Healthy Horizons

Healthy Horizons

Category Archives: Safety

Surviving Hot Weather

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The best way to avoid a heat-related illness is to limit exposure outdoors during hot days. Air conditioning is the best way to cool off, according to the CDC. Also:

  • Drink more liquid than you think you need and avoid alcohol
  • Wear loose, lightweight clothing and a hat
  • Replace salt lost from sweating by drinking fruit juice or sports drinks
  • Avoid spending time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Wear sunscreen; sunburn affects the body’s ability to cool itself
  • Pace yourself when you run or otherwise exert your body

Heat Exhaustion

When the body loses an excessive amount of salt and water, heat exhaustion can set in. People who work outdoors and athletes are particularly susceptible.

Symptoms are similar to those of the flu and can include severe thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting and, sometimes, diarrhea. Other symptoms include profuse sweating, clammy or pale skin, dizziness, rapid pulse and normal or slightly elevated body temperature.

Uncontrolled heat exhaustion can evolve into heatstroke, so make sure to treat the victim quickly.

  • Move them to a shaded or air-conditioned area
  • Give them water or other cool, nonalcoholic beverages
  • Apply wet towels or having them take a cool shower

Heat cramps

Heat cramps are muscle spasms that usually affect the legs or abdominal muscles, often after physical activity. Excessive sweating reduces salt levels in the body, which can result in heat cramps.

Workers or athletes with pain or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs should not return to work for a few hours. Instead:

  • Sit or lie down in the shade.
  • Drink cool water or a sports drink.
  • Stretch affected muscles.
  • Seek medical attention if you have heart problems or if the cramps don’t get better in an hour.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke can occur when the ability to sweat fails and body temperature rises quickly. The brain and vital organs are effectively “cooked” as body temperature rises to a dangerous level in a matter of minutes. Heatstroke is often fatal, and those who do survive may have permanent damage to their organs.

Someone experiencing heatstroke will have extremely hot skin, and an altered mental state, ranging from slight confusion to coma. Seizures also can result. Ridding the body of excess heat is crucial for survival.

  • Move the person into a half-sitting position in the shade
  • Call for emergency medical help immediately
  • If humidity is below 75%, spray the victim with water and fan them vigorously; if humidity is above 75%, apply ice to neck, armpits or groin
  • Do not give aspirin or acetaminophen
  • Do not give the victim anything to drink

https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/heat

Avoid Risk of Dry Drowning

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As temperatures soar this summer and pool use becomes more common, stay aware of the risk of something called “Dry Drowning”.

Dry and Secondary Drowning: The Signs Every Parent Needs to Know

Most parents think the risk of drowning ends when their child exits the pool or reaches the shoreline. However, danger can linger even after a child’s swim time is over. Although rare, dry and secondary drowning incidents can occur anytime up to 24 hours later.

Mark A. Mitchell, DO, an osteopathic​ emergency medicine physician from Chicago, discusses the common signs of dry and secondary drowning and provides tips to keep you and your family safe both in and out of the water.

How does it happen?

According to Dr. Mitchell, dry and secondary drowning can occur after inhaling water through the nose or mouth. In cases of dry drowning, the water triggers a spasm in the airway, causing it to close up and impact breathing. Unlike dry drowning, delayed or secondary drowning occurs when swimmers have taken water into their lungs. The water builds up over time, eventually causing breathing difficulties.

​What Are the Warning Signs?

While symptoms of dry drowning typically occur right after a water incident, secondary drowning symptoms can appear hours after a near-drowning experience. If your child has recently had a near-drowning experience, or inhaled a large amount of water, Dr. Mitchell suggests watching them for the following signs:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Coughing
  • Sleepiness or a drop in energy level
  • Irritability
  • Chest pain
  • Vomiting

“Be attentive to sudden changes in behavior,” advises Dr. Mitchell. “Many parents don’t recognize the signs of delayed drowning because they believe their child is fatigued from a long day of swimming, or exhausted from nearly drowning.” While symptoms are often mild and improve over time, it is still important to have your child examined as a precautionary measure.

