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Wellness Library- Injuries & Emergencies
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5 Exercises to Prevent an Aching Neck
5 Exercises to Prevent an Aching Neck One of the things many of us take for granted is a pain-free neck. It's only when we have a stiff or painful neck that we wish we had taken preventive measures. The exercises discussed below are to strengthen and stretch a normal neck. If you have preexisting neck pain or a spine condition, check with your health care provider before doing these exercises. There are several causes of neck pain, including poor posture and soft tissue abnormalities due to injury or we...
911 Basics: Responding to a Heart Attack
911 Basics: Responding to a Heart Attack Chest pain could be due to simple indigestion or a heart attack. Knowing what the warning signs of a heart attack are and how to respond could save a life. The following guidelines can help you make the right decisions and take the right steps when seconds count. Simple causes of chest pain Any of these conditions can cause chest pain: Indigestion usually is accompanied by burping, belching, heartburn, nausea, and a sour taste in the mouth. A panic attack usually...
A Closer Look at Bruises
A Closer Look at Bruises Bruises are a part of life. If you use your body, it's going to get bruised at some point. By the time you notice a bruise, though, it's already started to heal. A bruise, also called a contusion or a hematoma, is nothing more than bleeding that occurs under your skin or in the soft tissue beneath it. The bleeding occurs because trauma to the body has caused blood vessels to break. The blood has nowhere to go and gets trapped under the skin. There are three types of bruises: Sub...
A Serious Look at Fainting
A Serious Look at Fainting It sounds like melodrama: People hear bad news or see blood, and the next thing you know they've fainted. But it's a reality for many Americans who are prone to fainting (called "syncope" by doctors). Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness, which leads to falling down or needing to lie down, followed by spontaneous recovery. In a young, healthy person, one episode of fainting is not usually cause for alarm, although it can be a sign of a serious health condition. It is usua...
A Strategy for Scars
A Strategy for Scars You may think they're unsightly, but scars serve a purpose. They show that your body has repaired a wound. But while you're healing, you can help lessen scarring. Scars form after an injury, surgery, or lengthy chronic disease such as acne. "Many people develop scars as part of the normal healing process," says Diane Madfes, M.D., a dermatologist in New York and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Sealing a wound Scars begin to form when your body makes extra coll...
Allergies on Vacation
Allergies on Vacation If you or your child has allergies or asthma, planning can help you keep sneezes, sniffles, wheezing, and attacks under control while you're on vacation. Tips for travel The following steps can help you and your family travel safely: Meet with your doctor before you go. Let him or her know where you’re going and what medical care is available there. Work with your doctor to make sure you have what you need. Know what to do in case of an emergency reaction. Pack your allergy medicin...
Anatomy of a First Aid Kit
Anatomy of a First Aid Kit A well-stocked first aid kit is a handy thing to have. To be prepared for emergencies, keep a first aid kit in your home and another in your car. Carry a first aid kit with you or know where you can find one while you are hiking, biking, camping or boating. Learn the location of first aid kits where you work. Whether you buy a first aid kit at a drug store or put one together yourself, make sure it has all the items you may need, such as medications and emergency phone numbers...
Appendicitis: Children and Teens
Appendicitis: Children and Teens Appendicitis is an inflammation that can lead to infection of the appendix. It affects 7 percent of Americans and is the most common reason for a child to need emergency abdominal surgery, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Young people between ages 11 and 20 are most often affected. A child, especially a boy, may have a greater risk for appendicitis if someone else in the family had it. The appendix is a small, fingerlike structure attached to the l...
Avoiding Joint Injuries
Avoiding Joint Injuries Most sports-related injuries involve damage to the joints. Common joint injuries include a twisted ankle, sprained wrist, overextended elbow, and damaged knee ligaments. Fortunately, you can take steps to help prevent joint damage. When exercising for health and fitness, you can be more at risk for overuse injuries, experts say. Fortunately, you can build strength in your joints and avoid joint injuries by stretching and exercising correctly. Common injuries A sprain is a stretch...
