We want to share this important information from the US Lifesaving Assn about Beach and Water safety. Many of us are heading off for vacations! Be safe!
It’s Time To Celebrate A Safe 242-Year-Old Birthday!
We have a long tradition of celebrating our country’s birthday with firework displays…and for good reason. Fireworks dazzle us with color, sound and light. It’s a great time to savor our freedom.
It’s also a time to be careful.
With the 4th of July nearly here, we need to remember that fireworks are not toys. Improperly handled, they cause a lot of trauma. In fact, the most recent report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states fireworks caused nearly 10,500 eye injuries – 1,300 of which were treated in emergency rooms.
You might think this is caused by handling the explosives, and that’s a factor. However, bystanders suffer nearly half of the injuries reported.
Avoid these problems by not letting young children play with fireworks of any type. If you do handle them, wear protective eyewear. Better yet, leave the lighting of fireworks to trained pyrotechnicians and give them lots of room.
For more about eye safety from fireworks and other causes, www.aao.org/eye-health is a comprehensive site for preventing any kind of eye injuries.
Genetic Testing
Remember when genetic testing was good material for science fiction movies? Sounded outrageous then…but now it’s a reality.
Welcome to the future!
Gene mapping allows millions of people to research their ancestry. (Sometimes the results are surprising.) Learning about your origins is interesting and fun, but more important, genetic testing advances our understanding of different medical issues. Companies like 23andMe find markers that determine if we’re prone to certain diseases or conditions.
For example, suppose some of your family members lose their eyesight as they age. Yet others have 20/20 vision as long as they live. Chances are, those with sight problems are pre-disposed to Age-related Macular Degeneration. Testing your saliva can determine if you’re included in that group. Currently there is no cure. However, the information alerts you to preventative measures to take so that you reduce and possibly eliminate being affected.
It’s important to understand that this type of testing is not perfect. Results need to be evaluated with your doctor to determine what, if anything, you should or should not do.
What To Do When Your Head Hurts
To everyone except those who have headaches, the symptoms are invisible. It’s probably why we know so little about the pain they cause. Yet the problems are real. We need to know more about headaches and migraines so people don’t have to suffer in silence.
Causes vary from dietary triggers to drug reactions. Additional symptoms, such as loss of vision, uncontrolled vomiting and loss of consciousness, can accompany migraines and headaches and need to be addressed immediately.
Sometimes people don’t seek help because they assume nothing out of the ordinary is wrong. However, if your head hurts, talk to your doctor and find out how many new treatments are available. You may want to keep a headache diary to narrow down what triggers your pain. Learn biofeedback techniques to control functions like heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension and skin temperature.
The National Migraine and Headache Foundation (NHF) designated June to raise awareness of this common malady. If you, or anyone you know has problems, go to www.headaches.org to learn how many options are available to ease the pain.
How To Recognize And Treat PTSD
The relationship between trauma and PTSD (post-traumatic distress syndrome) first came to light when we recognized the impact of war on our soldiers. But PTSD isn’t limited to military conflict. As you’ll see, many types of trauma trigger PTSD. When unrecognized and untreated, the pain lasts a lifetime.
What may surprise you is how many forms of trauma are responsible.
We know members of our police force suffer from PTSD. But did you know that natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes permanently change lives? Or that human-caused events ranging from terrorist attacks to rape and sexual abuse are included? Even experiencing or witnessing community violence like riots and workplace assaults create lasting negative memories.
The best way to deal with it is to understand how these factors affect individuals and then help them get treatment as soon as possible. June has been designated as the time to increase awareness of PTSD. You can learn more by going to www.ptsd.va.gov which is a comprehensive site on causes and treatments for those suffering from PTSD.
For more information, contact: VA National Center for PTSD US Department of Veterans Affairs 802.296.5132 ncptsd@va.gov or www.ptsd.va.gov
The most well-known cause of PTSD is war. But there are many other causes such as police work, work-place violence victims, abuse victims, natural disaster victims. If you or someone you love has PTSD, reach out today, there is help!
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