Carbon monoxide season is here
Newswise — DALLAS – November 2016 – Fall weather brings a sharp increase in carbon monoxide poisonings. As people turn on heating systems and light up fireplaces for the first time in months, the potential for carbon monoxide buildup in homes rises.“Hundreds of people die every year of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, which is particularly sad because it’s so easily preventable,” says Dr. Deborah Diercks, Chairman of Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Carbon monoxide is produced any time you burn fuel in cars, trucks, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, or furnaces.”
Carbon monoxide exposure causes nausea, headache, sleepiness and, ultimately, death. You can’t rely on your nose to detect carbon monoxide, since it’s odorless, so a working carbon monoxide detector in your home is important.
To help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:•Have your heating system checked once a year by a qualified technician.•Have your chimney cleaned annually to be sure it’s clear of debris and vents properly.•Don’t use a gas range or oven to heat your home.•Don’t use charcoal grills or camp stoves indoors.•Don’t use a gas generator inside your home or garage.•Don’t use homemade patches, such as duct tape, to repair a vent pipe.
Fall ‘color’ can trigger mold allergies
DALLAS – November 2016 – Autumn can be a wonderful time for walking in the woods and taking in the beauty of nature but for children with asthma, kicking up leaves could also kick up mold allergies.
“Although relatively rare, about 2 percent of children with asthma have an allergic reaction to fungus called allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA),” says UT Southwestern Medical Center Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Dr. Min Lee, a specialist in allergies and asthma. “These children often present with worsening asthma symptoms and other symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and bloody sputum.”
Mold is found all around us, but is especially prevalent in decaying leaves and other decaying vegetation, and mold spores are easily dispersed in dry and windy weather, says Dr. Lee, also with Children’s Health in Dallas.
Children and adults with mold-triggered asthma should avoid activities like playing in leaves, raking leaves, and turning compost piles, another common source of mold. If these activities can’t be avoided, wear an N95 mask, which can be easily purchased in hardware or home improvement stores.
Avoid ski-related injuries
DALLAS – November 2016 – If winter means you’re headed to the slopes, UT Southwestern Medical Center’s sports medicine physicians remind you that preparation is critical to avoiding injuries.
Getting in shape before you hit the ski trails is among the best preparation, especially if you haven’t been skiing in a while, says Robert Dimeff, M.D., medical director of sports medicine at UT Southwestern. Exercises to strengthen the core are crucial. Abdominal, lower back, hip, and lower leg muscle strengthening typically is advised. This may include abdominal crunches, back extensions, squats, lunges, and balance exercises.
“However, any exercise regimen should be coordinated with your primary care physician, or a sports medicine specialist for more advanced athletes, to be sure it takes into account your health history,” says Dr. Dimeff, who advises professional athletes and teams.
Injuries are more frequently reported when skiers are fatigued, such as at the end of the day or the end of a ski vacation week, as well as in the early morning, when skiers have not yet warmed up, according to the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM). Aerobic workouts can assist in improving stamina and reducing fatigue, though again, it’s important to talk with a physician first, Dr. Dimeff says.
Here are some other tips to help prevent or lessen the severity of common ski-related injuries:•If you have never tried skiing, take time to learn techniques for moving, stopping, and falling from a professional instructor, rather than just relying on haphazard tips from friends. Pick an easy, starter slope that’s aimed at others also learning how to ski.•Check to make sure that your ski binding is working properly prior to your vacation and then perform a self-release test at the start of each day. Check with the ski shop experts if you are uncertain of proper settings.•Wear a helmet to help protect against head injuries, which are the most common cause of death in ski-related accidents, according to the AOSSM.•Drop your ski pole when you fall to avoid thumb and hand injuries, one of the most common injuries among skiers, according to the sports medicine society.•Avoid alcohol and other drugs, including stimulants, which can interfere with your performance, slow response times, or make you jittery or nervous.
A game plan for preventing staph infections
DALLAS – November 2016 – Participation in school athletics should include a program for personal hygiene to help avoid staph infections and the more severe methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (known as MRSA) bacteria.
Football players and wrestlers should be particularly wary. Studies by the Texas Department of State Health Services have found that the staph infection rate among football players was 16 times the national average.
Signs of infections include reddening of the skin, swelling or pus around sores, abrasions, or cuts. The sores may be mistaken for spider or bug bites.
“Have your athlete check in the mirror for any unusual red spots or lesions, particularly those that don’t seem to be healing, and don’t be afraid to alert the athletic trainer or coaches to any issues so it doesn’t spread to others,” says Dr. Robert Dimeff, medical director of sports medicine at UT Southwestern.
If the skin is broken, wash the wound immediately with soap and warm water, then dry off the wound and ensure it is properly bandaged.
To help reduce the potential for infection:•Keep hands clean by washing them thoroughly with soap and water or antibacterial hand sanitizer.•Avoid sharing towels, deodorant, razors, or other items that touch bare skin.•Put a clean towel on the bench when weight training or using other shared equipment.•If you see a sore on one of your teammates, alert them, your athletic trainer, and your coaches so that it can be evaluated.
Don’t try to outrun that rage
DALLAS – November 2016 – The next time you’re boiling mad, find a way to chill out before you hit the gym. Go for a pleasant walk instead of pounding a punching bag.
A recent study in the journal Circulation found that the combination of emotional stress caused by rage and the physical stress caused by an intense workout can double the risk of a heart attack. This caution is particularly so for individuals who have pre-existing heart disease.
“Whereas exercise is powerful medicine, good for you in many ways, it must be approached with prudence and sometimes initiated under medical supervision,” says Dr. Joseph Hill, Chief of Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and editor-in-chief of Circulation. “This study suggests that the confluence of multiple heart stressors can add up and predispose to harm.”
Which is not to say that you have an excuse for sloth now. Years and years of population health studies have provided a mountain of evidence for the benefits of regular aerobic exercise on heart health. It’s simply a matter of timing: During moments when you are in the grips of extreme emotion – anger, grief – find ways to cope other than intense exercise.
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