How to Treat an Electrical Burn

Do you know how to treat a person who has sustained an electrical burn? The person will need medical attention but there are some things you can do to assist the individual while medical personnel arrive.

Overview

An electrical burn occurs when a person comes in contact with an electrical source and current passes through their body. The burns they may sustain can range from a minor first degree burn to a severe third degree burn.
The type of burn they may experience depends highly on the voltage of electricity, the length of time they came in contact with the current and the direction the current traveled through the body.
When a strong current flows through the body, damage may be caused internally that is not visible to you. The victim might experience cardiac arrest or heart rhythm might be altered. Internal damage to organs might have also occurred.
If the jolt is strong enough, it can throw a victim a few feet away. This can cause another set of injuries like fractured or broken bones or even a concussion.
About 1,000 people in the United States die each year from electrical burns. This is a potentially serious condition that requires care from your doctor. Do you know how to treat an electrical burn?  Learn about the things you can do for the victim while you wait for the ambulance to arrive.

How to Treat an Electrical Burn

•    The first thing you must do is call 911 and get the victim medical attention as fast as possible. The next thing is to look at the victim and assess the situation. You want to make sure there is not a current still running through them or that a live wire is too close.
•    If the person has current flowing through them, it will flow through you as well. So it is important to not touch the person until you are sure it is safe.
•    To ensure safety, try to turn off the power if you can. If that is not possible, you will need to find a non-conductive source to use to move the person away from the electrical current. Non-conductive sources are any dry items like cardboard, plastic or wood.
•    You will need to check the person for a pulse and to see if they are breathing. You might have to perform CPR.
•    Check to see if the victim is in shock. Symptoms to look for are if they are cold, clammy, pale or have a rapid pulse. If they experience any of these symptoms cover them with a blanket, towel, coat or what is available to keep their body temperature up.
•    If they have any burns do not attempt to remove any clothing, put cold water on the skin or put any salve on the burns. Again, the most important thing you can do is get the person medical attention as soon as possible.

Ear Wax Removal

Earwax does have a purpose but when the body produces too much or it becomes impacted, then it is a problem and must be removed. Cleaning the earwax is a gentle process as you want to ensure you do not rupture or damage your eardrum.

Overview

The glands in the ear canal, known as the ceruminous glands, produce earwax. Its color and amount produced varies from person to person. The purpose of the earwax is trap dust and dirt.
Tiny hairs in the ear then help to move the wax from the innermost part of the ear to the outermost part until it falls out. The process works to self clean the ear.
When too much wax is produced or it becomes trapped in the ear, then it can cause problems. Symptoms may include an ache in the ear, itching in the ear canal, decreased hearing, and dizziness or ringing in the ears.

Causes of Earwax Blockage

Wax becoming lodged in the inner part of the ear is usually caused by a person. Using items like Q-tips, bobby pins or your finger usually pushes wax deeper into the ear. Also, individuals that wear hearing aids or earplug are more prone to earwax blockage.

Earwax Symptoms

• Decreased hearing
• Dizziness
• Ear pain
• Plugged or fullness sensation
• Ringing in the ear
• Itching or drainage from the ear canal

At Home Cleaning

You can try any over-the-counter remedy from a drug store. The kits usually come with earwax softening drops that you place in your ear for a few minutes. You can also use mineral oil instead of the drops.
Then you flush your ear out with warm water. You can use a bulb-syringe to help you easily get the warm water into your ear. It is important that you do not use pressurized water as you can damage your eardrum.

Medical Treatment for Earwax Blockage

A doctor can diagnose your ear wax blockages with the help of otoscope (ear scope). Than the doctor may remove your earwax with curette, curette is traditional tools which are look like plastic spoons. Or irrigate your ear with warmed water, sodium bicarbonate, or other prescription-strength eardrops.

When to See a Doctor

It is always good to error on the side of caution and see a doctor if you:

• Tried an at home wax removal and are still feeling discomfort
• Have drainage from your ear
• Hearing loss continues or worsens
• Have had an ear infection recently
• Are losing your balance and cannot walk

Getting Your Child through the Stomach Flu

Stomach Flu Overview
The stomach flu is caused by a virus in the intestines and can be passed from person to person by direct contact or by sharing items such as utensils or toys. Your child can also develop the stomach flu by eating contaminated food.

