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Trauma Prevention Tips:


Preventing Traumatic Injuries at Home

A home holds a special place in the heart of most people. It’s a place to rest from a long day of work, where friends and family gather and moments develop into memories. However, not being mindful of your surroundings can lead to ill-fated consequences, regardless of the address. According to the Home Safety Council (HSC), nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits per year are caused by injuries in the home.

The following tips will provide a sense of safety at home to match the comfort felt within it.


Prevent Falling in the Bathroom

  • Put non-slip strips in your tub or shower. Many injuries at home are caused by falling. One of the most common and dangerous places to fall is the tub. It’s wet, and tubs and showers are typically made of porcelain or hard plastic. Non-slip strips will provide traction on these slippery surfaces.
  • Keep the bathroom floor clean and dry. The potential for a hard fall exists outside of the tub or shower as well. Placing a rug or a non-slip mat on the floor, near the tub, shower, and sink can prevent these injuries.

Prevent Electricity-related Injuries

  • Keep hair dryers, curling irons, and electric razors away from water. It’s a common scenario: you’re running late for work. You have to brush your teeth, shave, and style your hair in short succession. While you may not be thinking about an electricity-related injury, one shift of the hair dryer toward running water can have serious consequences. It doesn’t help that electric outlets are close to the sink in most bathrooms. Be careful.
  • Check your outlets. In older homes, electrical outlets may not have switches to protect against surges. Replace these outdated outlets with newer versions that have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). Also opt for hair dryers and other appliances that have the same safety feature.


Prevent Burns in the Kitchen

  • Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. The kitchen is often a gathering place, which can make it dangerous, given the combination of a hot stove and limited space. By turning pot handles toward the back of the stove, you can prevent burns caused by carelessly brushing across a hot pot.
  • Put hot food near the center of the table. This can prevent burns by increasing the distance between people and hot objects.


Watch Out for the Kids

  • Install a baby gate. A baby’s first steps are a beautiful moment for parents, but it also signifies the need for extra caution.  A baby gate prevents babies and toddlers from wandering out of sight or falling down stairs.
  • Protect the pool. Here in Florida, swimming pools are practically backyard staples. Be sure to secure doors that lead to the pool and place a safety fence or other devices around the pool.


Perhaps the best way to prevent injuries at home is to pay attention. It’s simple, but you must keep a lookout around the house to prevent dangerous situations. This includes keeping fresh batteries in the smoke alarm, drying slippery floors, avoiding hot surfaces, and being mindful of any situation where injury can occur.

For more information on home safety, contact us at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and Heart Institute. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-800-382-3522 for answers to your questions and free referrals to doctors in the Ft. Pierce and Treasure Coast area.


The Healing Process of Bones

The majority of the population, if asked, would say that our bones are generally unchanging, that they are just a solid mass that change only as they grow weaker and break down with age. However, this is not the case. Our body uses our bones to store minerals and fat and create red blood cells. They are a constantly changing part of our body, which is why they are so adept at healing themselves when broken—and why it is important to have a bone set immediately following a break.


The healing process for your bones takes place in four phases:

  1. When the bone breaks, the blood vessels along the length of the bone are severed. The clot that forms is called the fracture hematoma and helps to keep the bone stabilized. As cells work to remove dead or damaged tissue, the tissue around the bone begins to swell. Small blood vessels grow into the clot to help encourage the healing process.
  2. After several days have passed, the clot has developed tougher tissue, and it is transformed from a fracture hematoma to a soft callus. Cells begin to produce fibers of collagen, a protein in bone and connective tissue. The body also produces a kind of cartilage that changes the soft callus into a firmer fibrocartilagious callus. This callus lasts for approximately three weeks.
  3. During the next stage, the bone cells are produced, changing the fibrocartilagious callus to bone callus, which lasts for three or four months.
  4. During the final stage of healing, the body begins to absorb the pieces of dead bone and creates a hard callus between the two pieces of bone. Keep in mind that it takes months for your body to replace the bone callus with compact bone that will be able to handle the strain your other bones withstand. Cells will also work to return the bone to its original shape, and circulation improves, strengthening the bone with nutrients.


If you break a bone, there are a few steps you can take to encourage the bone to heal more quickly:

  • Take the recommended dosages of calcium and vitamins A and C to promote bone healing.
  • Avoid smoking, which slows the growth of bones.
  • Take lysine, an amino acid that helps the body absorb calcium.
  • Avoid taking anti-inflammatory drugs, which may slow healing.
  • Take silica and zinc to promote the growth of new tissue.
  • Eat foods high in boron, such as apples, because it reduces the excretion of calcium and magnesium in urine.

Skip the Spills: Tips for Preventing Falls

Each year more than 11 million people over age 65 suffer from a fall—that’s approximately one in three older adults annually. While not every fall results in injuries, some can cause serious trauma such as broken bones or head injuries.

