Tag Archives: Syncope

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Health Prevention, Toxicology/Drugs, Diet and Nutrition, , , , , , , , ,

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.

Halloween-Candy

  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Sprained ankle?

halloween ankle sprain

  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Faints?

halloween syncope

  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Choking?

halloween choking

  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.

Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Health Prevention, General Health and Wellness, , , , , , , , ,

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.

Halloween-Candy

  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Sprained ankle?

halloween ankle sprain

  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Faints?

halloween syncope

  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.
  1. Choking?

halloween choking

  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.

Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Treating Halloween Mishaps

Health Prevention, General Health and Wellness, , , , , , , ,

Halloween

In the previous Straight, No Chaser, we offered you tips for a safe Halloween. However, safety tips are only as good as your inclination to use them. Even when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you should still have access to that pound. In this post, we remind you of the treatment measures you may need to employ in the event something untoward happens at that Halloween party or while trick or treating.

Halloween-Candy

  1. Upset stomach? There are two pretty big reasons why this happens.
  • Eating all those sugary treats can cause all types of problems, including an upset stomach. Ration out the treats, especially the first night. You’d do well to make sure the trick-or-treaters have a generous dinner in advance of the activities.
  • Have you ever thought of all the different hands that touch the contents of those bags? You’d better be sure to wash hands and any foods prior to ingestion, whether wrapped or unwrapped.
  • If vomiting and diarrhea ensue from any food poisoning, review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

halloween ankle sprain

  1. Sprained ankle?
  • It can get pretty exciting out there, and kids can easily get distracted. Falls and ankle sprains can be expected on those sugar-induced sprints to the next house.
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

halloween syncope

  1. Faints?
  • Are those tricks too scary? Did the excitement prove too much to handle?
  • Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

halloween choking

  1. Choking?
  • You must be mindful that all candies are not appropriate for children. Peanuts and candy corn have a nasty habit of getting lodged in the throats of very young children.
  • Learn what steps to take in the event this happens. Review the linked Straight, No Chaser for treatment considerations.

Keep in mind that common things happen commonly. The horror tales of legend aren’t likely to be a part of your Halloween, nor are you likely to come across any ghouls, goblins, vampires or zombies unless you come across a Thriller reenactment.

Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of 844-SMA-TALK and http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA). Enjoy some of our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser – The Week In Review

Public Health, Health Prevention, Medical Treatment, , , , , , , , , ,

weekinreview
I hope this was another week of good health for you.  Let’s review how Straight, No Chaser tried to contribute to your health and wellness.  Don’t forget to click on any of the underlined topics for links to the original posts.
On Sunday, we reviewed eye emergencies.  Don’t forget that even transient vision loss could be a stroke in progress, and certain causes of vision loss have a limited window of time in which treatment must occur.  Act quickly!  By the way, I didn’t mention this information that occurs more commonly than you’d think: If you ever have eye discharge so copious that it seems like you’re tearing pus, this is probably gonorrhea.  Get it treated, lest you could lose an eye.  Now that I have your attention…
On Monday, we reviewed syncope (aka fainting) in two parts, talking about the entity (click here) and the life-threatening conditions associated with faints.  You’re way too cavalier with faints; please get them evaluated.  Faints can either be the result of significant disease or can secondarily produce significant head and neck injuries from the falls.  Stop going to the bathroom (with all the hard stuff in there) when you’re feeling dizzy.  That’s not a good place to black out!
On Tuesday, we discussed suicide and depression in-depth, reviewing demographic information, information for your self-assessment, and tips on how to recognize when help is needed (and how you can avoid depression).  I’m pleased that you’ve made these topics the most read topics yet, and I sincerely hope this information helps some of you.
On Wednesday, we reviewed the overuse of the emergency room, which will become a major theme of this blog.  Those creature comfort visits are 8 times more expensive than the same visits done at a primary care physician’s office.  In Texas, the average ER cost is $1020.  Just because you’re not necessarily paying up front doesn’t mean the hospital won’t ensure you’ll pay eventually.  Remember, hospital bills are the #1 cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S.  Straight, No Chaser was created to point you toward better options.  Stick around, and we’ll get you there.  Wednesday also brought a review of vomiting and diarrhea (viral gastroenteritis).  Learn about oral rehydration therapy.  Viral gastroenteritis is a good example of something that feels really… bad but is usually self-limited and will go away on its own, as long as you stay hydrated.
On Thursday, we reviewed end of life decision-making.  I know this struck home for a lot of you, bringing back not so fond memories.  That said, you must begin to think about how you want to be treated in your last days.  There are many tragedies during this time that tear families apart.  Use the tools discussed on the post on living wills, power of attorney designations and DNR considerations to make sure your interests are the only consideration being addressed when the time comes.
On Friday, we seemed to prick a nerve or two (no pun intended) discussing circumcision.  If nothing else, be an educated consumer.  Even now, considerations are perhaps best summed up by the posture of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which declines to recommend routine circumcisions for all newborns but notes that if you are inclined to get the procedure (which should be a big if), the benefits outweigh the risks.  Friday afternoon, we reviewed hearing loss and the damage the activities of daily living produce.  This is a pretty good example of how we take our health for granted.  Just a little bit of protection and prevention over the first 40 years of your life will make a big difference later on.
Saturday, we discussed two different types of sounds that come out of you.  First, we discussed snoring (which is always annoying but never boring) and gave you some Quick Tips to overcome it.  We also discussed hiccups, which everyone gets at some point, but no one ever wants.  We also gave you Quick Tips on hiccup cures here.  Remember those ABCDEs!
We continue to listen to your comments and feedback, and over the next few months, some major changes will be occurring.  Please continue to forward your topic requests.  I promise I’ll get to them all eventually.  Maybe I’ll start doing reader submission posts.  As we continue to grow, your support, referrals and follows are much appreciated.  Have a happy and healthy week.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Your Questions on When Fainting is Fatal

Neurology, , , , , , ,

fainting
1. So are faints deadly?

