Dry Drowning is essentially drowning, but without the body of water as the immediate cause. This can happen anywhere from one to 24 hours after having spent time in a pool or other water source.  When a person aspirates a small amount of water into their lungs, it may get absorbed into the bloodstream causing an imbalance of electrolytes, diluting the blood and causing an abnormal heart rhythm, or it may block the normal absorption of oxygen into the blood stream causing either cardiac arrest or possible brain damage.

Approximately 4,000 people die each year from drowning, of these about 10% to 15% can be classified as dry drowning. This is a significant number especially since high percentages are children.

In most cases of dry drowning, a person’s behavior may seem to be quite normal after they have been in the water. But there are a few signs to look for to help identify if there is a potential problem:

• A consistent cough that continues for a half hour or more.
• Shortness of breath.
• Pain in the chest.
• Lethargy.
• A dramatic change in their normal behavior, such as becoming combative or cranky.

These signs, if present should prompt you to seek immediate medical attention. Victims of dry drowning have the best chance of survival by being treated at a medical facility. If the victim loses consciousness and stops breathing, immediately call 9-1-1 and begin CPR by compressing the chest 30 times in a row, then deliver 2 rescue ventilation.

Springtime brings more bites and stings. Here’s a few suggestions for a simple allergy first aid kit.

Now that the weather is getting better and we’re planning more outdoor activities, it would be prudent to carry a few additional items to help guard and treat any type of an allergic reaction. Bees, plants and pollens can turn a simple enjoyable afternoon into a sneezing, itchy and in a severe case, a life threatening situations. By carrying a few essential items you can help combat many of these irritants.

Here are a few items we suggest:

• Moisturizer – Eases skin irritation due to dryness.
• Hydro-cortisone cream – Helps treat itchy skin reactions.
• Eye drops – Can reduce inflammation, reddening, itchy, tearing and swelling of the eyes.
• Decongestants and Nasal Sprays – Reduce the discomfort of nasal swelling and stuffiness.
• Antihistamines – A powerful relief for allergy symptoms.
• Inhaler and Bronchodilators – For those who have asthma or other pulmonary distresses.
• Epi-pen – Many of us can have a serious reaction to a substance like bee stings, shellfish or peanuts. This self-induce injection can save a person life with this sensitivity. Only a doctor can prescribe.
• Vaseline – Rubbing a small amount of Vaseline on the inner portion of the nose with a Q-Tip has given many relief from recurring nosebleeds. When seasons change and the air gets dryer, many children suffer from frequent nose bleeds. Applying a thin layer of Vaseline to the inner portion of the nasal canal helps keep the nasal passages moist and has reported to reduce the number of nosebleeds. Apply in the morning and just before bedtime.

Those who have experienced a severe reaction to a substance should see a doctor immediately.  For future protection the physician may presribe an Epi-Pen.  This is an easily sef used injectable dose of epinephrine, which helps counteract the severe allergic reaction.  Without epinephrine an anaphylactic reaction could quickly become fatal.

Reference: First Aid

Actually eat a Northern California Mandarin orange. This specific orange contains a high amount of natural antihistamine that relieves a stuffy nose due to a cold or allergies.

A U.S. Government study found, that 10 ounces of the Owari Satsuma mandarin orange that grows in and around Placer County, contains up to 6 times the synephrine as the same quantity of other oranges. This is the same amount of synephrine you receive with an over-the-counter decongestant pill.

So next time you are feeling nose stuffiness due to pollen in the air, consider treating it naturally by eating an orange.

Absolutely, in fact during the summer months heat illnesses are one of the leading causes for an emergency Vet visit. Unlike humans, dogs do not have sweat glands and all internal heat is released from their body’s by panting, which can make dogs more susceptible to heat exhaustion if excited or exercised too vigorously during hot days. Signs of a dog in heat exhaustion are:

• Increased rectal temperature, normal temperature range is 100.5 – 102.5. (Over 104° requires action; over 106° is a dire emergency).
• Vigorous panting
• Gums become a dark red
• Dry mucus membranes (specifically around the gums)
• Lying down and unwilling to get up
• Collapse and/or loss of consciousness
• Thick saliva
• Dizziness or disorientation

If you suspect heat exhaustion, stop all activity and get the dog into shade or a cooler environment. Place wet rags on the foot pads and around the dog’s neck. If you use water to cool them, make sure it is temped and not extremely cold water. Try not to use ice, ice causes blood vessels to constrict and will prevent the core from cooling properly. Place fans to blow cool air on a dog’s coat.