Who’s at Risk?
Older adults are at increased risk for slip-and-fall accidents because they tend to have medical conditions that affect their mobility and balance:

Older adults may also be taking multiple medications. Take a list of all your medicines—both prescription and non-prescription—to your healthcare provider for review. As we age, medications may affect our bodies differently, and some drugs may combine to have different side effects. Your doctor can help you avoid dizziness, light-headedness, and drowsiness, all of which may contribute to your risk of falling.

Meanwhile people over the age of 65 are often less physically active. The resulting muscle weakness, reduced balance, and physical instability can increase your risk of falling. Ask your physician about an exercise program that suits your overall physical condition and fitness level.

Preventing Falls at Home
The vast majority of falls occur in the home, so that’s the best place to “fall-proof” first.  Start with these changes and updates:

  • Remove any items that pose a tripping hazard: electrical cords, wayward rugs, awkwardly placed furniture, and plain old clutter are common culprits.
  • Install grab bars or handrails beside steps and in the bathroom.
  • Put non-slip mats in the tub and in front of sinks.
  • Get brighter lights and put nightlights in hallways.
  • Install light switches close to entrances, so you don’t have to walk across dark rooms.
  • Put frequently used items in lower cabinets, where they can be reached easily.
  • Remove or replace door sills that are more than ½” tall.
  • Get rid of extremely low furniture that’s difficult to get into and out of.
  • Making Fall Prevention a Healthy Habit

Now that your home is safer, think about other factors that could cause you to fall. Often our habits or lifestyle choices can contribute to that risk, so make these changes if necessary:

  • Avoid alcohol. Drinking alcoholic beverages can lead to dizziness, drowsiness, and loss of coordination—all of which can contribute to falls.
  • Get your vision checked regularly. Cataracts, glaucoma, and wearing the wrong glasses all inhibit your vision slowly, and you may not notice on your own.
  • Quit smoking. This habit not only affects your cardiovascular health, but it also contributes to many other health conditions that can impact your balance and stability.
  • Choose footwear wisely. Get shoes that provide plenty of support and have non-slip soles. Those house slippers may be cozy, but they don’t give you much traction!

If you have questions about fall prevention or other personal safety issues, please contact us at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and Heart Institute. Call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-800-382-3522 for answers to your questions and free referrals to physicians in the area.


Heads Up: Tips for Preventing Head Injuries

Every year, approximately 1.7 million people in the US suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI). As a result of these injuries, more than 3.1 million children and adults in the country have some form of lifelong disability. Many of these head injuries—and disabilities—could be prevented.

Types of Head Injuries
Head injuries can be either external or internal. External injuries affect only the scalp. They may cause a “goose egg,” which occurs when the veins in the scalp leak fluid into or under the scalp. Goose eggs generally look bruised or discolored, but the swelling should subside after a few days. It’s important to remember that the scalp is filled with blood vessels, so cuts to the scalp tissue may seem to bleed heavily and look worse than they really are.
Internal injuries, on the other hand, may be more difficult to diagnose. A blow to the head can cause bruising and swelling of the brain, which may not result in any outward signs of injury. This type of damage is called a traumatic brain injury. A TBI may be very mild, or it could be extremely severe. Concussions account for about 75% of TBI, making them the most common injury in this category.

Preventing TBI
The most common causes of TBI vary by patient age. For instance, among school-age children, concussions due to sports are more common, while falls cause TBI more often among older adults. Meanwhile automobile accidents are a leading cause of TBI among people of all age groups. Here are some tips to protect you and your family from sustaining a TBI:

  • Always wear a seat belt when using a motorized vehicle. Use appropriate child restraints (car seat, booster, or seat belt) for all children.
  • Never drive under the influence of any substances or alcohol.
  • Store firearms unloaded in a locked safe or cabinet, and keep ammunition in a separate, secure location.
  • Make sure that family members wear helmets for contact sports and activities such as bike riding, skateboarding, or playing baseball.
  • Remove tripping hazards in the home and in the yard. Indoors, extension cords and area rugs are frequent culprits. Outside, garden hoses and misplaced toys can be dangerous.
  • Cover playground surfaces with a shock-absorbing material (wood chips, mulch, sand or rubberized surface).

For more information on protecting your family from head injuries, visit us at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and Heart Institute. As a Level 2 Trauma Center, we’re equipped to respond to TBI and any other injury or illness. Call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-800-382-3522 for answers to your health questions and free referrals to physicians in the area.

Every year, approximately 1.7 million people in the US suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI). As a result of these injuries, more than 3.1 million children and adults in the country have some form of lifelong disability. Many of these head injuries—and disabilities—could be prevented.

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