Causes of stomach flu
Symptoms of the stomach flu that your child might experience include:

1.    Diarrhea
2.    Vomiting
3.    Abdominal cramps
4.    Fever
5.    Headache
6.    Nausea
7.    Weight loss and dehydration

Your child will begin to develop symptoms one to two days after exposure and the virus will usually last for two to seven days.

Keep them Hydrated
One of the most important things you can do for your child, besides giving them plenty of TLC, is to keep them hydrated. We understand this can be difficult with a cranky child but try to get them to drink as much clear caffeine free liquids as they can.

Sports drinks and Pedialyte will help keep your child hydrated and also replenish electrolytes, minerals, salts and sugar. Otherwise watered down juices and water are also good for your child.

What to Feed to a Sick Child
After vomiting and feeling awful your child most likely will not have an appetite. It is however important to try to get them to eat something.

Keep them away from rich or spicy foods that will most likely aggravate their stomach. Instead, stick to what is known as a BRAT diet – bananas, rice, applesauce, or toast. Once they can keep this type of food down for a day or two, try introducing more solid foods until their appetite returns to normal.

When to Call the Doctor
If at any point your child has a dangerously high fever or blood in the stool or when vomiting, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Also if symptoms persist for more than three days and continually get worse, call your pediatrician.

Keeping the Rest of the Family Healthy
This virus is very contagious and can spread to other family members quit easily. The best thing you can do is make sure your family washes their hands frequently. Try to wash items like toys that your sick child might share with his/her siblings.

Ingrown Toenail – At Home Treatment

Treating an ingrown toenail at home is a simple process especially if you start the treatment at the first sign of any symptoms. This painful issue affects teens and adults. It is not something you see in young children. An ingrown toenail usually affects the big toe, though it can occur on any toe. The corners or edges of the nail will begin to grown into the skin causing pain and irritation. Tissue may begin to grow around the nail or a pocket of yellowish fluid will begin to accumulate. If left untreated the ingrown nail can get infected and grow an abscess. If the condition gets this far, you will most likely need surgery and should see a doctor right away. Early symptoms that you can identify are pain, redness and swelling at the edges of the nail on the toe. This is the time to begin the at home treatment discussed below.

What causes the Ingrown Toenail?
There are many causes of ingrown toenails some of these are as follows:

• incorrectly cut toenails
• Ill-fitting shoes.
• excessive sweating or poor foot hygiene
• injury
• nail infections
• toenail infections
• fungal nail disease

At home treatment
Ingrown toenails should be treated at home if you recognize it at early stage (before infection).

Follow these treatments for the prevention of toe nail infection:

• Soak the foot in warm water 3-4 times daily.
• Keep the foot dry during the rest of the day.
• Gently massage over the inflamed skin
• Place a small piece of cotton or dental floss under the nail.
• You can apply a topical antibiotic to the area to ward off any infection.
• Wear comfortable shoes with adequate room for the toes. Consider wearing sandals   until the condition clears up.
• If there is no improvement in 2-3 days, or if the condition worsens, call your doctor immediately.

Prevention
Knowing how to prevent an ingrown nail is a key to staying pain free and keeping your feet healthy. Avoid tight fitting shoes as they squeeze your toes together and promote abnormal nail growth. Trim your toenails straight across and not rounded. Also, trim them so they are even with the edge of your toe. If they are too short, the pressure of your shoe can cause the nail to grow into your skin.

 

 

Home Care for Sunburn

What is Sun Burn – A sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, commonly from the sun. When spending any length of extended time outside it is important to always remember to apply and RE-APPLY (this is imperative) sunscreen all over your body throughout the day. Failure to do so could result in sunburn and potentially permanently damage your skin. However, should your fun in the sun result in a burn try these home remedies to help ease the pain and potentially speed up your recovery.

1.    Use Noxzema facial cleanser. Noxzema was originally devised to provide relief from sunburns. Here’s what to do: Buy a 334ml container (without a pump) of Noxzema
Original Cold Cream. Begin applying a thick layer of Noxzema to the affected area as soon as you get home and suspect a burn. Do not wait to see if your skin turns red. You should be able to see a layer of white. Let it sit. When most of the moisture has been absorbed by your damaged skin, apply more Noxzema on top. Do not rinse off, as doing so will just dry your skin out further. Continue applications every 2 to 8 hours depending on the severity of your burn.