If not treated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke which is a life threatening condition. This happens when the core body temperature is above 105° or higher. At this temperature brain and organ damage begins. Dog breeds with short noses, such as pugs, bulldogs and mastiffs are more susceptible and need to be watched more closely. To prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke:

• NEVER leave your dog in a car. A dog’s body temperature can elevate into the danger zone in less than 20 minutes.
• Use moderate activities during hot days.
• Have plenty of water for your dog to drink.
• Give your dog ample opportunities to rest in the shade.

Some dogs can recover fully from heat stroke if it is caught early enough. Others suffer permanent organ damage and require lifelong treatment. Sadly, many dogs do not survive heat stroke. Prevention is the key to keeping your dog safe during warmer weather.

A recent study suggest that weight loss can reduce or eliminate migraine headaches. Over 45 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Migraines are painful and can reduce the quality of your life. Some of the symptoms of a migraine headache can include:

• A severe headache
• Vomitting
• Nausea
• And sensitivity to light

In two studies presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, obese patients who went through gastric bypass surgery not only lost weight but reduced or eliminated the incidents of migraine headaches. In one study, of the 51 people suffering from migraines, 41 reported no incidents of migraine headaches after surgery. While an additional seven (7) people reported improvements.

Doctors cautioned, that though this information is interesting and can give them more insights to the causes of migraines, it is preliminary and has not gone through the peer review process.

Several brothel owners in a small lakeside Swiss town have begun training their staff (prostitutes) in the use of an Automated External Defibrillators (AED). One sex club owner stated: “Having customers die on us isn’t exactly good publicity”. During strenuous activities, such as sexual intercourse, an additional burden is placed upon your cardiac system and may cause many men in poor health to go into cardiac arrest.

When an incident occurred, emergency medical services was called and the staff began CPR chest compressions on the client. Another staff member would immediately retrieve the AED. AEDs have shown to be very instrumental in helping correct a heart that’s in fibrillation. Studies have shown that resuscitation rates from cardiac arrest increases significantly when an AED is used in conjunction with CPR within the first three minutes of a victim going into ventricular fibrillation. The longer it takes for this to happen the chances of survival decreases sharply. In most cases waiting for the ambulance to arrive, may be too late.

With AEDs available and prostitutes trained in there use, these brothels are creating an extra layer of safety and protection for their clientele. For more information on AEDs or classes that include CPR Certification training, call us at 1-888-313-2444.

Stroke in children is not as rare as we once thought. As medical science advances, previously undiagnosed strokes suffered by children are now being identified and protocols are being developed to treat this condition horrible condition.

Blood Clots

The majority of strokes in children come from the forming of a blood clot which travels to the brain and blocks the flow of blood. Or a narrowing of a blood vessel causing a reduction in the amount of oxygen being supplied to the brain. This lack of oxygen to the brain causes brain death.

The usual treatment for adults experiencing a stroke due to a blood clot is the administrations of a drug called, tissue plasminogen activator (TPA). Unfortunately this drug, in most cases, can be too strong for infants and children.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Hemorrhagic Stroke is when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, blood flows into parts of the brain where it’s not supposed to go. Because the vessel is ruptured, blood isn’t transported to the right locations and parts of the brain is deprived of oxygen. This may lead to permanent brain death or injury. The risk of hemorrhage is higher with certain illnesses such as hemophilia.

Symptoms

In newborns the first symptoms, are often seizures that involve the chaotic spasms of one arm or one leg. For children, migraines, head trauma, dehydration and sickle cell are the common symptoms and risk factors. The risk of stroke in children is greatest in the first year of life, particularly in the first two months.

Prevention in adults is in modifying behaviors and taking medication to prevent the first stroke. For children, since it is more difficult to identify and prevent the first stroke, the primary prevention techniques are to prevent second or additional strokes.

Your body can tell a lot about your health. In fact, the appearance or size of certain body parts can give an indication on specific health issues or possible disease. Based upon the results of several studies, here are some of the possible health issues associated to specific body parts.