Avoiding Non-Impact Eye Injuries
Avoiding Non-Impact Eye Injuries You may think wearing goggles is enough to protect your eyes, but many injuries can happen to your eyes that goggles won't prevent. Protecting them from the sun, dirt, dryness, and allergens is also important. Practice prevention To protect yourself and your family from eye injuries: Keep your eyes moist. Dry, windy weather, certain medications and conditions, and menopause can make your eyes more prone to irritation. Using artificial tears and cleaning the eyelids with ...
Bruise Control
Bruise Control Changes in your skin can make you prone to bruising as you get older It wasn't there yesterday. In fact, you have no idea where it came from. But today you can't miss it -- a large, ugly bruise, spreading like an ink stain over your lower arm. What's worse, these unsightly blotches are becoming more familiar as you age. Should you worry? Probably not. We bruise when blood vessels beneath our skin rupture and bleed. As alarming as these purplish marks can be, they're usually harmless. With...
Child Health Emergencies
Child Health Emergencies Having a very sick or severely injured child is a parent’s worst nightmare. If it happened to your child, would you know the best way to go about getting treatment? Knowing when to call an ambulance is important. Symptoms to heed Many emergencies involve sudden injuries caused by bicycle or car crashes, falls, burns, near drownings, electric shocks, or poisoning. If your child has any of the following signs or symptoms, remain calm and call 911: Unconsciousness, fainting, or no ...
CPR Training and You
CPR Training and You Should you bother to be trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)? Every year, about 220,000 cardiac arrests occur – when the heart stops beating. About 92 percent of people who have a cardiac arrest die before they reach the hospital – but having someone who knows CPR nearby doubles or even triples their chances of surviving. Unfortunately, fewer than one in three people who have a heart attack outside of a hospital setting get CPR on the spot. If you know CPR, you could make ...
Don't Take Your Eyes for Granted
Don't Take Your Eyes for Granted Imagine what life would be like if you couldn't see well. Reading might not be possible. Watching a movie could be tough. Focusing on the face of a loved one could drive you to tears. The number of people losing their vision is growing, yet experts say much of this vision loss could be prevented. Don't put off regular eye exams because your eyes feel fine or you don't wear glasses or contact lenses. Signs of some eye diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular deg...
Emergency Care: When Is It the Right Choice?
Emergency Care: When Is It the Right Choice? If you're sick or hurt and want help quickly, it may seem like a good idea to go to the ER for care. You may think of the ER as a source of the most immediate medical attention, but if your situation is not a real emergency, this isn't true. When you go to the ER, you can't take a number and get help according to when you arrived. Instead of getting quick service, you're bound to sit for hours in a crowded waiting room while more urgent cases are seen first. ...
Emergency Symptoms for People Who Use Insulin
Emergency Symptoms for People with Diabetes Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas either produces no insulin (type 1 diabetes) or too little or ineffective insulin (type 2 diabetes). Type 2 diabetes may also be related to insulin resistance, a condition that arises when the body's cells become less sensitive to the effects of insulin. Insulin is a substance needed to regulate blood sugar levels. People can manage diabetes with insulin, diet, exercise, and possibly other medications...
Essential Eye Protection
Essential Eye Protection Nearly one million people in the United States suffer eye injuries each year. Ninety percent of these injuries could have been prevented by wearing the proper protective eyewear. Special eyewear is needed even if you wear glasses. The following guidelines from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometric Association can help you protect yourself and your family. At home Household cleaning products, power tools, fertilizers, weed killers, power yard equipment...
Female Teen Athletes: At Risk for Injury?
Female Teen Athletes: At Risk for Injury? Teen girls who are athletes face unique obstacles when it comes to their bodies and how well they perform. Teen girls have their teen growth spurt at an earlier age than boys, and thus reach their adult height earlier. Teen girls have more body fat than teen boys, because of higher estrogen levels. Teen boys have more lean body mass because of higher androgen levels. Teen girls, even after weight training, have less upper body strength than teen boys. Estrogen's...
