June-Bug

If there is one thing people can agree on about bug bites, its that scratching them can be sooooooo satisfying. One thing we should always be on the lookout for and concerned with are all the bugs that come out as the weather gets warmer. Most bug bites are benign, however, it is important to know how bug bites can affect you.

There is a chance that you could be allergic to stings from insects. People with severe allergic reactions have between a 25 to 65% chance of getting anaphylaxis or an intense allergic reaction when they are stung. This can result in swelling, rash, difficulty breathing among other things. So how would you know if you are allergic to insect stings? Getting an allergy test and blood work can help determine if you are allergic but it is also good to just use general precautions with the outdoors to lower your risk for stings:

• Don't wear sandals or walk barefoot in the grass.
• Don’t swat at or run from bees. 
• Cover outdoor garbage cans with tightly fitting lids.
• Avoid wearing sweet-smelling perfumes and colognes 
• When doing yard work, wear socks, shoes, and gloves.
• Use screens on doors and windows.
• Keep car windows closed.
• Wear long pants and long sleeves outdoors.

Another bug concern to keep on your radar are bites! Not just the kind that makes you itchy, but the kind that carries diseases. Ticks carry Lyme disease and its more common than you think. A tick must be attached to you for more than 24 hours before Lyme disease can be transmitted so it is important that you do a check for ticks after you have an outdoor adventure. Ticks are tiny and can range in size. When removing them from your skin, you will need to remove the entire tick to ensure the bug is no longer attached to you and thus causing disease transmission. With that being said, just because you get bitten by a tick does not mean you are 100% positively going to get Lyme disease. It is always better to just be prepared. 

All in all, when having any outdoor adventure, be sure to carry a first aid kit, water, and an EpiPen! 

Helpful Links:

• Coyote Peterson - Worst Insect Stings Ever
• Mayo Clinic - Bee Stings
• WebMD - Bee Stings & Allergies
• CDC - Lyme Disease

Gesundheit!!!

Its everyone's favorite time of year, allergy season! Did you know that allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the US! Over 50 million people in the US are affected by allergies each year. Seasonal allergies include sneezing, stuffy and or runny nose, watery eyes, itchy nose, mouth, and or eyes. 

Allergies can be diagnosed by an allergist using a skin test. These can detect hay fever, dermatitis, food allergies, and many other allergens depending on the severity of your condition. In order to prepare for a skin test, it is recommended that you do not consume any antihistamines within a specific amount of time prior to the test in order to receive the best results. You should also anticipate having a fairly decent-sized portion of your back available as this is where the skin prick test tends to take place. Up to 50 different substances can be tested at the same time with this method with very mild to no pain. 

People can be affected by allergies in different ways and allergies are not a "one size fits all." There are food allergies, seasonal allergies, animals, dust, and so on. Sometimes you can just treat yourself with over the counter antihistamines but more severe cases will require you to see an Allergist or possibly an ENT. 

So how do you know if it is a cold or flu and not allergies? Here are a few clues: 

 

For more information:

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Mayo Clinic - Allergy Skin Test

Seasonal Allergies at a Glance

Asthma Awareness

This month is Asthma Awareness Month. With the COVID-19 pandemic currently adversely affecting people with lung disorders at a disproportionally high rate, it is essential that we educate ourselves on lung health. 

According to the Ohio Department of Health, Asthma is one of the most common lifelong chronic diseases. More than 1 million people in Ohio have been diagnosed with Asthma. Despite this being an incurable disease, people can live long happy, and healthy lives by having good self-management and getting proper treatment from their physician. 

So what is Asthma? It is a condition where your airways are narrowed and swell and make breathing difficult. This can cause coughing, wheezing, and or shortness of breath. There are 2 types of Asthma; Intermittent and Persistent. The main difference between the 2 in the frequency in symptoms. 

As with any medical condition, the first step is to always contact your primary care physician for more information on diagnosis and how to manage your symptoms. A few suggestions on ways you can manage your symptoms are: 

• Create an Asthma management plan with your healthcare provider
• Reduce your Asthma triggers
• Monitor your symptoms

For more information on how to take control of your Asthma, visit lung.org

Learn More About Asthma:

ODH Asthma Information

Mayo Clinic - Asthma

Asthma.com

What is Lupus?

