Stay Safe This Season: Summer Injury Prevention Tips
Summer is a time for celebrating. This often means spending more time outdoors, enjoying cookouts, and participating in sports or other physical activities. The downside of summer is the increased risk of injury. Getting smart about summer injury prevention will help keep you safe this season.
Summer Injury Prevention: What Are the Dangers?
The Heat
The warm sunshine is one of the best parts of summer. Nonetheless, if you overdo it, the sun can quickly become your worst enemy.
Heat Stroke and Dehydration
Heat stroke and dehydration often go hand in hand. During extended periods in the heat, the CDC recommends drinking 8 oz. of water every 15 to 20 minutes.
Watch for symptoms of heat stroke, such as headache, nausea, dizziness, or disorientation. If you experience these symptoms, head to your local MD Now urgent care for dehydration treatment, including treating with the latest IV fluids for the most serious cases.
Sunburn
In 2013, Americans made nearly 34,000 trips to seek treatment for severe sunburns. Unfortunately, burns also increase the risk of developing deadly skin cancers later in life.
Finding a shady location to relax will help you avoid both the heat and a sunburn. If you have no choice but to be in direct sunlight, wear a hat and use plenty of sunblock.
Injuries
Summer activities bring increased distractions of the outdoors and one can quickly find themselves in need of wound treatment. Cuts from kitchen knives and burns from camp grills are common sources of summer mishaps. Between 2013 and 2017, 19,000 Americans sought medical treatment for burns or other injuries involving outdoor grills.
Should you or a loved one find yourself suffering from such an injury, MD Now can clean and treat minor cuts and burns, and our state-of-the-art procedure rooms allow our Physicians to suture even the more serious lacerations, avoiding you from a costly visit to the ER.
Food Poisoning
Summer picnics and potlucks can be a lot of fun, but it is important to maintain proper safety practices. Cases of food poisoning increase during the summer months. Dangerous bacteria can spread faster during hot weather. In muggy Florida, this can be a big problem. Food that sits in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit will quickly become dangerous.
Always throw away food that has been sitting out in the heat. Keep your dishes in an insulated cooler rather than placing them on a picnic table. Store raw meat in a refrigerator until you are ready to put it on the grill.
The Adventures
Summer is a time to enjoy all forms of outdoor recreation. Unfortunately, all that adventure can lead to injuries.
Stings, Bites, and Irritation from Plants and Animals
Insects are active especially during warm weather. This means more bug bites, which can lead to skin irritation. Those who enjoy the great outdoors are also at risk for exposure to poison ivy and other irritating plants.
Always be aware of your surroundings and watch for dangerous insects, such as wasps. When it comes to unfamiliar stray dogs and cats, exercise caution. Animals may be irritable when it is hot outside.
Head Injuries
Biking, hiking, skating, and other thrilling outdoor activities can make for a memorable summer. They can also lead to head injuries. You can reduce your risk by utilizing all the appropriate safety gear and researching the area you will be exploring ahead of time.
Water Injuries
Drownings and other water-related injuries increase during warm weather. Always swim with a partner to avoid a needless tragedy. If you aren’t a strong swimmer, stay in shallow areas where a lifeguard is present and always avoid diving into unknown water depths.
Take Care of Summer-Related Injuries with Help from MD Now
When it comes to summer injury prevention, accidents happen. MD Now is here to help. We’re equipped to diagnose and treat the same summer illness and injuries as the ER for a fraction of the cost and time.
Our compassionate, physician-led healthcare professionals provide:
- Diagnosis and treatment for sprains and fractures using our state-of-the-art digital X-ray technology
- Minor Surgical Procedures including Injuries needing Sutures
- Dehydration treatment with the latest IV fluids
- Treatment for other common summer-related illnesses and injuries
We make it easy for you to get back to enjoying your summer with more than 110 locations across Florida. Just walk into any of your nearest MD Now for high-quality healthcare – no appointment necessary, we can see you right NOW.