  • Potentially. There are three separate sets of considerations. The brain can’t survive very long without adequate oxygen. Whatever caused that faint, if it continues to deny oxygen to the brain, can lead to seizures, strokes and death.
  • The process that caused the faint could be deadly in and of itself. Such things would include heart attacks, strokes, seizures due to bleeding inside the brain.
  • Significant injuries may occur after the faint. Someone who falls may subsequently suffer a head or neck injury, which could be deadly, independent of the cause of the faint. It’s worth mentioning that it’s an especially odd behavior that people seem to travel to the bathroom when they feel dizzy. All things considered, it’s better to faint in your soft bed or surrounding carpeted floor than on the hard tile of a typical bathroom with even harder sinks, toilets and tubs in close proximity.

2. My doctor always warns me about high blood sugars. You mentioned low blood sugars as a cause of faints. Am I putting myself in danger if I’m taking sugar and my sugar level is already high?

  • If you know all of that, yes. More often, you know none of that. Here’s the deal. Both a high and low glucose (blood sugar) count can cause altered mental status, fainting and coma. If your glucose level is especially high, say 900, and you drink some orange juice, it won’t make much of a difference. If your glucose level is 0, and you are given some orange juice, your life just got saved. In other words, it’s medically worth the risk if you don’t know what the glucose level is.

3. Can a loved one really take my breath away?
Yes. Overstimulation can lead to syncope in a variety of ways as mentioned previously.
4. What’s with the goats?
If you’re referring to Tennessee fainting goats, they exist. The goats don’t actually faint. When startled, they become stiff to the point of being unable to move their legs. Subsequently, the terrified goats can’t run and just topple over. Here you go.
faintinggoats

Straight, No Chaser: This is Specifically For the Faint of Heart

Health Prevention, Neurology, Medical Treatment, Cardiology/Heart, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

faint
Don’t faints seem mysterious?  It’s as if your computer crashed and had to reboot.  Although we never seemingly figure out why computers are so crazy, fainting (syncope) is reducible to a common denominator: something causes a decrease in blood flow to your brain.  Recall that oxygen and other needed nutrients are carried in blood, so even a temporary stoppage or shortage of blood flow shuts things down.  Now extrapolate that to strokes and comas, which are often due to serious and prolonged causes of blockage to the blood vessels supplying the brain.  This is a prime example of why good blood flow and good health are so important.  The brain is a highly efficient, oxygen and energy-guzzling organ.  Shut it down for even a few seconds, and bad things start to happen.  Consider fainting a warning sign.
I’m going to start by offering some Quick Tips to help if you find yourself around someone who has fainted.  Then, I will get into the weeds of why these things happen for those interested.  I’m doing this so you can check these and determine where your risks may be.

  • Call 911.  Make sure the person is still breathing and has a pulse.  If not, start CPR.
  • Loosen clothing, especially around the neck.
  • Elevate the legs above the level of the chest.
  • If the fainter vomited, turn him/her to the side to help avoid choking and food going down the airway (aspiration).
  • A diabetic may have been given instructions to eat or drink something if s/he feels as if s/he is going to faint.  If you know this, a faint would be a good time to administer any glucose gel or supplies advised by a physician.  Prompt treatment of low blood sugar reactions is a life-saver.  Discuss and coordinate how you can perform this effort on behalf of your friends and family with their physicians.
  • If it’s possible that the faint is part of some heat emergency (heat exhaustion or heat stroke), follow these steps to save a life (click here).

Actually, faints are caused by all kinds of medical problems.  I list a few notable causes below, but whether the front end difficulty is with the heart pumping, the nerves conducting, or the content of oxygen or energy being delivered, the end result is the same.

  • Decreased nerve tone (vasovagal syncope): This is the most common cause of faints, and contrary to what you might think, it happens more often in kids and young adults than in the elderly.  Understand that your nerves actually regulate blood flow (analogous to a train conductor telling the heart to speed up or pump harder or not).  Changes in nerve tone can result in errant signals being sent, transiently resulting in low flow.
  • Diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system and/or ability to regulate blood pressure: Alcoholism, dehydration, diabetes and malnutrition are conditions that may depress the nervous system.  Alternatively, coughing, having a bowel movement (especially if straining) and urination may abnormally stimulate the system.  In the elderly and those bedridden, simply standing can cause fainting due to difficulty regulating blood pressure.  In this case, standing causes a sharp drop in blood pressure.
  • Anemia: A deficiency in blood cells can lead to a deficiency in oxygen delivery to the brain.
  • Arrhythmias (irregular heart beats): Inefficiency in your heartbeat leads to unstable delivery of blood to the brain.
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Low energy states can deplete the body of what it needs to operate effectively, leading to low blood flow.
  • Medications (especially those treating high blood pressure): anything that lowers the heart’s ability to vigorously pump blood around the body can leave the brain inadequately supplied, leading to a blackout.  Let’s include illicit drugs and alcohol in this category.
  • Panic attacks: Hyperventilation caused by anxiety and panic upset the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the brain, which can lead to fainting spells.
  • Seizures: Here’s a chicken and egg scenario.  A prolonged faint can lead to a seizure, and seizures lead to periods of unconsciousness, during and after the seizure.  The lack of oxygen is a common denominator.