Tips on having a safe summer

The warm weather is here and people are spending more time outdoors.

For many, that means getting in shape for the summer, keeping an eye out for insects that can carry harmful diseases, and protecting ourselves and our food from the sun and heat.

The Catholic Health System has medical experts who can speak on these and many other health issues in the local and national spotlight, including:

Tuberculosis - Recent news reports about an Atlanta, Ga., man with a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis traveling to Europe and back have raised questions about this sometimes serious lung condition.

Once the leading cause of death in the United States, drugs discovered in the 1940s helped bring TB under control. Reaching its lowest point in the 1980s, TB has been making a comeback in recent years.

Infectious disease specialists with the Catholic Health System can help shed some light on this disease, separating fact from fiction and assessing your risk for contacting TB.

Headaches - Most of us get headaches from time to time. Like other types of pain, headaches can serve as a warning sign for a more serious disorder, like high blood pressure or stroke, or can simply be caused by stress or lack of food or sleep.

In most cases, once you know what type of headache you're dealing with - vascular, tension, rebound, traction or inflammatory - with proper diagnosis and treatment, you can get relief.

Learn more about the tests and treatments available for headaches and when to seek medical help.

Lyme disease and other tick-transmitted diseases - It's hard to believe that an insect as small as a tick can cause such large problems for the human species.

Responsible for a host of medial conditions such as Lyme disease and various forms of encephalitis, such as West Nile virus,

ticks pick up

bacteria from infected animals and can spread them to humans if they bite the skin.

Learn the signs and symptoms of these diseases and what you can do to protect yourself and your family from these tiny creatures.

Summer safety - Most people in Western New York welcome summer with open arms, but there are things to keep in mind before you "let the sun shine in." High temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion or more serious heat stroke for young and old.

Serious sunburns can not only cause hours of discomfort but also lead to premature aging and, even worse, skin cancer.

For more information, call 862-1700.