and also some hotels may just simply not be up to scratch when cooking and preparing food. All-inclusive holidays have the highest reports of food poisoning based on insurance claims – this could be due to the buffet-style food that is often offered at meal times and the large quantities of food being cooked on-site.

Things to look out for:

•   Lukewarm food – this suggest it has been left out for a while after being cooked, make sure your food is piping hot
• Undercooked food – check your meat is cooked properly before eating any, and perhaps ask for things to be cooked a bit longer (such as steak) when ordering for extra reassurance.
• Unclean settings – if a restaurant, shop or takeaway has visible signs of uncleanliness, it would be a good idea to give these places a miss!

If you have eaten something that has been improperly stored, prepared or cooked, you may experience symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and dehydration caused by infections including salmonella, E coli and campylobacter.

Contaminated Water Bugs 

Not all countries have the same standards of water cleanliness as we do in our taps, which is why you may have already been encouraged in the past to buy bottled water when travelling abroad in the past. Not only is drinking water a cause of sickness in people, but also the water from a swimming pool or hot tub.

Top Tips:

• Avoid having ice in your drinks from restaurants or bars, as they will likely have used tap water for these as we do at home. When the ice melts we drink the contaminated water.
• Don’t jump straight into the pool or hot tub – take some time to check if the water appears to be clean and relatively free from insects or dirt.
• Even if the pool is clean, be careful not to swallow too much water, as the cleaning chemicals inside the water may also cause sickness.

If some contaminated water is drunk, the person may be affected by cryptosporidium, a parasite which causes watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.

Sickness bug from other guests

Hotels, restaurants, poolside areas and many other places can also be a cause of sickness, as bugs can travel much more quickly if people are densely populated in an area such as those mentioned.

There is no real way of avoiding these types of bugs, however if there is news of a sickness bug travelling around your hotel it may be worth asking your travel company to try to provide alternative accommodation to ensure you are able to continue enjoying your holiday.

Treatment

All of the conditions mentioned above can usually be treated with over the counter medicines such as immodium, and by keeping yourself hydrated with bottled water, getting rest and taking things slowly.

If symptoms do persist, worsen or you have other cause for concern – seek medical attention immediately to be on the safe side. Before travelling you can research local doctors and hospitals to ensure you are fully prepared for whatever happens.

Ajuda offer a wide variety of courses focussed on treating common holiday minor illnesses and injuries, both in our online courses and our in-house training courses at the Cardiff Bay Training centre.

Get in touch if you would like to know more about our courses on offer and book one, either call 02920 576883 or email admin@ajuda.org.uk.

With summer in full swing and the temperature rising, we all find ourselves spending more time outdoors making the most of it with barbecues, days at the beach or the park and generally being more active. In the summer, we also see a higher level of activity from insects such as wasps and bees – that are attracted to sweet smells (such as alcohol), food and plants. This perfect combination can sometimes lead to insects getting a little too close to us, and biting or stinging us as a defensive response. 

This week’s blog has some handy tips on how to diagnose and deal with a variety of bites and stings that might happen when you’re out and about, so you can be prepared in the situation. 

Wasp and Hornet Stings

Most cases of wasp and hornet stings cause a sharp and sudden pain in the first instance, which can be followed by a red mark on the area and swelling. In some cases this can last up to a week, but often will subside within a day or so. 

Bee Stings

Bee stings are very much like wasp and hornet stings, but Bees often lose their stingers in the process which can remain in a person’s skin. 

Mosquito Bites

Mosquito bites appear as small red patches on the skin, which can be very itchy. In some extreme cases blisters can also develop. 

Tick Bites

Tick bites don’t tend to cause pain, so they can be difficult to notice right away. Symptoms of a tick bite include a small red lump on the skin, swelling, Itchiness, blistering and bruising. Ticks attach themselves to a human to feed on blood, so these would need to be removed like bee stings. 

Horsefly Bite

A horsefly bite can cause significant pain, mostly appears as a large raised rash and can bring other worrying symptoms such as dizziness, weakness, wheezing and swelling to parts of the body.  