Fitness Tips for Weekend Warriors
Fitness Tips for Weekend Warriors Are you a weekend warrior? Do you sit at your desk during the workweek and then head to the ball field or jogging trail only on Saturdays? Exercise is good for you. But by doing it intermittently, you run the risk of a sports injury. You could be risking a sprained ankle or a pulled hamstring. An overuse injury, such as plantar fasciitis or shin splints, also could take you out of commission. “The reality is, many people with demanding jobs and busy lifestyles only have...
For Bee Stings, Remove the Stinger
For Bee Stings, Remove the Stinger Being stung by a bee or a wasp can be an overwhelming experience. Stings can cause pain and allergic reactions, but you can minimize the effects if you act fast. When a bee stings, it leaves its stinger behind. When a person is stung, the stinger and its attached poison sac continue to pump poison into the victim, even when the stinger is no longer attached to the bee. If stung by a bee, wash the area with soap and water and remove the stinger immediately by wiping gau...
For Seniors: You Can Beat the Heat
For Seniors: You Can Beat the Heat After age 65, your body can't adjust to changes in air temperature—especially heat—as quickly as it did when you were younger. That puts you at risk for heat-related illnesses. You also may be at greater risk for heat-related illnesses if you have a chronic health condition or take certain medications that interfere with normal body response to heat. Some medications also restrict the body's ability to perspire. Fortunately, you can enjoy a safe summer by taking a few ...
Heart Attacks and Women
Heart Attacks and Women According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. Heart attacks and their aftermath tend to be more deadly in women. About one-quarter more women than men die within a year of having a heart attack. This may happen because women are generally older than men when they suffer heart attacks. Also, women don't respond as well as men to the treatments usually prescribed during or after a heart attack. For many women, a heart at...
Home Remedies: What Works? What Doesn’t?
Home Remedies: What Works? What Doesn't? You might like the idea of treating common health problems with home remedies. In some cases, such as putting cool cucumber over your eyes as a beauty treatment, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. But if you're looking for relief from a serious and painful condition, like an ulcer or a urinary tract infection, it's a good idea to know whether that home remedy has any evidence behind it. Read on to learn about home remedies that could help—and those ...
How Safe Are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products?
How Safe Are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products? You may be choosy about your moisturizer, hair color product, and makeup brand—but how much time do you spend checking out the safety of those products? Cosmetics and personal care items include foundation and mascara, face and body lotion, soaps and shampoos, hair styling products, deodorant, toothpaste, hair dyes, and nail polish. And, they’re considered safe. But that doesn't mean that there aren't risks associated with their use, particularly if you...
How to Avoid Common First Aid Mistakes
How to Avoid Common First Aid Mistakes When you're scrambling to make a burn feel better or find an antidote for someone who has mistakenly swallowed a toxic chemical, you might fall back on some of the old wives' tales of first aid. Rather than helping, these common first aid mistakes can actually make matters worse. Here are a few common first aid falsehoods and what you should do instead. Mistake: Putting butter on a burn. You've probably heard the tip to put butter on a burn, but bear in mind that i...
How to Avoid Common Running Injuries
How to Avoid Common Running Injuries Running is a great way to get in shape, but it can also lead to injuries. Knowing about common injuries and how to prevent them can keep you on track toward achieving your fitness goals. Running right Experts recommend the following strategies to prevent injuries: Identify your running goals. You may choose to begin running to improve your physique, lose weight, increase cardiovascular fitness, or socialize with friends. Whatever the reason, it's a good idea to ident...
How to Avoid Sports Injuries
How to Avoid Sports Injuries Sports injuries happen when you exercise or play sports. Although not every sports injury can be prevented, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) says that injury rates could be reduced if all athletes—professionals and amateurs—followed essential safety, conditioning, and preventive strategies. Most people who experience sports injuries have one or both of these in common: A history of injury. Previous injuries often develop into ...
How to Prevent Back Pain at Work
How to Prevent Back Pain at Work People who work in certain occupations, such as nursing, are likely to have back pain. But so can folks who work in an office every day if they don’t take proactive steps to protect their backs. “Most adults have some spinal degeneration, a drying out of the discs and arthritic changes in their spines due to age,” says Alan Hilibrand, M.D., a spine surgeon at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia and vice chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons communica...
