Tag: insect bites

NHS 24: Top Tips to Beat the Bites!

Mauled by midgies, tormented by ticks, chomped by clegs?🦟🐜🐝

Scotland’s summer wildlife is out in full force and they’re hungry!

Whether you’re hiking the Highlands or just enjoying a garden BBQ, insect bites can be more than just annoying. Some can cause allergic reactions or even carry infections like Lyme disease.

🧴 Top tips to stay bite-free:

✔️ Use insect repellent

✔️ Wear long sleeves and trousers in grassy or wooded areas

✔️ Keep food covered

✔️ Avoid strong perfumes that attract bugs

✔️ If you’re camping, avoid pitching your tent near water like rivers or lochs

If you’ve been bitten and it’s swollen, painful or not healing, get it checked. Your pharmacist can provide helpful advice or visit our bites and stings page on #NHSinform.

#SummerHealth

#InsectBites

#NHS24

#TickAwareness

#Midges

#Clegs

#OutdoorSafety

‘Hello Summer’: NHS 24 launch summer health campaign

With the summer holidays now fully underway across Scotland, NHS 24 is sharing summer health advice to keep people happy and healthy throughout the season. 

The campaign ‘Hello Summer’ signposts people to the correct health advice and services if they need help during the holidays. Topics such as hay fever, sun safety, kids’ injuries, BBQ food safety and hydration will all be covered.

Dr Paul Perry, a GP and Associate Medical Director at NHS 24, says: ‘The summer holidays are a great chance for family, friends and communities to spend time together and relax in hopefully nicer weather or travel further afield to enjoy a break away from home.

“It’s worth remembering a few small steps that can keep you and your family safe from common summer health issues such as hay fever, sunburn and insect bites. Most summer health complaints can be safely treated at home, so our ‘Hello Summer’ campaign will help people to avoid illness and when and where to seek medical advice if needed.”

General advice and information on how to stay healthy can be found at www.nhsinform.scot.