Treatment of stings and bites

In most cases, bites and stings do not require medical attention and can be treated as follows: 

•  Bee stings and ticks will need to be removed. Bee stings should be scared out of the skin with a hard edge such as your fingernail or a bank card. Ticks can be removed carefully with tweezers

• Wash the affected area with water and soap

• Apply a cold compress or an ice pack to the skin for at least 10 minutes.

• To reduce swelling, the affected area should be raised if possible.

• Avoid scratching or itching the affected area to reduce the risk of infection   

If symptoms persist or get worse, it could be worth giving 111 a ring and explaining the situation for some advice and guidance.  

In extreme cases, a sting can cause a severe allergic reaction and lead to anaphylactic shock. If you notice the person has the following symptoms, you must call 999 immediately. 

• wheezing or difficulty breathing
• a swollen face, mouth or throat
• nausea or vomiting
• a fast heart rate
• dizziness or feeling faint
• difficulty swallowing
• loss of consciousness

If the person is know to have an allergy to stings, they may have an Adrenaline Auto Injector (such as an EpiPen) in their possession which could be used to relieve the symptoms of anaphylactic shock. Make sure you know how to use the particular injector before attempting to administer it. 

You should remove a sting if applicable to stop the venom spreading, and lay the person down flat unless they are pregnant, unconscious or having breathing difficulties.  If symptoms persist after 5-15 minutes, and there is another injector available, you should use this whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive.  

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If you would like to know more about treating someone in an emergency situation such as anaphylactic shock, Ajuda offer courses on first aid on-site at our training centre or at a location of your choice. You can choose between paediatric, emergency or work-based first aid depending on your training requirements. 

Please click here to view out First Aid Training Courses. 

Although we all love the warm weather, after a few days of non-stop stuffiness and sweating, it can become uncomfortable, and even more so for elderly people.

In times of extreme heat, it’s important to check in on your elderly family, friends and neighbours regularly to make sure they are safe and well. As we age, our bodies find it more difficult to adjust to changes in condition, this along with other age-related illnesses and various medications can affect our ability to cool down. During heatwaves, we often see an increase of heat related illnesses and even heat-related deaths if it becomes too extreme.

If you are caring for an elderly person this summer, take a look at our blog to refresh yourself on some of the ways you can prevent the heat from making them unwell and spot any issues early on.

Tips for keeping cool. 

• The hottest time of the day is between 11am – 3pm, so advise them to avoid spending time outside during this period
• Encourage them to drink cold drinks regularly. Make sure the fridge is stocked up with plenty of fluids.
• Suggest they avoid much physical activity unless necessary, but if they would like to keep active or go outside encourage this to be done in the evening.
• In extreme heat, windows and blinds can be closed to keep a room cool
•  Loose and cool clothing will help to avoid overheating
• If they are uncomfortable, having a cool bath or shower can help
• Discourage drinking caffeine and alcohol as these can cause dehydration

Signs of Overheating

• Breathlessness
• Sudden dizziness
• Chest Pain
• Confusion
• Cramps
• Fatigue
• Cold, clammy skin
• Headache
• Thirst

To treat the initial signs of overheating, the tips above such as a cool area, cold bath and rehydration should be followed to attempt to naturally cool the person down. If not treated, overheating can turn to heatstroke.

Heatstroke Symptoms

• Fainting or feeling faint
• High body temperature
• Strong, rapid pulse or slow, weak pulse
• Behavioural changes
• Staggering
• Lack of sweating in extreme heat
• Dry Skin
• Confusion
• Coma

If you notice any of the above symptoms, call the emergency services immediately for help as there are medical measures that can be taken to relieve the symptoms of heatstroke.

If you would like to refresh your knowledge on some key topics surrounding elderly care, Ajuda have a variety of online Health & Social Care courses to develop awareness of Strokes, Diabetes, Dementia and Mental Health. Along with this we also cover topics such as Duty of Care, Fire Safety, End of Life Care and Safe Handling of Medicines.

These courses are a quick and inexpensive way to refresh your knowledge on key caring topics, and ensure you are prepared to save lives in any situation. They can be done at your own pace, from the comfort of your home.

If you would like to know more about enrolling onto any of our online courses, please contact the office today.