The majority of insect bites/stings can be managed at home and should heal within 3 - 5 days. They tend to cause a round, red, swollen lump that can be painful (typically with insect stings) or itchy (typically with insect bites). Some insects can bite a number of times, causing multiple lumps across an area of the body. There may be a small allergic reaction to the bite or sting, which will be seen as a wider red/swollen ring around the bites. The most common stings are from bees and wasps. In a small number of people, an insect sting can cause a serious and dangerous allergic reaction (known to medical professionals as anaphylaxis). The symptoms of this can be feeling dizzy, sick, or faint, and swelling, particularly in the mouth and face resulting in difficulty breathing. If you suspect this is happening, call 911 immediately.

Dog bites are common and often occur to the hands, forearms or lower legs. Dog saliva carries lots of bacteria, and there’s a risk of infection if the bite has broken the skin. So if a dog has bitten you or your child, give it a thorough look, and seek medical attention if there is a puncture wound, as it is likely to need antibiotics. Dog bites are the most common animal bites – from your own pet or that of a neighbor’s - but the same advice here applies to cat bites or other domestic animals.

Bluebottle jellyfish are common along the southeastern beaches of Australia and often sting bathers. Typically, these stings resolve with little intervention, but there are some self-care treatments that can help speed up the process.

Bedbugs are tiny insects that cause an intense itch and can be troublesome to get rid of as they live in clothing, bedding, mattresses, and any other soft furnishings at home. They feed on blood to survive, and when they bite, they inject a local anesthetic that numbs the area so you won't feel it. It's this that causes the irritation. They're a real nuisance, but they don't carry specific diseases to pose a threat to your health. Infestations range from light, with a couple of bites in a week, to heavy, with 40 or 50 bites in a night. More severe infestations are likely to need pest control to decontaminate your home.

Hives are also known as urticaria or nettle rash. Red raised circular marks appear called wheals, which resemble a dartboard bullseye. These are usually intensely itchy, and may also sting or burn. Wheals appear anywhere on the body within minutes to hours of meeting an allergen or irritant. Antihistamine tablets or creams can reduce the reaction, and cooling agents and moisturizers can calm the itch. The wheals should disappear within 24 hours, although redness or a form of bruising may persist. Hives are not contagious, and cannot be passed on.

Dr Kandi explains the pinch test, and how it can help you detect whether you're adequately hydrated.

Ensuring adequate hydration to help our bodies remain healthy can be a tough task, especially in hot conditions, and during strenuous activities or exercise. Hot temperatures and increased water and salt losses can lead to dehydration. Mild dehydration may be felt as thirst, headache, mild dizziness, reduced need to urinate, and dry skin. In its more severe form, dehydration can result in reduced alertness, fatigue, muscle cramps, loss of consciousness, and long-term damage to your kidneys.

Hydration, in its simplest form, is to supply and retain water in the body's tissues. Take in too little water, and you risk dehydration, making it hard for the body to carry out essential functions. And with loss of water, you lose essential salts and minerals, causing further turmoil in your body. We've all experienced mild dehydration at times, like when the weather is hot, or we are doing a sweaty workout. Fighting a fever or a stomach bug also leaves you lacking hydration. But you might have overlooked the toll a flight can take on your body. An airline cabin draws air in from the upper atmosphere for us to breathe in, and this is very dry. The cabin air can be less humid than the Sahara Desert, and you actually lose water through your breath. Telling signs can be a dry feeling in your nose and throat, your contact lenses feeling scratchy, and you might be passing urine less, or it's dark and strong-smelling. You might feel thirsty, but this is actually a late sign, as when thirst sets in, your body is already 2% dehydrated. You need to work hard to replace this. Your body will work best if you can plan ahead to avoid dehydration, rather than playing catch-up. If you're traveling with little ones, they have a higher body surface area and breathe a bit faster, so they can become dehydrated even more quickly, and salt imbalance follows. It can be tempting to let them snooze through the flight (and give you some peace), but feeling tired and sleepy can also be a sign of dehydration, so make sure they have topped up before nodding off.

Exercise depletes fluids and salts through sweating, breathing fast and hard, and making muscles work to their absolute maximum. There are so many products that go beyond plain old water, the choice can be bewildering, so what’s going to fuel your gym session or get you through your triathlon? Our pharmacist is here to cut through the big claims and let you know what’s behind the label.

Jellyfish are common. The majority of jellyfish either have no sting or a mild to moderate sting, and many of those in US waters do not have life-threatening toxins in their sting. The sting from a jellyfish comes from its tentacles and you may be stung if you touch or swim by them. This will bring on a painful, burning or stinging sensation and redness or raised red areas of skin. Even when a jellyfish is washed up on the beach it still could sting you so it’s best to avoid touching or handling them. Wearing a wetsuit and wetsuit shoes can help lessen any exposed skin that could be stung. Jellyfish tend to float about in groups so be aware and move away if you can when you see one. In the US the box jellyfish has the most painful sting. It's sometimes found on the coasts of Florida or Hawaii and is distinctive by its box or bell shape. The infamous Portuguese man o' war is also large and has a light purple rounded sac. It floats on the water with long tentacles. Despite appearances, it's technically a species closely related to, but not classified as, a jellyfish, but can give a nasty sting or even debilitate a swimmer. You may also get stomach ache, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Sea urchins are black spiked marine life that are found in the rock pools along our shores. Their positioning in dark submerged spots within popular swimming spots means sea urchin spine punctures are common, particularly in feet. They cause pain and inflammation but often do not need medical treatment.

Sunburn is when excessive exposure to the sun damages the skin causing it to become red, inflamed, and painful. The majority of cases can be self-treated. Sunburn is an example of a first-degree (superficial) burn - the skin is red, painful and very sensitive to touch, and the damaged skin may be slightly moist from leakage of the fluid in the deeper layers of the skin. Sunburn, caused by the UVB rays in sunlight, is common, but it also increases your risk of developing skin cancer later in life, so it's important to avoid this by using sun-safe practices. These include using adequate sun cream (SPF 30 and above, UVA and UVB protection), covering up with hats and clothes, and avoiding the sun altogether on summer days between 11 am and 3 pm.