Stay Safe, Prevent Injuries!

Any harm or damage caused by accidents, falls, hits, and weapons is known as injury. You can get injured at work or play, indoors or outdoors, while driving a car or walking across the street. Accidents happen, but there are things you can do to prevent getting injured.

Fast Facts:

• Falls account for more than 40 percent of non-fatal injuries.
• Motorists without helmets are 40 percent more likely to die from a head injury.

What are common injuries?

• Animal bites
• Wounds
• Bruises
• Burns
• Dislocations
• Electrical injuries
• Fractures
• Sprains and strains

How to prevent common injuries?

Animal Bites

Household pets like dogs and cats are responsible for maximum cases of animal bites. They can be managed by following these guidelines:

• If the bite breaks the skin, wash the area with soap and water, apply an antibiotic cream, and cover it with a clean bandage.
• Get a tetanus shot, preferably within 48 hours of getting bitten.
• If the wound is bleeding, apply pressure to stop the bleeding and get medical attention right away.
• Never leave young children unattended with animals.
• If you have not had a tetanus shot in the past ten years, get one.

Household burns

Follow these steps to protect your family and avoid a trip to the emergency department due to burns:

• Do not leave hot coffee on tables or countertop edges.
• Cover unused electric outlets with safety caps.
• Do not put water on a grease fire.
• Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach in a locked cabinet.
• Keep fire extinguishers on every floor of your house and a working smoke detector.

Falls

Unintentional falls are the leading injury-related reason people seek emergency care but they can be prevented by keeping the following points in mind.

• Don’t leave objects on the stairs or walkways.
• Use nightlights in the bedroom, hall and bathroom.
• Remove throw rugs and tack down other rugs to avoid tripping.
• Be sure the bottom of the tub or shower has a non-skid surface.
• Cover play areas with paddings such as shredded mulch, wood chips, gravel or fine sand.

Protect yourself from other injuries

• Stay away from damaged buildings or structures until they have been examined and certified as safe by an expert.
• Leave immediately if you smell gas or suspect a leak.
• Avoid lifting any heavy material alone.
• Wear safety and protective gear for clean-up work.
• Wear earplugs or protective headphones to reduce risk from equipment noise.

Did you know?

For older adults, unintentional falls are associated with lower-body weakness, problems with balance and walking, visual impairment, chronic illness or a history of stroke. [av_promobox button='yes' label='Schedule a Home Healthcare Visit' link='https://www.medibuddy.in/?utm_source=blog_cta&utm_medium=blog' link_target='' color='blue' custom_bg='#f00' custom_font='#ffffff' size='small' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello']If your injury requires you to stay at home, arrange for a Home Healthcare Visit on MediBuddy[/av_promobox]

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Nov 29, 2016. 2. Emergency Care for you. Accessed Nov 30, 2016. 3. British Medical Journal. Accessed Nov 30, 2016.