How to Recover From a Back Injury
How to Recover From a Back Injury Back pain is something you don't want to repeat. Recovering properly from a back injury and taking preventive measures can help you reduce your risk of going through it again. Note your symptoms Minor back pain often resolves itself within a day or two. If your pain persists, however, talk to an orthopedic surgeon or your family doctor. He or she will examine you, note how your body moves, determine whether you have any pain down your legs and take a medical history. Ta...
How to Respond to a Medical Emergency
How to Respond to a Medical Emergency Knowing what to do if someone you're with is bleeding profusely or appears to be having a heart attack could save the person's life. Taking a standard first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) class can help prepare you for most medical emergencies. The National Safety Council, American Red Cross, American Heart Association, and many hospitals offer classes in convenient locations. The following suggestions can help you respond appropriately. Burns First-deg...
How to Respond to an Eye Injury
How to Respond to an Eye Injury If you suffer a serious eye injury, what you don't do immediately afterward may help more than what you do. The main error of first aid to the eye is poking around when you don't know what you're doing. There's very little that an inexperienced person can do without causing trouble -except in the case of a chemical burn. For any eye injury, a knowledgeable approach can mean the difference between temporary or permanent injury. Cuts A cut on the eye is not uncommon among w...
How to Stay Out of the ER
How to Stay Out of the Emergency Department Emergency Departments (ED) are becoming more crowded and, as a result, patients are being required to wait longer for care. We can all help reduce the complications of this by visiting the ED only when we have an urgent medical problem. Emergency treatment costs significantly more than a doctor visit. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 10 percent of ED visits every year are for non-urgent medical problems. It is important to ...
In Case of Emergency...Be Ready for Anything
In Case of Emergency...Be Ready for Anything You may not want to think about it, but wherever you live you could someday face the wrath of nature—or man. You shouldn't duck this subject until you're dealing with the threat or the aftermath of a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, fire, avalanche, or even a terrorist attack. In the hurried confusion, you're likely to miss important items as you prepare your home or leave to seek shelter. Experts at the American Red Cross (ARC) and the Federal Emergenc...
Injuries Plague Athletic Baby Boomers
Injuries Plague Athletic Baby Boomers From master runners to members of over-50 basketball leagues, baby boomers are proving that age is no reason to drop a favorite sport. Clarence Shields, M.D., a past president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, routinely treats boomers and older athletes. "People are living longer, they are trying to be active longer, and the level of intensity they want to compete at is very high," he says. But as we age, our bodies change. Knee joints have le...
Just Do It—But Don't Overdo It
Just Do It— But Don't Overdo It Exercise is good for you. You're probably sick of hearing that message. But did you know too much exercise can make you sick? In a study at the Los Angeles marathon, runners who finished fell victim to a cold, flu or other virus at a rate six times greater than a group that didn't race. The proof of exercise's benefits is overwhelming. Still, there's such a thing as too much exercise. "Exercise, like any good thing, can be carried too far," says David Nieman, Ph.D., a hea...
Keep an Eye on These Symptoms
Keep an Eye on These Symptoms If you're constantly worried that every headache or spot on your skin means you've been stricken with a dreaded disease, get your facts straight so you can stop panicking unnecessarily. On the other hand, it’s important to be aware of a number of signs that can alert you to a serious health problem. Want to know what you should really be worrying about? Check out these symptoms that shouldn't be ignored. Chest pain This is really a no-brainer—chest pain should always get yo...
Knees Are Casualties of Women's Sports
Knees Are Casualties of Women's Sports Active women are at least twice as likely to suffer serious knee injuries as men, but it's not just athletes who are at risk. Although female athletes at the high school and college level suffer serious knee injuries, women who play recreational volleyball or participate in step aerobics also can injure their knees, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). A mother who carries her child down a flight of steps and misses the last step also can injur...
