Symptoms of the 16 Most Common Summer Health Issues

Don’t grab over-the-counter cold meds at the first sign of sniffles or a scratchy throat. You might be experiencing seasonal allergies. Due to allergens like pollen, pet dander, dust mites (and more), we can develop symptoms similar to a cold or flu. The difference between these infections and allergies are the absence of fevers, body aches, chills, and fatigue. Surprisingly, sneezing is also not a common cold or flu symptom, and can be an indicator that you’re battling a sneaky summer allergy.

Many people (surprisingly) are unable to recognize the early signs of a sunburn. Because it can take time for our skin to display the telltale red hue of too much sun, early symptoms such as pain, stinging, itchy skin, body aches, fatigue, headaches, and lightheadedness can all be indicators of an uncomfortable night ahead. Find some shade, make sure to hydrate, and if you develop blisters, extreme pain, or confusion, seek immediate medical attention.

Knowing if your stomach hurts from a bug or bad food is tricky. Food poisoning occurs hours after eating a contaminated meal and results in diarrhea, fever, cramps, nausea, and vomiting, with symptoms usually resolving after a day. Norovirus includes the above ailments plus weakness, dizziness, muscle and headaches, and can take more than a week to clear up. If you see blood in your stool or vomit, or can’t keep liquids down, call your doctor immediately.

All that moving and shaking this summer could leave you with a painful injury. Figuring out what’s going on with your body is an important step in knowing how to treat the pain, but the only person who can accurately do so is a qualified physician. If you’re experiencing pain anywhere in your body that hasn’t resolved within 24 hours, go ahead and make an appointment with your doctor. You don’t want to inadvertently make the problem worse by self-diagnosing and treating at home.

Nothing spells misery like a nasty parasitic infection. Typical summer activities like eating, traveling, and swimming are easy ways to catch a parasite. Symptoms vary based on the type of parasite but may include genital itching and redness, diarrhea, greasy stools, gas, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and more. If you’re feeling crummy and can’t figure out why, see your doctor.

A yeast infection thrives in warm, moist places. Treating a yeast infection is easy, but it’s important to know if you actually have one. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and yeast infections have similar symptoms, including pain, itching, and vaginal discharge. Usually discharge from BV is thin and yellow or gray, while it’s thicker and cottage-cheese-like with yeast. The best bet is to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Often, biting and stinging insects flee the scene long before we even realize what’s happened. Insect bites and stings typically include localized pain, some swelling, itching, redness, and discomfort. Tick bites (which we’ll cover later) are easier to spot because the tick latches on to feed. If the pain or swelling spreads to other areas of your body, or you feel shortness of breath, call 9-1-1, as it could be a sign of anaphylaxis.

The combination of being outdoors in the heat while drinking alcohol is dangerous and can lead to dehydration, over-intoxication, and alcohol poisoning. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include passing out, shallow, slow breaths, vomiting, confusion, and low body temperature. Alcohol poisoning requires immediate medical attention, as it can be fatal. Make sure you limit your alcohol and follow with water to help keep you hydrated.

Sometimes bacteria-laden water or dirt makes its way into our ears despite our body’s best defense (ear wax), resulting in a condition known as swimmer’s ear. Typical symptoms include itching, tenderness, redness, a feeling of fullness in the ear, and pain caused by pushing the tragus (or small bump) outside your ear. For swimmer’s ear (or an ear infection), you need to call a doctor to get proper treatment.

The risk of catching conjunctivitis goes up in the summer when we’re in close, personal contact with friends and family. (This year might be a little different if socially distancing.) Pink eye can be bacterial, viral, or even caused by allergies. If your eye is bright pink, goopy, and itchy, keep your hands super clean to prevent spreading the infection, and see a doctor stat.

The risk of contracting West Nile goes up in the summer, thanks to pesky mosquito bites. Although the viral infection often causes no symptoms in healthy adults, for children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, there is a risk of developing deadly meningitis. Symptoms include sleepiness, stiff neck, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches. If you’ve been bitten by a mosquito and have any of these symptoms, see a doctor ASAP.

You might love walking barefoot in the summer, but it can lead to foot fungus. Even getting a summer pedicure puts you at an increased risk for infection. If your feet are cracked, dry, itchy, and burning, chances are you’ve contracted athlete’s foot. The good news is that it’s easy to treat this common fungal infection at home. If over-the-counter creams or sprays aren’t working, see a doctor for stronger treatment options.

Spending long days under the hot sun can lead to heatstroke, which is literally your body overheating. Symptoms include a pounding headache, a rapid heartbeat, muscle cramps and weakness, nausea, vomiting, and a lack of sweat even though you’re hot. If you have these symptoms, it’s important to get cool, quick. Since heatstroke can be fatal, don’t wait to see a doctor.

Another worrisome health problem this summer is Lyme disease. Spread through the bite of an infected tick, Lyme disease can take between three and 30 days to manifest. Symptoms include feeling flu-ish, having a loss of appetite, a bull’s-eye rash, and even facial drooping (Bell’s palsy). If you’ve been in a tick-infested area or know you were bitten by a tick and have any of these symptoms, call your physician for an appointment. When treated early, patients have a high rate of recovery.

Dehydration is harder to spot than we might think. Spending long hours outdoors in hotter temps quickly zaps the body’s hydration levels. Thirst is a big indicator of dehydration, but some people might miss thirst cues and think they’re hungry. Other symptoms include: feeling sleepy, low urine output, headache, dry skin, and dizziness. An easy solution is to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Mother Nature has a mean streak. An uncomfortable common summer ailment is contact dermatitis from poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac. Symptoms include a rash, itching, redness, bumps, and even blisters. Thankfully, these outbreaks are not contagious. But they’re pure misery. Washing the area with cool, soapy water can help remove the toxic oils causing the rash, but if it persists, see a doctor about possible topical steroid creams.