90% of people that have Lupus are women. Over 1 million Americans currently have it.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that happens when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organ. Lupus can affect many different parts of your body including your joints, skin, major internal organs, and blood cells.

Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because its signs and symptoms are often similar to those of other illnesses. The most distinctive sign of lupus is a facial rash that resembles the wings of a butterfly unfolding across both cheeks. Just because someone has this rash does not mean they have Lupus.

Some people are born lupus and there is currently no cure but treatments can help control symptoms.

The signs and symptoms of lupus that you experience will depend on which body systems are affected by the disease, but you should always consult a doctor before self-diagnosing. 

There are a couple types of Lupus:

• Cutaneous
• Drug-induced
• Neonatal

Understanding the differences and how you can stay healthy is your best bet when battling Lupus. 

Helpful Info

- Mayo Clinic - Lupus

- Lupus.org

- American College of Rheumatology

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

#breakthestigma

May puts a focus on mental health and helps to bring awareness to the millions of people who are affected each day. Mental health includes a number of aspects that ultimately affect your overall wellbeing. The state of your mental health can affect how you act, feel, and think about different situations. It is important to know that you are not alone in what you are going through. 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in any given year. 

There are many causes for mental illnesses but ultimately, if you are experiencing something, it is crucial to seek help as soon as possible! Some people are predisposed due to biological factors or trauma and sometimes there really isn't a reason at all. It is essential to know that there is no single cause for mental illness. 

It is also helpful to know the warning signs of someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Sometimes people need help and don't know how to ask. Some of the signs can include: sleeping too much or not enough, feeling hopeless, smoking or drinking more than usual, fighting with friends and family for no reason, self-harm, and inability to perform daily tasks (i.e. taking care of children, going to work). 

For more information on Mental Health: 

• MentalHealth.gov
• Anxiety & Depression Association of America
• CDC - Mental Health
• NAMI - Mental Health Month

Hobbies, Habits and New found activities

As each day brings something new to all of us, we adapt right along with it. Spending so much time at home can be daunting for some and comforting for many others. Trying to look at a situation with rose-colored glasses isn't always easy either, but many of us have been coping by trying out new activities and creating new routines to keep us motivated each and every day. Is there a certification you have been putting off? Do you have a recipe book from your great Aunt Bertha that has been collecting dusk but is full of gems? Is your sister having a baby and you need to get her something 'meaningful' but you don't know what to craft? 

Now-a-days people pride themselves on having "Masters' in YouTube" but perhaps there is something to that. There is so much free and original content on there, that you can essentially find the answer to anything you want. Some suggestions for how-tos to look for on you-tube are:

• workout, exercise or dance videos
• food reviews
• music videos
• household fixes
• learn an instrument
• woodworking

One thing to keep in mind about YouTube is that because there is not necessarily a paywall with these videos (you can get the paid subscription so that you don't have to see ads) there is no guarantee that the people you are watching and learning from are certified instructors. However, this does open up a world where YOU can also add your own knowledge as well if you have something people could learn from.

Check out other learning platforms with certified instructors and ideas for new hobbies: 

• blog.Fitbit.com
• Udemy.com
• duolingo.com
• Crafting Kits: 
• Cross-stitching Kit
• Crocheting Kit
• Sticker by Numbers

Public Health

National Public Health Week

First and foremost, THANK YOU to all of the public health workers who are on the front lines working with patients in the health care field every day. Right now, people are doing everything they can to help those in need.

NPHW shines a light on the work that people in the public health industry do every day and how it impacts so many lives. Each day of this week had a different theme and topic. Including mental health, violence prevention, environmental health, healthy housing, and economics. 

More in-depth information about these themes can be found on the National Public Health Week website here: http://www.nphw.org/nphw-2020

Public Health encompasses a wide variety of fields and its aim is to help reduce infectious diseases, combat chronic disease and address the numerous risk factors affecting our communities. 

Learn More about NPHW and Public Health:

• National Public Health Week.org
• Public Health Google Doodles
• Public Health Degrees and Careers
• Ohio Public Health Association
• American Public Health Association