Know When a Bandage Will Suffice
Know When a Bandage Will Suffice Bandages are a matter-of-fact part of everyday life, an easy treatment for minor wounds. The first pre-packaged bandage was available in the 1920s from Johnson and Johnson. According to the company, a cotton buyer in the purchasing department of the New Brunswick, N.J., company was frustrated when his wife repeatedly sliced her fingertips while working in the kitchen. He placed a bit of cotton on the sticky side of a thin strip of adhesive tape and covered the whole leng...
Little League Goes to Bat for Safety
Little League Goes to Bat for Safety Baseball is known for timeless traditions, but some modern retooling may help keep young players safer. That's why Little League Baseball has amended the rules for its participants. The changes began with the fall 2008 season with mandatory pitch count limits. Pitchers ages 7 to 8 can throw no more than 50 pitches a game. That pitcher can't change to the catcher position for the rest of that day. Pitchers ages 15 to 18 throwing 31 to 45 pitches must have a day of res...
Living Wills Offer Peace of Mind
Living Wills Offer Peace of Mind A living will tells others how you want to be treated when it comes to life-sustaining measures. It is used when a person becomes terminally ill or unable to communicate or make decisions, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) says. Such a will doesn't always tell doctors to withhold or end treatment. In fact, it can call for treatment to go on regardless of your medical condition. Having a living will protects your rights as a patient and means that your family or friends...
Massage Therapy for Back Pain
Massage Therapy for Back Pain Many American adults seek medical treatment for back pain at some point in their lives. In fact, it's estimated that eight out of 10 people will experience back pain and that it's one of the most common medical problems. When traditional medicine doesn't relieve the pain, many people turn to alternative treatments such as massage therapy. The treatment is tailored specifically to each individual's needs, and the therapist is responsible for determining the appropriate touch...
New Parents...Sore Backs
Baby and Your Back: Safe Lifting Babies can be hazardous to your health—your back health. When it comes to parenting, back injury is an occupational hazard. New mothers, whose backs have just endured the stresses of pregnancy and birth, are particularly vulnerable. So are taller fathers and mothers who must bend farther than others to scoop up tots from playpens. And think about this: When you place a baby in a car seat, you often break every rule of back health by holding the child at arm's length whil...
Offsite Health Care Options
Offsite Health Care Options If you have a nasty cut on your finger, need surgery, or have the flu and want immediate treatment, where do you go for care? Traditionally, you'd head for the hospital or your doctor’s office. Now you have more choices. Many forms of emergency treatment take place outside the emergency room, and even many surgeries are performed in locations other than a hospital operating room. Where you choose to be treated will make a difference not only in terms of convenience, but also ...
Olympian Advice on Preventing Sports Injuries
Olympian Advice on Preventing Sports Injuries Neither Olympians nor weekend warriors are immune to tendonitis, ankle sprains, low back problems, and knee pain. Although common, these injuries often can be prevented with proper conditioning. "Activities like tennis, softball, cycling, volleyball, or basketball can cause people to exert a lot of pressure on their muscles and joints," says Scott A. Rodeo, M.D., a former competitive swimmer who was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Committee medical staff. ...
Planning Ahead for Travel Emergencies
Planning Ahead for Travel Emergencies Whether you're headed for the beach, the outback, or the big city for your summer vacation, you should add a few more items to your to-do list so that you are fully prepared to travel. Taking time before your departure to plan ahead for possible medical emergencies and everyday health and medication needs is just as important as making plane and hotel reservations. The following suggestions can help ensure you and your family have a healthy and happy vacation. Road ...
Protecting Your Child from Sports Injuries
Protecting Your Child from Sports Injuries Most children depend on recreational and school sports for exercise and fun. But too many young athletes suffer needless injuries. Each year, more than 3.5 million children suffer sports-related injuries severe enough to require emergency-room treatment. Sports are the second-most frequent cause of injury to teenagers, although, after puberty, boys are more likely to be hurt than girls of the same age. Any physical activity involves some risks, but injury rates...