2.    Brew 3 or 4 tea bags in a pitcher of warm water. When the tea is almost black, remove the teabags and let the liquid cool to room temperature. Gently dab the sunburn with a cloth soaked in the tea. Apply as much as you’d like, but do not wash it off. Don’t be shy, the more, the better. If the burn is severe dab your skin with the teabags directly. Try to do this at bedtime so it can “work its magic” overnight. Shower it off the next morning and you’ll see and feel a big difference. *Be careful with clothing, as tea liquid stains.

3.    Use a cool cloth dampened with skim milk to rest on the burned skin. The coolness relieves the initial fire, and the milk creates a protein film that helps ease the ensuing discomfort.

4.    Apply the juice of a tomato to your skin. If the burn is very recent (still red and not peeling), Tomato juice is acidic but it doesn’t hurt and helps the redness. Note: eating tomatoes regularly is probably more effective against being sunburned than using them after the fact.

5.    Add ½ a cup of baking soda or some oatmeal to a bath. This will help to reduce the swelling and itching if there is any present.

6.    Peel and mash 3-4 apricots and apply the mix to your burn. Leave on for 15 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water.

7.    Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera is the classic remedy. You get bad sunburn and almost anyone’s initial response is “Apply some aloe.” Is this advice warranted? Well, the actual aloe vera plant has over two millennia of history as a medicine across many traditional cultures spanning multiple regions, including China, India, Latin America, Japan, Russia, and Africa. Modern research has confirmed its effects on blood lipids, glucose tolerance, wound healing (has been shown to slow and speed up healing rates in different studies), and first- and second-degree burn recovery, but, strangely enough, not on sunburn. It neither prevents nor heals sunburns. That said, it does appear to soothe the pain associated with sunburns, so go ahead and apply.

Getting sunburn is a very bad idea. It looks bad, hurts, peels and inflicts long-lasting, wrinkle-inducing damage. It’s especially bad for children: Even one blistering burn may be a risk of serious skin cancer. We are prescribe some home remedy for sunburn but if you see or feel  some long lasting damage on your skin and any sign of skin reddening on yourself and your child  skin, please contact us  on (281) 542-3998 for urgent care.

 

Canker Sores in Mouth

What are Canker Sores?
Canker sores are a type of shallow ulcer which is appearing in the mouth and often make eating and drinking uncomfortable. Approx 20%-40% of the U.S. population have them at some point in their lives, and many people will have multiple episodes of canker sores. Unless it is a recurrent problem, no workup or treatment is really needed. They are not contagious. There are two types of canker sores:

1.    Simple canker sores. These may appear three or four times a year and last up to a week. They typically occur in people between 10 and 20 years of age.
2.    Complex canker sores. These are less common and occur more often in people who have previously had them.

What are the causes of canker sores?
Doctors don’t know exactly what the basic causes of canker sores are. Canker sores are not the result of any viral or bacterial infection, they are auto immune which means that your body attacking itself. There are some possible causes for canker sores:

1.    A minor injury to your mouth from dental work, overzealous brushing, sports mishaps, spicy or acidic food or an accidental cheek bite.
2.    Food sensitivities, particularly to chocolate, coffee, strawberry, eggs, nuts, cheese and highly acidic food such as pineapple.
3.    A diet lacking in vitamin B-12, zinc, folate (folic acid) or iron.
4.    Emotional stress.
5.    An allergic response to certain bacteria in the mouth.

When to see a doctor
Consult your doctor if you experience:

1. Unusually large canker sores.
2. Recurring sores, with new ones developing before old ones heal.
3. High fever along with canker sores.
4. Extreme difficulty in eating or drinking.
5. Pain that you can’t control with self-care measures.

If you experience any of these symptoms then please contact us at AOK Emergency Room Houston.  The physicians at AOK Emergency Room will diagnose your problem very effectively and suggest the best possible ways to recover.

Wound Care Treatment and Management

Minor or little scrapes and cuts are just a part of our day to day life. No matter if you are a child or an adult, a slip or spill can be happen anytime causes wounds. If you get a cut, either by a slip or with a knife or by some other means, no matter how small it is, inappropriate treatment can lead to a sore infection. Learning the proper way to treat an injury or a cut is very important to avoid any further serious problems like chronic wounds.

First things first – If you have a deep serious wound then, look for the medical attention as soon as possible. If your cut is deep or superficial and looks contaminated, then rush to the doctor or a board certified surgeon at the emergency room immediately.
Minor injuries such as everyday paper cuts or scrapes from falling or being awkward, you can treat those at home easily on your own. You don’t want to see the doctor for such minor cuts. Some of the useful steps are listed below to treat such injuries on your own.

