Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Filling the medicine cabinet for summertime
Summer is nearly here, and we all need to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Summertime sports and activities can sometimes result in minor health problems and injuries. Be prepared by keeping your medicine cabinet well-stocked. Essential items should include:
• Bandages: for scrapes, cuts, burns or sprains you should
have a supply of band-aids, gauze, stretch bandages and first aid tape.
• Topical antibiotic: Wounds should be cleaned as soon as
possible to prevent infection. I suggest cleansing with soap and water first,
rinsing well with water, and then apply antiseptic ointment like Bacitracin and
a band-aid.
• Aspirin: For pain, inflammation and fever relief. Don’t forget that chewing an aspirin at
the start of a possible heart attack can save a life.
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Unlike aspirin, Tylenol is absorbed
through the liver and as such can be taken on an empty stomach. Relieves pain fast.
• Thermometer: A
fever should be monitored closely.
Should a temperature rise above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, a doctor should
be consulted.
• Antacid: To relieve upset stomachs.
• Anti-diarrhea medicine: Diarrhea can be potentially dangerous. Consult a doctor should this condition
last for more than two days.
• Sunscreen: Preferably a cream with SPF 30 or higher. Sunscreen will protect the skin and
prevent sun burn. Re-apply every
two hours and after swimming or sweating.
• Hydrocortisone cream:
Brings relief to itchy skin due to insect bites or poison ivy. Also brings pain relief after sunburn.
• Calamine lotion: For rashes, poison ivy or poison oak.
• Cold/ice packs are good to have handy. I always made homemade ice packs by
filling a surgical glove with ice chips and tying the wrist in a knot. Ice brings relief to sore muscles. Apply to sore area for twenty minutes,
take off for twenty, then repeat.
Apply directly on the skin for sunburn or first degree burns.
• Tweezers: to remove splinters and ticks.
• Scissors: to
cut bandages.
Keep a printed list of emergency numbers on the inside of
your medicine cabinet. On this
list, include the number of your doctor, your veterinarian and the poison
control center. Print this list in
a large font so that anyone can read it without having to look for glasses
first.
With a well-stocked medicine cabinet, you will be prepared
for everything an active summer has in store.
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus
Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal
healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Make safety at home a priority
My friend and nurse colleague Gillian Mosier, RN, MSN, is
the Backus Trauma Program coordinator.
I recently asked her thoughts about the most prevalent safety issue she
encounters. Her answer shouldn’t
have surprised me. She said about
60% of all trauma cases presenting in the Emergency Department are injuries
resulting from accidental falls.
It’s disheartening to see so much pain and suffering when most accidents
are preventable.
Many scenarios can cause a fall. For older folks, eyesight, hearing and reflexes might not be
as sharp as they were when were younger.
Diabetes or heart disease can cause balance problems and numbness of
hands and feet. Some medications
can cause drowsiness or dizziness.
Discuss these issues with your primary care provider.
Regardless of age, making our homes safe should be a
priority for all of us.
On the stairs or in the hallway:
• Keep pathways free of clutter, and never leave anything on
the stairs.
• Install handrails on the stairs, tightly fastened.
• Use the handrails going up or down stairs.
• If carrying something, hold the item in one hand and use the
handrail with the other.
• Don’t let what you’re carrying block your view of the steps.
• Don’t go up or down the stairs in socks or high heels, where
you can easily slip.
• Make sure there is adequate lighting in hallways, and a
light switch at the top and bottom of the stairway.
In the bathroom:
• There should be a secure hand rail or place to grab when
getting in and out of the tub or shower. This is true for people of any age. When my son was three years old, he
slipped and fell coming out of the bathtub even though I was right there with
him. He still has the scar on his
chin to prove it.
• Place non-skid mats in the shower and on bathroom floors.
In all living areas:
• Keep electric cords near walls and away from walkways.
• Don’t stand on a chair or table to reach something that is
too high.
• Tack down all carpets and large areas rugs firmly to the
floor.
• And my personal pet peeve: Get rid of throw rugs or small area rugs. When I was a home care nurse I called
them “hip-breakers.”
Falls can’t always be prevented, but if we follow these
safety basics we can make our homes a safer place. Some of these tips are very easy fixes, yet are often
overlooked. Let’s strive to be
more accident-free. Let’s keep my
friend and nurse colleague Gillian happy by making her acquaintance in a local
restaurant instead of in the Emergency Department.
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus
Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal
healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Monday, May 05, 2014
Treat mental health illness, stop the stigma
May is Mental Health Awareness month. Many people feel that
mental illness is rare and happens to “someone else,” but the truth of the
matter is mental illness is widespread and common.
It is estimated that 54 million people in the United States suffer
from some degree of mental illness.
People commonly struggle with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder,
panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, or
other mental illnesses. The
good news is that with treatment and support services, recovery is possible.
The impact of mental illness on the family can be
severe. Even when family members
are accepting and supportive of a loved one with mental illness, they are often
reluctant to discuss it with others for fear of negative reactions. After all, myths and misconception still
surround mental illness. For many, even their closest friends may not
understand.
For example, a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, and
when she told co-workers, they were all supportive and understanding. However, when
another friend confided in co-workers that his brother was diagnosed with
paranoid schizophrenia, they said little and implied that something must be
very wrong in his family to cause this illness.
Many of these issues will be discussed at an upcoming mental
health community forum, sponsored by Backus and Windham hospitals on Friday,
May 16, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Hartford HealthCare East System Support Office,
11 Stott Ave. in Norwich. The panel forum, Can’t Keep It To Ourselves – A
Community Dialogue on Mental Illness will feature acclaimed author and mental
health advocate Wally Lamb. Pre-registration
is required by calling 860-892-6900.
Join us as we take the opportunity to hear stories, ask
questions of the experts, and work to combat the stigma associated with mental
illness.
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus
Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal
healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