 “Treat dry or secondary drowning as a medical emergency. If you or someone you know starts exhibiting these signs, go to the hospital,” says Dr. Mitchell. Your physician can determine if airways are blocked, water is in the lungs, or oxygen levels are low. Once diagnosed, a physician will be able to provide the best treatment to restore your health.

 How can it be prevented?

To help prevent water-related injuries and emergencies, Dr. Mitchell encourages parents and caregivers to:

  • Teach water safety, including no diving in shallow waters and only swimming in areas with lifeguards.

  • Help your kids learn to swim as early as possible.

  • Ensure pools are properly guarded.

  • Warn teens of the risk of swimming under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

  • Never let children swim alone. Be vigilant when watching them swim or play around large and small bodies of water such as plastic pools or bathtubs.

  • Discourage rough play, such as head dunking, in and around water.

Staying Safe in the Water Year-Round

Like many accidents, dry and secondary drowning can be prevented. “Never let your guard down, and always be attentive to sudden changes in behavior after your child has been in the water,” says Dr. Mitchell.

http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-your-health/health-conditions-library/childrens-health/Pages/secondary-drowning.aspx

Weather Safety Tips

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golden retriever dog and puppy in a puddle with umbrella

Spring is in the air, and that means warmer weather, blooming flowers…and the potential for extreme weather conditions! Some of our favorite animals remind us of what steps we can take to keep ourselves safe if bad weather strikes.

Don’t let floods, thunderstorms, or tornadoes take you by surprise this season.

Stay informed – get a weather radio.

The National Weather Service continuously broadcasts warnings and forecasts that can be received by NOAAweather radios.

Know what to Listen For!

  • Tornado Watch: Tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms.
  • Severe Thunderstorm Watch: Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to know when warnings are issued.
  • Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.
  • Severe Thunderstorm Warning:  Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar

 

Safety at Home and On the Go

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Current alerts are available from the Indianapolis Marion County Police Department, as well as other local law enforcement groups where you can get up-to-the-minute notifications of current activity.  For the IMPD website sign-up visit:

http://indy.gov/egov/city/dps/impd/pages/home.aspx

Additionally, if you are looking for mapping options to determine place to live or risks of an area, you can do a search for crime events through the use of

http://maps.indy.gov/MapIndy/Index.html?theme=crimeviewer

Neighborhood Crime Watch Groups (Indianapolis):

 http://www.indy.gov/CrimeWatch/Pages/Home.aspx

These types of resources are also available at many of the suburban locations around the greater Indianapolis area.

 

How Does Cold Weather Affect Your Health

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As temperatures drop in the winter, weather-related health problems start to rise. “The cold weather brings a number of risks, especially for older adults,” says geriatrician Dr. Suzanne Salamon, an instructor at Harvard Medical School. Here are some of the ways you may be vulnerable this winter, and how to fight back.

At risk: Immune system

During winter months, people spend more time inside and in close contact with each other, such as in stores, malls, and restaurants. This means that the flu, coughs, and colds are more easily spread.

What you can do: “Get a flu shot, wash your hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer, and cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not your hands,” says Dr. Salamon.

At risk: Heart

Cold weather acts as a vasoconstrictor, which means it narrows blood vessels. This raises the risk of heart attack.

What you can do: Dress warmly when going out, with a hat, gloves, and a warm coat. Don’t do any strenuous activity outdoors that may stress your heart, such as shoveling snow.

At risk: Balance

Icy sidewalks can make falling easier, putting you at risk for fractures.

What you can do: Avoid slippery surfaces if possible. Wear shoes or boots with heavily textured soles that can grip surfaces. Use handrails, even if you feel you don’t need one.

At risk: Skin

Dry winter air can suck the moisture from your skin.

What you can do: Use a moisturizer with an oil base to block evaporation. Shower in lukewarm—not hot—water. Use a humidifier to replenish moisture to the skin’s top layer.

At risk: Body temperature

Older adults are at risk for hypothermia, in which the body’s internal temperature falls too low. “Even prolonged exposure to mild cold can cause it,” says Dr. Salamon.

What you can do: Bundle up if you’re going outside, and be aware of signs that your body isn’t handling the cold well, such as stiffness in the neck, arms, and legs. Call 911 if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering from hypothermia.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-does-cold-weather-affect-your-health