Summer is a time for travelling, swimming in the lake, eating outdoors and other of life's pleasures. Sad as it is, illness takes no holiday. Once you've relaxed, it can strike even harder. So what illnesses lie in wait for us in the warm months, and how do we avoid them? A wide bouquet of risks

• Injuries – in summer many people enjoy active pursuits – from basketball to gliding. Statistics show that most sport- and leisure-related injuries happen in the warm season. To minimise the risk of injury, it's advisable to assess your physical capabilities carefully and avoid risky actions.
• Burns – vitamin D is good for everyone, but if you enjoy the sun without moderation, the skin is constantly damaged by UV rays. The harmful effect of the sun is neutralised by protective creams with a UV filter: the cream should be applied to the skin in a thick layer and reapplied every two hours. The midday sun should be avoided even when using protective cream.
• Overheating – when the thermometer climbs above 30 degrees, you must limit your physical activity. Spend time in cool rooms, do daytime outdoor tasks early in the morning or late in the evening, wear a head covering outdoors, and avoid alcohol and fatty, high-calorie dishes.
• Colds – sneezing, a sore throat and a runny nose don't only trouble us in autumn or winter. Patients who feel these symptoms in summer often make the mistake of thinking an allergy has struck. But a radical change in temperature – drinks chilled with ice, air conditioning, a weakened immune system – can bring on a summer cold. A prolonged ailment causes serious complications – bronchitis, sinusitis and even pneumonia – so when you notice cold symptoms, drink plenty of fluids, take more vitamin C, reduce your physical activity, and in the evenings you can do an inhalation procedure.
• Insects – a mosquito whining by your ear at night or a bee taking an interest in your picnic outdoors bodes no good. Stings are unpleasant at the very least, but in extreme cases they can even cause an allergic reaction and end a holiday in hospital. Protective repellents, trousers and long-sleeved clothing help you avoid insects. Vaccines offer the best protection against tick-borne encephalitis spread by ticks.
• Plants – in the summer months a great many allergenic plants scatter pollen and flourish. From timothy grass and wormwood, which irritate the airways, to giant hogweed, which burns the hands… What's more, in summer the most poisonous plant in Lithuania ripens its red drupes: the beautiful but dangerous mezereon, a dose of whose berries can even prove fatal. It's advisable not to pick or touch unfamiliar plants and berries, and to wade through meadows only in long trousers.

Help is near you. Protective measures don't always help. Caught a cold, hit by an allergy or feeling some other ailment? Waiting can be dangerous. Don't delay – come and consult an AND klinika doctor today! There are currently no queues at the clinic, so we'll see you without delay. We'll advise you and provide fast, quality treatment. Nurture your health at AND klinika – so you can enjoy summer without a care.