Put a Stop to Nerve Injuries Called Stingers
Put a Stop to Nerve Injuries Called Stingers Body-jarring moves are part of the game for football players, wrestlers, and others who play contact sports. They're also the most common cause of stingers , painful electrical sensations radiating through one of the arms. These painful injuries affect the nerves in the neck and shoulders, or those in the neck that branch off from the spinal cord, according to the North American Spine Society (NASS). Stingers occur when the shoulder and head go in opposite di...
Save That Tooth!
Act Quickly: Save That Tooth! Your 7-year-old daughter is riding her bicycle and wearing her helmet. She's the picture of safety, right? Seconds later, she comes through the door crying. You see a gaping hole formerly occupied by one of her permanent teeth. What do you do? Timing is critical Comfort your daughter, but move quickly. Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Find the tooth. If the tooth fell out, track it down. Treat it with c...
Save Your Child From Injuries
Save Your Child From Injuries Every day, injuries send 25,000 children to emergency rooms. Simple precautions could head off most of those trips. "The biggest thing is prevention," says Rick Blum, M.D., president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. "You can't prevent most medical emergencies, but you can prevent many injuries." At routine visits, your pediatrician can offer safety tips that fit your child's age. Here's some general advice: Use safety seats or seatbelts in the car. Make sure...
Self-Treat? Or See a Doctor?
Self-Treat? Or See a Doctor? When you’re sick, knowing whether you should treat yourself at home or see your doctor can save you time and hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars a year. For example, you could treat a head cold by taking a $6 over-the-counter (OTC) medication for congestion and cough. The bill just for walking in the door of your doctor’s office could be $50 to $80 or more. Even if you only have to pay $10 to $20 in co-pay for an office visit, using an OTC medication still saves you -- ...
Softball's Most Dangerous Move: The Slide
Softball's Most Dangerous Move: The Slide Sliding in to base is one of the most dangerous moves in softball. The best way to eliminate sliding injuries is to use bases designed to pop loose when they are struck too hard. These breakaway bags could eliminate up to 96 percent of sliding injuries. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1.7 million injuries and $2 billion in health care costs could be avoided if breakaway bases were used. Maybe some day all the nation's ...
Soothing that Sunburn
Soothing that Sunburn You know that too much sun is bad and can lead to a variety of skin problems—even skin cancer. But no matter how careful you try to be, there may be occasions when your unexpected reward for a great day at the beach is sleep-robbing sunburn. So how do you treat a mild sunburn? There are a variety of commercial products. But there are hundreds of home remedies, too. Everyone, it seems, has a favorite. Some say yogurt is good for a sunburn. Others recommend wet tea bags. And still ot...
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury What is an acute spinal cord injury? Click Image to Enlarge The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is due to a traumatic injury that can either result in a bruise (also called a contusion), a partial tear, or a complete tear (called a transection) in the spinal cord. SCI is more common in men and young adults. There are about 12,000 new cases of SCI each year. The number of people in the U....
Sports Injuries: When to Call the Doctor
Sports Injuries: When to Call the Doctor Sports injuries can be either acute traumatic, which require immediate medical care, or chronic overuse injuries. When should you treat a sports injury yourself, and when should you stop playing until you see a doctor? Here are a few sports injuries that you should know about. Head injuries or concussions Don't take chances with a concussion or any other head injury. The brain is composed of tissue with the consistency of gelatin and is normally cushioned by spin...
Sports-Related Knee Injuries
Sports-Related Knee Injuries Skiers, football players, aerobic dancers, step-class participants, and athletes who play basketball, tennis and racquetball all have one thing in common—a propensity for knee injuries. Your knee joint is a joint where the femur (thigh bone) meets the tibia (shinbone). Muscles and ligaments hold the bones together. The surfaces of the ends of the femur and tibia are separated by a crescent-shaped layer of cartilage called the meniscus that prevents them from rubbing on each ...
Sprained Ankles Need Attention
Sprained Ankles Need Attention Sprained ankles are one of the most common injuries seen in doctor's offices and emergency departments every day. When you sprain an ankle, one or more ligaments of your ankle become stretched or torn. Ankle sprains most often occur when your toes are on the ground, but your heel is up and you are walking on an uneven surface. Your ankle can turn inward, damaging the ligaments. Ligaments of the ankle allow mechanical stability, motion of the joint, and provide a sense of w...
