The hazards of enjoying the outdoors

By KATHERINE HOBY

New Zealanders love spending time outdoors in summer. But more people spending more time outdoors means more chance of injuries, illnesses, and ailments linked to that.

The Herald contacted medical centres and hospitals in some of the nation's busiest holiday spots to find out what ails New Zealanders as they relax over summer.

Dr Matt Wright is from England, and has been in New Zealand for three months. He works at Accident and Health Care, in Tauranga, and says New Zealanders seem more safety conscious than the English.

He has seen a lot of advertising on television warning people to be wary of some of summer's dangers.

The staff at the clinic he works at have seen a parade of mostly mundane injuries and ailments, he says.

"There are people who have come off surfboards, sprains, bee stings and plenty of viral illnesses.

"We also have a few infected cuts and some rather juicy gashes from various mishaps with boats, fishing and other summer activities."

One of the doctors at the clinic also dealt with a near-drowning case.

Tips for staying safe: Be careful in the sun. Swim at patrolled beaches and between the flags.

Best treatment tip: Bathe nasty grazes in antiseptic and cover. If in doubt, get them checked out so they do not become infected.

Nasty injury of the holidays so far: Kitesurfers sustaining injuries after their sail gets out of control and "drags them across roads and into-the-side-of-a-house-kind-of-thing".

Elaine Raines is a nurse at Whangamata Medical Centre.

"We've had a real mixed bag of injuries and illnesses."

"There's been nothing specific but it keeps us on our toes, for sure."

In the lead-up to Christmas there had been several people with a diarrhoea and vomiting bug.

Most other patients reported in with a variety of cuts, fractures, and splinter injuries. A couple of surfboard injuries required stitches in the head or leg.

But there had not been the usual rash of stings from bluebottles or jellyfish which sometimes swarm the Whangamata region beaches.

Mrs Raines has worked at the centre for 11 years and despite one of the biggest summer crowds she has seen, she says there have not been huge numbers of patients.

Tips for staying safe: Most of taking care during summer is commonsense, Mrs Raines says. She warns against drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, especially in the sun. A couple of patients have reported severe dehydration.

Best treatment tip: Careful, gentle moisturisation of severe sunburn to rehydrate skin. Aloe treatments are also good for burned skin.

Nasty injury of the holidays so far: Nothing notable this year but last summer a surfer almost lost his nose in an accident.

Dr Glenn Marriott of the Coromandel Medical Centre says he has not dealt with any "out of the ordinary" accidents this summer.

He has been alarmed to notice a resurgence in people injured in drink-driving accidents.

Several people have hurt themselves falling off a boat, or slipping as they get in or out of a vessel.

Dr Marriott says many people indulge in activities over summer such as boating, which they do not often do. This means they might be unused to using the skills needed, and thus prone to having accidents.

Tips for staying safe: Although it might sound obvious, keeping safe is all about keeping your eyes open, Dr Marriott says. Don't drink-drive.

Best treatment tip: People are quite sensible about when to consult a doctor, and when to apply their own first aid. If you have a reasonable home first-aid kit treat your own cuts, bruises, and scrapes carefully.

The number of injuries seen at the Girven Road Medical Centre in Mt Maunganui definitely shoots up over summer, says nurse Julie Halbert.

This summer season has seen the usual haul of people with bumps, grazes, fractures, and cuts.

Fewer sunburn cases have turned up in the past couple of summers.

Tips for staying safe: Look after food when outdoors. Clean, cook, cover, and chill foods.

Best treatment tip: Some people who sustain serious cuts or gashes stay away from the doctor when they need to be seen straight away.

Elderly people especially believe they do not want to "bother" a doctor with a seemingly minor injury, Ms Halbert says.

Nine times out of ten, a serious cut or flap of skin that has come away can be treated if seen on day one.

Nasty injury of the holidays so far: A 70-year-old woman swept off a boogie board who sustained serious neck injuries.

Mt Maunganui's Bayfair Doctors manager Sharron Harris says staff have seen several cases with sore throats, and diarrhoea and vomiting bugs.

Some patients had simply seen too much sun, and were dehydrated.

"And we've had the normal number of shell cuts and bumps and bruises from falls."

A couple of patients reported in with fractured elbows and rather sheepishly admitted they had fallen after having one too many drinks.

Tips for staying safe: In light of the number of regretful young holidaymakers turning up for emergency contraception, the staff at Bayfair Doctors urge people to use contraception.

Best treatment tip: Use commonsense and treat what you can yourself. See a doctor if concerned.

Nasty injury of the holidays so far: Several people reported very itchy bites from the so-called "Mount Mauler" beach bugs just before Christmas.

Thames Hospital area manager Jacquie Mitchell says staff in the emergency department have reported "a steady stream of mundane ailments" so far this summer.

With the influx of sunseekers to the region, staff have often been very busy with sprains, breaks, stings, cuts, and stomach bugs.

Tips for staying safe: Drive safely and defensively. Take some basic steps to prevent falls around the house.

Best treatment tip: If uncertain, seek professional treatment early.

Nasty injury of the holidays so far: Nothing stands out so far this summer but it might be tough to beat the fish hook in the nose that stunned staff a couple of seasons back.

Herald feature: Health