HEALTH MATTERS
SUMMER is just around the corner, but before you bask on the beach in Blackpool or go for a picnic in the Peaks, it’s important to know how to look after yourself while enjoying the weather.
Protecting yourself from ultra violet (UV) radiation is really important because UV is emitted by the sun and is what causes sunburn.
It can also lead to more serious conditions such as skin cancers which can be life threatening.
We should all be more sun aware as you cannot always see the damage and symptoms can take up to 20 years to appear.
You can protect your skin from harmful UV rays by using sun cream with a minimum of SPF 30 and good UVA protection.
If you burn easily it might be best to stay in the shade and covered with clothing especially around the middle of the day.
Even when it’s cloudy, around 90 per cent of the UV rays come through the clouds.
Summer is also a time for hay fever which is caused by an allergy to grass, flowers and tree pollens, resulting in the body over-reacting to a normal process and causing the itchy eyes and runny nose. It causes misery for hundreds of thousands of people, but the good news is that it is possible to control the symptoms of hay fever by taking a few simple steps.
Many cases of hay fever can be controlled using over-the-counter medication available from the pharmacist without a prescription, in fact, GP’s have been asked by the NHS not to ordinarily prescribe medication for mild to moderate hay fever, so you’re best off going directly to your pharmacy, you won’t need an appointment either.
Antihistamine tablets, often alongside eye drops and/or steroid nasal sprays, work well for the majority of people. More detailed advice is also available online at NHS.uk and tips for what to stock in your medicine cabinet can be found on the selfcare page on our website – easterncheshireccg. nhs.uk.
There are other ways you can ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high, such as putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen, keeping your windows and doors shut while at home and buying a pollen filter for the air vents in your car.
The Met Office provides daily UV Index and pollen forecasts on its website.