How to Avoid Common Infections
When you're young and healthy, it's hard to imagine being sidelined with a bout of the flu or a painful UTI. Play it safe with these simple steps to avoid common infections.
Nothing puts a hindrance on your day like the sniffles or, worse, a sore throat it seems to be on fire. Cold, flu, mono, and a number of other common infections will leave you feeling less than invincible. So it makes sense to do what you can to protect yourself with health tips to avoid infection and, should you get one anyway, to know how to treat that infection.
The number one piece of advice you'll get to avoid common infections is simple: Wash your hands. "Probably the most important thing you can do is wash your hands frequently, or wash your hands before you touch your face or mouth," says Sophia Yen, MD, MPH, a clinical instructor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and a physician with the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif. You don't always need soap and water — an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will do the job. Clean hands prevent the spread of a number of different germs, including those that cause colds and flu and pinkeye.
Here are smart ways to avoid infections of all kinds:
Don't share drinks. Snagging some of your BFF's iced tea could be refreshing, but it can also give you mononucleosis, strep throat, or tonsillitis.
Throw away used tissues. If you sneeze, cough, or blow your nose into a facial tissue, toss it yourself into the trash right away.
Get all recommended shots. Immunizations aren't just for your little brother or sister. You also need certain important vaccinations to protect teen health. You probably don't know exactly where you stand with your shots, but your doctor's office does. Says Dr. Yen, "If you haven't had a shot in five years, it's time to check in with your doctor." Shots that are recommended for teens include:
Don't kiss and cough. If you're sick — or your significant other or bestie is — kissing on the mouth is a sure way to share an illness, such as mono, strep, a cold, or the flu.
Don't touch any signs of infection. Don't play doctor by touching a friend's suspicious patch of skin or oozing sore.
Annual flu shot
Meningitis
DPT or diptheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough)
HPV or human papillomavirus (a series of three shots)
Eat right. Getting enough fluids and eating a wide variety of healthy foods, like fruits, veggies, and lean proteins, will give your immune system the fuel to fight off whatever comes your way.
Get enough sleep. If you're shorting yourself on sleep, you're also making it easier for germs to sneak past your immune system.
Protecting Against Common Infections
Here are additional tips to protect against specific infections you might face:
Pinkeye. Medically known as conjunctivitis, this is a bacterial or viral infection of your eye. Avoid touching your eye, and wash your hands frequently to prevent spreading the infection. You might need an antibiotic to treat infection, if bacteria are the cause.
Colds and flu. The basics to prevention are washing your hands and avoiding close contact with friends who are sick. In turn, if you get a cold or the flu, try to avoid spreading it around. Unfortunately, since these are caused by viruses, you can only treat the symptoms - so, stay at home if possible and, when you cough or sneeze, do it into your elbow or a tissue instead of your hand.
UTIs. Urinary tract infections are painful and annoying. To avoid infection, take this simple step: Always wipe from front to back, Yen says. That should cut down on most UTIs. If you are sexually active, you can also avoid infection by urinating after intercourse to clear out possible sources of infection.
Mono. If you have mono, get a lot of rest, stay hydrated, and eat well. The only way to get through it is to treat the symptoms and try to avoid passing it on to someone else.
Sinus infections. If you have allergies, take steps to control them with your doctor's help. A humidifier in your bedroom will keep the air from being too dry and irritating your sinuses; just make sure you clean it regularly.
Lyme disease. Along with avoiding any other illness you can get from fleas, ticks, or mosquitoes, the key is to not get bitten, Yen says. Wear long sleeves and long pants, especially when taking nature hikes or bike rides. Ties or elastic cuffs are best. Use bug spray with DEET for additional protection.
Strep throat. If you follow all the basic prevention tips outlined above, you can probably avoid this painful common infection. However, if you do get it, Yen advises that you see a doctor and get needed antibiotics so you don't pass it to others or put yourself at risk for heart problems later on.
Tonsillitis. Your tonsils can get infected in the course of fighting strep throat or other types of infections. The best way to prevent tonsillitis is to prevent infection in general. If you have tonsillitis, avoid exposing others to your infection. You might need to throw out your toothbrush as you treat infection to avoid re-infecting yourself.
Athlete's foot. This common fungal infection is fairly easily avoided: Wear shower shoes whenever you share a shower in a gym, a dorm, or at camp. Also, make sure to clean out your shoes and socks if your feet get wet or sweaty.
Ringworm. Caused by fungi, this common infection looks like a "ring" of scaly skin. It's easily identified and treated, but your best bet is to avoid it. Don't touch other people's skin if it looks infected and avoid letting them touch yourringworm. Also, wash and dry clothes that often get wet, such as workout gear or swimwear.
Yes, it's a long list, but just a few simple steps, starting with regular hand hygiene, helps you avoid all of them.
Loading...
