Every year I treat experienced outdoorsmen and women, skiers, snowmobilers and hunters in the ER for hypothermia. Most of them are not strangers to the hazards of Wisconsin winters, yet they consistently make one critical mistake - overestimating their body’s ability to fend off exposure to cold and wind.
To avoid hypothermia you have to protect yourself from wind, fatigue, dehydration and getting wet - be it falling in a stream or excessive sweating. One of the best preventative measures is simply dressing smart - with breathable, wicking layers. Wet or damp clothing increases heat loss - so it’s important to pace yourself to avoid excessive sweating. Also be sure to unzip or remove outer shells as you heat up, but be certain to put them back on as soon as you rest.
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As the nation debates a new health care plan, there is one critical element to consider - reducing unnecessary trips to hospital emergency rooms (ERs). According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, each year in America unnecessary trips to the ER cost $18 billion. Emergency rooms are designed for those with injuries and illnesses that demand immediate care and/or are life-threatening.
It can be difficult to know whether you should visit a walk-in clinic or an emergency room - following are some guidelines. In the event that you are uncertain whether urgent care is necessary, call your doctor. If you are unable to reach your doctor, then visit the Emergency Room.
Call 911 or immediately go to the Emergency Room if you experience the following.
As the Medical Director and co-owner of a senior assisted living complex, I appreciate the diligence necessary to prevent falls in our elderly population. It is critical that the environment is made safe and adequate staffing is available. There is good reason to do this, as a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that traumatic brain injuries in seniors can result from many of these falls.
How common are falls in the elderly? The CDC study reported that about one third of all people over the age of 65 fall each year. Nearly a third of these individuals require medical treatment because of the fall. Since 1990, there has been a 55 percent increase in recorded falls. This may be due to better surveillance and reporting, or the fact that our elderly population is growing in number each year.
As we get closer to spring, more outdoors activities will be in order. Whether one is gardening, playing baseball, or golfing, one may be at risk for a variety of musculoskeletal injuries. Shoulder problems are common, so let’s look at these injuries and treatments.
What is the rotator cuff? This is a group of four shoulder muscles deep within the shoulder girdle around the shoulder blade and collarbone that cover the shoulder blade with tendon attachments under the collarbone. The muscles of the rotator cuff provide full range of motion of the shoulder, including lifting the arm over the head, scratching the back, and rotating inward and outward.
This past week, Sean Taylor, a safety with the Washington Redskins football team, died after being shot in the upper leg. His femoral artery – the largest artery in the leg – was severed and he lost a significant amount of blood in a very short period of time. He experienced hemorrhagic shock at the crime scene and apparently never regained consciousness as he was flown to Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital – one of Florida’s finest trauma centers.
Taylor died after six hours of surgery in which surgeons attempted to repair the femoral artery. Blood was transfused into his body, but because he had lost the majority of his blood prior to arrival, it was simply too late. Hemorrhagic shock associated with trauma patients is a fairly common problem seen in emergency departments, so let’s look more closely at this potentially fatal condition.
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