Sprains, Strains, Breaks: What’s the Difference?
Sprains, Strains, Breaks: What’s the Difference? If you've sprained your ankle, you know what severe pain is. But maybe that "sprain" was a "strain" or possibly even a "break." The amount of pain in each case can be virtually equal, so oftentimes the only way to find out what you have is to see a doctor. Just the facts Here are some facts on musculoskeletal injuries: Sprains are a stretch and/or tear of a ligament, the tissue connecting two bones. Ligaments stabilize and support the body's joints. For e...
Taking Care of Cuts and Scrapes
Taking Care of Cuts and Scrapes Cuts and scrapes are everyday occurrences, and most can be safely treated at home. Knowing how to clean and care for a cut yourself and when to seek a doctor’s care can help reduce infection and speed healing. Home care for minor cuts According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, minor cuts can be safely treated at home. Here's how to tell if a cut needs medical attention: It is deep enough that you can see fat, muscle, or bone. The wound has jagged edges or edg...
Taking Care of Head Injuries
Taking Care of Head Injuries Head trauma can cause swelling inside the brain. This can lead to a potentially deadly increase in pressure inside the skull. Head injury also can seriously damage brain cells. Each year in the United States, head injuries result in more than 1 million emergency room visits and more than 50,000 deaths, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). In addition, approximately 230,000 people are hospitalized for traumatic brain injury in the ...
The Best Ways to Treat, Prevent Tendonitis
The Best Ways to Treat, Prevent Tendonitis Tennis elbow, quarterback shoulder, and jumper's knee are forms of tendonitis, a painful but preventable injury. Tendonitis is your body's way of telling you, "Enough! You're putting too much stress on this muscle and joint." Tendons are connective tissues that hold muscles to your bones. When muscles contract, tendons react, causing bones to move. Too much stress on joints can tear and inflame tendons, says the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The tissu...
The New Face of Aging
The New Face of Aging The first baby boomers have turned 60, an age once linked with rocking chairs, reading glasses and rheumatism. This new wave of seniors is more likely to join in fitness classes, yoga and weight training than shuffleboard , with the hopes of staying healthy well into old age. Where their parents may have focused on surviving into old age, boomers have shifted their emphasis to quality of life: how to remain independent in old age by not only preventing disease, but also maintaining...
Treating Minor Childhood Injuries
Treating Minor Childhood Injuries Sports and other physical activities can help kids stay healthy and physically fit, but they can also occasionally result in injuries. Scrapes and sprains are a fact of life for most children, so it’s good to know what to do when they come home with a minor injury. Scrapes and cuts When a child gets a scrape or cut, the flow of blood can make even a minor cut look like an emergency. Minor injuries should stop bleeding after a few minutes. The American Academy of Pediatr...
Watch that Backpack Load
Watch that Backpack Load When your child acts as if she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, maybe you should check her backpack. Overloaded or poor-fitting backpacks can hurt girls and boys. Children can hurt themselves by using poor postures—arching the back, bending forward, twisting, or leaning to one side—while hefting a heavy backpack. Such postures can skew the spine’s alignment so its disks can’t absorb shocks as they should. Overloaded backpacks also place stress on muscles and ...
Weighing the Risks, Benefits of Back Surgery
Weighing the Risks, Benefits of Back Surgery Millions of people experience back problems that cause pain or disability. Of these, a small number will seek relief through surgery. "Spine surgery is less invasive and recovery is much faster than it was 10 to 15 years ago. Still, it's a major procedure most people choose only as a last resort," says Thomas J. Errico, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in New York City. The reasons for back surgery typically vary with a person's age: Teens may consider surgery to ...
What to Do About a Pain in the Neck
What to Do About a Pain in the Neck The neck is the most flexible part of the spine, but because it isn’t well-protected by muscles, it’s also easy to injure. Neck pain can result from many different causes--from arthritis to inflammatory disease. Causes of neck pain and problems may include the following: Injury (damage to the muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments) Stress Herniated cervical disk Arthritis (i.e., osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis) Congenital abnormalities of the vertebrae and bones Tumo...
