Tips to avoid a summertime ER visit
By Jessica Firger, CBS News
Summer holiday weekends and vacations mean days and nights chock full of activities: swimming, sun, sand, sports and soirees. But nothing puts a damper on warm weather fun more quickly than a trip to your local emergency room. That’s why it’s crucial to be aware of the safety issues that may arise when you have another beer, run that extra mile, ride a wave or take a long nap in the sun.
Antonio Dajer, director of the emergency department at the New York-Presbyterian hospital campus in Lower Manhattan has seen it all: the beach-goer who looks like a lobster; the party animal with a cracked skull who claims to have only had two beers; and the weekend warrior who got a little too creative on a skateboard.
Thankfully most accidents related to the season are easily avoided with a little common sense. Here are some common causes of summertime trauma and Dajer’s tips to avoid a visit to the ER.
Alcohol-related falls and fights
Throwing back a few with your friends is fine in moderation, but many people lose count and two quickly turns into 10, which can lead to unnecessary accidents, broken bones or a split head. “The chugging, the shots, the speed with which people drink is impossible to see where you’ll end up,” says Dajer. “The average person will get drunk on six beers in an hour.”