Earlobes and Cardiac Disease – An earlobe crease or wrinkle on one or both earlobes may indicate cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Medicine found in multiple studies that a crease on one lobe increased your risk of a cardiac event by 33%. Wrinkles on both lobes increased the risk by 77%.

Bra Size and Diabetes – Women with a bra size of a D cup or better were 1.5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with women who wore an A size or smaller.

Finger Length and Osteoarthritis – Women whose index fingers were shorter than their ring finger were twice as likely to develop osteoarthritis in their knees.

Height and Age – Women 5-foot 2-inches or shorter are more likely to live longer than their taller counterpart.

Long Legs and Liver Disease – Though you may live longer being shorter, women with leg lengths between 20 to 29 inches had a higher incident of liver disease.

Arm’s Length and Alzheimer’s – Women with shorter arm spans were 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those with longer reaches. Measure the span of your arms from finger tips to fingertip. Measurements of less than 60 inches puts you on the wrong side.

Blood Type – People with blood types of A, B or AB were 44% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those with type O.

If you have any of these issues, it doesn’t automatically mean you have this condition, but it would be wise to discuss with your physician. For more information on heath issues, first aid and CPR training, call us at 1-888-313-2444.

Can your bad breath detect breast cancer and other diseases? Someday in the near future it just might. Currently doctors use several breath odors in diagnosing certain diseases. A strong fruity odor from your breath may indicate untreated diabetes or other irregular odors can signify either liver or lung disease.

The process of expelling breath from your lungs is one way the body uses to excrete waste. Gases are filtered out of your blood as they pass through your lungs. As diseases develop in your body, they create certain wastes or bio-markers that are excreted as gases in our blood. These gases are then released out of the body through your expelled breath. The idea is to measure these gases or combination of gases to assist in diagnosing developing diseases.

Scientist are currently developing a technique that can measure these gases or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your expelled breath. There are approximately over 3000 of these compounds in every breath. There are machines that are so sensitive, that they can detect a single molecule amid several billion air molecules. This process will be initially used to study breaths of patients with renal disease and to study children with respiratory problems such as asthma or cystic fibrosis.

The next goal in this evolving technology would be, to detect one molecule in a trillion. This would broaden the applications and it is theorized that scientist and doctors would then be able to identify the beginnings of breast cancer, colon cancer, heart disease as well as several other life threatening diseases. The earlier they can detect these diseases and begin treatment, the higher the chance of a patients survival.

So it is not too hard to imagine, that sometime in the near future, when you’re visiting your doctor, he/she can possibly do a fast, low cost, easy to preform, non-invasive breath test to diagnose a broad range of diseases or medical conditions.

For more information concerning first aid and CPR training in the San Francsico, San Jose Bay Area, call us at 1-888-313-2444

Cardiac arrest is a rare occurrence in children, but it can happen, especially when associated with a sporting activity. There’ve been recorded incidents of cardiac arrest in children while participating in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, karate and even in soccer. Before parents begins pulling their child from all sports, let me explain that cardiac arrest is a very rare condition in children, but it would be prudent to be prepared and have training in CPR and first aid skills.

A condition called “Commotio Cordis” happens when a person receives a blow to the chest at a very specific time during a heartbeat. After the heart squeezes out blood, it goes through a resetting process before the next contraction. If a person receives a blow to the chest during this resetting period, the heart can begin to quiver. This quivering action is called ventricular fibrillation and in most situations, the method to cure this condition is called defibrillation, which is done with the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Most childhood sporting organizations now require that coaches and assisting personnel be trained in CPR. If an incident does occur, immediately have someone call 911 and begin CPR with chest compressions. AEDs have shown to be very instrumental in helping correct a heart that’s in fibrillation. Organizations should strongly consider purchasing and having an available AED at all games and practices.

Studies have shown that resuscitation rates from cardiac arrest increases significantly when an AED is used in conjunction with CPR within the first three minutes of a victim going into ventricular fibrillation. The longer it takes for this to happen the chances of survival decreases sharply. In most cases waiting for the ambulance to arrive, may be too late.

A child in cardiac arrest is very scary, but considering this is very rare it’s unlikely to happen to your child. Encourage your children to participate in sports and other physical activities, just be prepared to act with CPR and first aid skills in case of an emergency.