What to Do if Someone Collapses
Know What to Do If Someone Collapses Would you know what to do if a friend or acquaintance collapsed while you were there? Knowing how to respond in such a situation is crucial to the person's recovery. Medically speaking, a collapse does not necessarily mean a sudden, unconscious fall to the ground. It can mean a range of dramatic changes in one's consciousness and behavior. The person may suddenly stop talking or become unresponsive. If a person collapses and doesn't respond after being shaken, call 9...
What to Do if You Get Something in Your Eye
What to Do if You Get Something in Your Eye When you get something in your eye, you may feel an impulse to rub furiously until the dust or dirt is gone. Don't. Rubbing the eyelid can drag foreign bodies across the cornea, causing increased irritation and possibly scratching the cornea. The cornea, the clear portion of the eye covering the iris and pupil, has lots of nerve endings and is very sensitive. Scratching the cornea can cause excruciating pain, as many contact lens wearers know. In addition, vig...
What to Expect in the Emergency Room
What to Expect in the Emergency Room A trip to an emergency room (ER) is something you or a loved one may never have to face. Because ERs in the United States treated 136 million patients in 2009, up from 96.5 million in 1995. However, there is a good chance you will see the inside of an ER at some time in your life. In the interest of protecting yourself, it's best to learn about emergency medicine before you find yourself in an ER. How ambulances work A private company, a government agency or an indiv...
What You Can Do About Dog Bites
What You Can Do About Dog Bites Dogs are more than pets; they are family. But, even well-behaved dogs can bite. In fact, half of the dog bites that occur every year are by the family pet, according to National Library of Medicine (NLM). Dogs are responsible for most animal bites. And most of these biting dogs are pets belonging to family and friends. But, many incidents can be avoided. Teaching children how to stay safe is especially important, because they’re most likely to be bitten. Warning signs Som...
What You Must Know About Suicide
What You Must Know About Suicide In 2007, over 34,000 Americans committed suicide, making it the tenth leading cause of death. At one person every 16 minutes, it’s a national tragedy, but one each of us can help prevent. Depression is the major underlying cause of suicide. Understanding and recognizing the warning signs of depression, and suicidal behavior, are helpful in preventing suicide. The following answers to important questions can help you understand suicide and take steps to stop it. The reaso...
What You Need to Know About Burn Prevention
What You Need to Know About Burn Prevention Hot water Scalding burns are the most common ones in younger children, the Burn Institute says. These burns often occur when a toddler knocks over a coffee cup, grabs the handle of a pot of boiling water on the stove, or is exposed to hot water. These are steps you can take to prevent hot water burns: Set the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees F. Test bath water before putting your child in the tub. Don’t carry hot liquids or foods near your c...
When to Call the Doctor for Childhood Illnesses
When to Call the Doctor for Childhood Illnesses Many childhood illnesses, including colds and stomachaches, are mild enough to be treated at home. But what about when the symptoms are more severe? When should you call the doctor? Treat at home In most cases, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, you can treat your children yourself if they have the following conditions: Cold or flu Mild fever Stomachache Vomiting and/or diarrhea Headache Minor cuts and scrapes Poison ivy or oak If you have questions ...
Winter's Cool Advice: Watch Out for Hypothermia
Winter Advice: Beware Hypothermia Winter can be fun. Think of skiing, sledding, and snowboarding. Winter can be annoying. Think of dead car batteries and shoveling the walk. And winter can be dangerous. Think of, and be prepared for, hypothermia and frostbite. It's not just the back country hiker or winter fisherman who's at risk for cold-weather problems. Anyone who doesn't dress warmly enough or gets overheated then chilled while outside risks developing hypothermia. Hypothermia, or abnormally low bod...
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SEARCH HEALTH LIBRARY
FIND A PHYSICIAN
WELLNESS LECTURES & EVENTS
CONTACT US
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Visit Us
2170 South Ave.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
96150
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