Intercare Sends Holiday Health Woes Packing

Holidays are all about sun, sea and sand but sometimes unexpected health niggles can creep in and try and spoil the fun. Fortunately Intercare Medical & Dental Centres are on standby this festive season should you and your family need them. Giving you access to highly experienced doctors and dentists under one roof, Intercare will offer a whole host of health disciplines, conveniently situated just around the corner. Best of all, Intercare offers extended operating hours and will be open on all public holidays during December (except Christmas and New Year’s Day).

The classic 'holiday image' of dad in a Santa suit dangling gregariously by his foot from the chimney might be a bit farfetched but in truth, household accidents do increase quite a lot around the holidays. Research reveals every year around this time numbers peak of those injured in cooking-related accidents, slips and falls (often in the bathroom), falls from a height, poisoning from swallowing a harmful substance or object. The good news is that most of these accidents are preventable and many incidents can be treated with first aid at home. If it's more than a case of a minor bump or bruise, head to your closest Intercare for advice or treatment.

Whether you're heading off to a beach resort or on a bush escape, with the glorious warm weather many will be spending more time outdoors and that means increased exposure to the sun, which can cause sunburn and heat stroke. We all know that protecting our skin with sunblock and shade is the best bet, but if your preventative measures didn’t hold up, use a cold compress, natural aloe and an anti-inflammatory to heal faster. If the burn is more severe (with blisters), covers a large portion of your body, is accompanied by a high fever or severe pain, and home treatments don't work, you might need a trip to the doctor. You'll likely be given a corticosteroid cream for your sunburn. Sometimes people who have severe sunburn may even need intravenous fluids to combat dehydration.

The festive season and eating often go hand-in-hand. Unfortunately, food poisoning cases peak around this time of the year. If you're holidaying in a foreign country be sure to not drink tap water, be cautious of street foods and always carry oral rehydration salt solution in case one suffers diarrhoea. If bouts of diarrhoea or vomiting continue for longer than three days in an adult, 24 hours in a child, or just a few hours in an infant, it's best to see a doctor. Festive foods like sticky peanut brittle, jolly candy sticks, mixed nuts, biscotti, caramel popcorn can prove to be 'toothcrackers'. Chipped, broken or worse, lost teeth, may  require a trip to an Intercare Dental Centre.

More patients also seek help with stings and bites when the weather is warmer. Avoid mishaps by not touching or handling animals or insects that sting or bite, wearing protective clothing, such as a wetsuit or waterproof footwear when swimming in the ocean and scuffing your feet as you walk to warn any creatures that you're approaching. Stings and bites from common summer bugs including bees, wasps, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, mites and spiders, as well as sea creatures like blue bottles, crabs, stingrays, sea urchins and jellyfish can usually be treated with basic first aid - remove the sting, or wash off any remaining tentacles, apply a cold pack to the affected area for about 10 minutes. An anti-inflammatory or antihistamine can help relieve pain. If, however, serious symptoms develop, such as severe pain, swelling or difficulty breathing, you should get medical attention.

Ironically given the heat, many people suffer from the flu this time of year. Summer colds are often caused by a family of viruses called enteroviruses. These are small infectious particles that, unlike common cold viruses, have a preference for warmer weather. Runny noses, nasal congestion and postnasal drainage are complaints associated with summer. Frequent hand washing is the best defense against summer colds. Keep hand sanitiser available for when hand washing is not possible. Rest and lots of fluids are usually all that's needed to break a summer cold but if you experience fever, sore throat, hacking cough, diarrhoea, and skin rash it's best to speak to an Intercare professional.

No matter what your holiday health care woe might be, with Intercare's well qualified and dedicated medical and dental professionals, you will get the highest quality of care. Most of the Medical and Dental centres are conveniently located in shopping centres and close to a pharmacy. For more information and individual operating times for each centre, log onto www.intercare.co.za.