Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [493]
Insect repellents containing certain botanical products, including oil of eucalyptus and soybean oil, are effective but last only 1½ to two hours. Products based on citronella are not effective.
Visit the Center for Disease Control’s website (CDC; wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentInsectProtection.aspx) for prevention information.
Spider Bites
Hawaii has many spiders, but only a few non-native species cause significant human illness: particularly black widow and brown recluse spiders. The black widow is black or brown in color, measuring about 15mm in body length, with a shiny top, fat body and distinctive red or orange hourglass figure on its underside. It’s found usually in woodpiles, sheds and bowls of outdoor toilets. The brown recluse spider is brown, usually 10mm in body length, with a dark violin-shaped mark on the top of the upper section of the body. It’s active mostly at night, lives in dark sheltered areas such as under porches and in woodpiles, and typically bites when trapped.
If bitten by a black widow, apply ice and go immediately to the hospital. Complications of a black widow bite may include muscle spasms, breathing difficulties and high blood pressure. The bite of a brown recluse typically causes a large, inflamed wound, sometimes associated with fever and chills. If bitten, apply ice and see a physician.
Cold
To prevent hypothermia, keep all body surfaces covered, including the head and neck. Synthetic materials such as Gore-Tex and Thinsulate provide excellent insulation. Because the body loses heat faster when wet, stay dry at all times. Change inner garments promptly when they become moist. Keep active, but get enough rest. Consume plenty of food and water. Be especially sure not to have any alcohol, and avoid caffeine and tobacco.
Watch out for the ‘Umbles’ – stumbles, mumbles, fumbles and grumbles – which are important signs of impending hypothermia. If someone appears to be developing hypothermia, insulate them from the ground, protect them from the wind, remove wet clothing or cover with a vapor barrier such as a plastic bag, and transport immediately to a warm environment and a medical facility. Warm fluids (but not coffee or tea) may be given if the person is alert enough to swallow.
Diving & Snorkeling Hazards
Divers, snorkelers and surfers should seek specialized advice before they travel, to ensure their medical kit contains treatment for coral cuts and tropical ear infections, as well as the standard problems. Divers should check their insurance covers them for decompression illness – get specialized dive insurance through an organization such as Divers Alert Network (DAN; www.diversalertnetwork.org). Have a dive medical before you leave your home country – there are certain medical conditions that are incompatible with diving that your dive operator may not always ask you about.
Heat
When it’s hot, drink plenty of fluids and avoid strenuous exercise.
Dehydration is the main contributor to heat exhaustion. Symptoms include feeling weak, headache, irritability, nausea or vomiting, sweaty skin, a fast, weak pulse and a normal or slightly elevated body temperature. Treatment involves getting out of the heat and/or sun, removing clothing that retains heat (cotton is okay), fanning continuously, laying the victim flat with legs raised and rehydrating with water containing one-quarter of a teaspoon of salt per liter. Recovery is usually rapid, though it’s common to feel weak for days afterwards.
Heatstroke is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms come on suddenly and include weakness, nausea, a hot, dry body with a body temperature of over 106°F, dizziness, confusion, loss of coordination, fits and eventually collapse and loss of consciousness. Seek medical help and commence cooling by getting