Cleaning the Cut

The first and the foremost things you want to do are to clean the cut. Use clean cool or gentle warm water and pour over the cut to wash away any debris and dirt. You can use a mild soap or an antiseptic liquid to thoroughly clean the wound once or twice with a piece of gauge or cotton.

Stop the Bleeding

Do not get anxious if a small cut or wound does not stop bleeding right away. There are certain parts of the body like the head that has more blood vessels, so bleeding will lasts for few minutes. So keep you cool and calm at the time of injuries.
Put a small clean washcloth or gauge on the cut with gentle pressure to stop bleeding. If the bleeding continues and the cloth is full of blood then change it and continue to press firmly until it stops.
If you have a cut on your hand then raise the arm over the head to stop bleeding. You can do the same with other body parts also, wherever applicable. It rises the affected part and thus lower or stops the bleeding. But, if the cut continues to bleed heavily for a long time, say for few minutes, then go for the emergency care immediately.

Dressing the Wound

Apply some antiseptic liquid solution or an antiseptic cream to the affected area and cover it with a sterile bandage or gauge. The dressing should cover the wound completely, so as to avoid any further infection problem. You will change the dressing if the blood seeps through the gauge and becomes wet.
Check your wound every time you have a new dressing. If it looks swollen, reddened and painful then visit your doctor or a board certified surgeon at the nearest Wound Care Clinic at first priority.

Causes and Treatment of Insomnia

Insomnia is the situation where a person feels restless in sleep due to many problems. Due to insomnia the person lacks the ability to sleep. This problem may exists at any age, but it affects mostly the older age people.

Causes of Insomnia
Following are the major causes for Insomnia:

1. Stress: Stress is due to the tension exerted by particular condition in person’s life that make him feel depress. This stress may affect your body in many ways such as it may leads to improper sleep, high or low blood circulation and may also lead to head ache or other such conditions.

2. Certain Medicine: There is certain medicine or tablets that may directly affect your sleep by making you restless. These medicine or tablets do not only affect your sleep but your whole body in some or the other way which is harmful for your body.

3.    Late Night Sleep: Certain reasons like night shift at work place or late night studies which may leads to improper sleep, that results in the generation of insomnia.

4.    Improper Diet: Improper diet is another reason for this disorder. Taking dinner late at night and then going to bed is also responsible for this disorder.

5.    Drugs & Alcohol Usage: Usage of drugs and alcohol at nights, in access amount regularly can also generate the effects of insomnia. Alcohol is a sedative that may help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes you to awaken in the middle of the night.

 Treatment for Insomnia

1. Meditation: Meditation is the best way to get relief from stress or depression. A person feels relaxed and stress free through meditation. Also try to keep your mind busy in some interesting tasks that may refresh your mind and body to get relief from stress.

2. Take Proper Diet: Take proper diet at proper time, in the evening, to avoid this disorder. Taking heavy dinner at night discomforts you so, avoid heavy diner at night to keep your body fit and healthy. Include fruit juice, cholesterol free food in your diet.

3. Avoid Alcohol & Drugs: Avoid over drinking of alcohol regularly as this not only ruining your sleep but also ruining your health in many ways. So it’s better to avoid it to keep yourself happy & healthy.

4. Visit Doctor: If you’re facing the problem of insomnia since a long time then it’s better to go for the medical treatment before the problem turns to much serious. Visiting Aok Emergency Room, an Urgent care clinic in Houston may help you to treat your problem or you can also contact directly at 281 542 3998.

Knee Pains and Injuries

Knee pain is a common symptom in people of all ages. There are many reasons behind causes of knee pains. Management of knee pain can be done with the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for those diagnosed symptoms.

Causes of Knee Pains:
Generally, there are different causes for knee pains in the young and the older person. In older people, there is higher incidence of chronic knee pain, generally at the knee cap. Gout and arthritis are the most common diseases cause knee pain.
1.Sports and Injuries: The most common cause of knee pain is an injury to the knee. It can be causes by exercise, sports, falling and getting struck by something.
2.Arthritis and Gout: These are the inflammatory diseases of the body. They onset at mid age or old age and can happen to men and women both. Arthritis and gout both can cause knee joint pain. In fact, chronic pain and discomfort in doing daily activities like walking; sitting and cycling are the first signs of arthritis.
3.Pain in front of the knee: This type of pain is generally caused by excess pressure on the knee like extra body weight or due to pounding caused by running.
4.Pain at the sides of the knee: Pain aside the knee and up towards the thighs is a lateral pain caused by overuse of the Iliotibial band. This is a band of tissue running from the knee to the hip along the side. It is most often caused by endurance sports like running.
5.Tingling or Burning pain: This knee pain can also be caused by a pinched nerve. Even in injuries, compression forces can pinch blood vessels and cause distortions that could lead to nerves getting pinched. These nerves than radiate pain sensation all along the nerve fibers.

Treatment of Knee pain
Following are the treatment for the knee pain that one can follow to get relief from:
1.When your knee first get injured, the best treatment is to take rest, use ice therapy method because it help reducing pain, swelling, speeds up the healing and prevents further injury.
2.Try to follow the entire knee strengthening exercise such as wall squat, heel raises, lauge, and bridge.
3.Perform leg stretching after the exercise to get the muscles stretched to the maximum.
4.Use the muscle strengthening supplements and fruit extract to keep your muscles healthy.
5.Go for acupuncture or acupressure treatment as they give much relief in such pains.
6.If your injury is severe and the pain doesn’t subside, your doctor may suggest injecting medications directly into your knee joint. This will also give you relief from pain to much extent.
7.Knee braces serve to support and protect the knee which helps in reducing pain, inflammation and aid healing.
8.Include outdoor games & sports in your daily and weekly routine to make your muscles healthy.
9.Try to avoid the food that contains much amount of starch as this may be dangerous for your knees bones and muscles.
10.Go for the weekly checkup if you are following some medication for your knee pain.

As sometimes knee pains become unbearable it is better to seek the medical treatment by visiting the AOK Emergency Room Houston or can directly call at 281 542 3998 for proper suggestions.

Some Helpful Tips in Emergency Care by AOK Emergency Room

“Emergency” defines itself as an urgent situation. Anyone on this globe does not know when we get into such condition. Listed below are some helpful tips that can be remembered in an emergency condition.

1.    Heart Attacks: Most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help. Immediately call 911 or your emergency response number so an ambulance can be sent for you. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive – up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car.

Some common symptoms of heart attacks are:
a.    Chest discomfort
b.    Uncomfortable pressure in the chest
c.    Squeezing
d.    Shortness of breath
e.    Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

2.    Strokes: Strokes are life & death emergencies – every second counts. A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is a “warning stroke” or “mini-stroke” that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs may reduce the risk of a major stroke. The usual TIA symptoms are same as those of stroke, only temporary. The short duration of these symptoms and lack of permanent brain injury is the main difference between TIA and a stroke. If one or more signs are present, then don’t delay:

a.    Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
b.    Sudden confusion, trouble in speaking or understanding
c.    Problem in one or both eyes
d.    Difficulty in walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
e.    Severe headache with no known cause

3.    Heat Exhaustion: Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. Elder people, having high blood pressure and those working in a hot environment are more prone to heat exhaustion.

Some common symptoms of heat exhaustion are:
a.    Heavy sweating
b.    Extreme weakness or fatigue
c.    Dizziness, confusion, nausea
d.    Muscle cramps
e.    Slightly elevated body temperature
f.    Fast and shallow breathing

4.    Concussion: Most people with a concussion recover quickly, but some can have the symptoms lasts for days, weeks or longer. Recovery may be slow in adults, young children and teens.

Symptoms of concussion usually fall into four categories:
Thinking/Remembering/Physical emotional/Mood sleep

Difficulty in thinking	Headache fuzzy or blur vision	Irritability	Sleeping more than usual
Feeling slowed down	Nausea, vomiting, dizziness	Sadness	Sleeping less than usual
Difficulty in concentrating	Sensitivity to noise or  light	More emotional	Trouble falling asleep
Difficulty in remembering new information	Feeling tired, no energy	Nervousness or anxiety

If you find any of the above signs and symptoms for heart attacks, strokes, heat exhaustion or concussion, then don’t wait to call 911 or your nearest emergency room to get the proper treatment on time, without any delay. Always remember, in life & death emergencies – “every second counts”.

Know more about the different types of diseases, their causes, symptoms and cure at http://aokemergencyroom.com/blog/.