Hand sanitizers are commonly found in settings such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes and day care centers but they have become increasing popular for use at home also. People also carry personal size hand sanitizers in their purses, diaper bags and cars because they are convenient to use when soap and water are not available. But the debate remains over whether hand sanitizers are good or bad. Read the rest

Carbon monoxide – or the silent killer – is produced by the burning of material that contains carbon. It is a colorless and odorless gas, which makes it all the more dangerous. The CO poisoning occurs when people inhale this gas. Very often people are not aware of the fact that they are inhaling this gas, and this can sometimes lead to death. Read the rest

Binge drinking is when adults or teenagers take more than four or five drinks within a very short space of time. This can be as a result of social pressures or in the case of teenagers owing to peer pressure and a need to prove that one is capable of it. Adults tend to become binge drinkers especially when they are attending sports events, when it is quite common for them to order eight beers at a time, to drink during the game which only lasts for a couple of hours. Read the rest

Despite the widely held image of colleges and universities as the bastion of higher learning for the future leaders of the nation, the reality is it is also one of the breeding grounds of future alcoholics and soon-to-be-dead people. Uncontrolled drinking has been, and still is, the cause of the increasing incidences of violence, date rapes and car accident deaths involving mostly underage students. Read the rest

Parents often refer to this condition as croup. Health professionals call it allergies. These allergies affect the bronchial and respiratory systems. Rather than causing hives or itchy, red skin, allergies that affect breathing cause the throat to swell, constricting the airway and making it difficult to inhale. Read the rest

One of the most common causes of accidental death in the United States is drowning. Drowning doesn’t just happen in oceans, lakes, or half-frozen ponds. You can drown in a bathtub or even in a wading pool. Read the rest

If a person’s ear is bleeding after he or she has suffered a blow to the head and the person is unconscious, immediately medical attention is necessary. If the person is conscious, you should inspect the ear to look for the source of the bleeding and treat the injury accordingly. Read the rest

It’s a frightening feeling when you can’t catch your breath. Breathing problems are particularly scary because they can be their own worst enemy: Difficulty breathing creates anxiety, which makes the breathing problem even worse. If someone around you is having problems breathing, it’s important that you stay calm. Don’t panic, call for help, check the pulse, and place the injured person in a position that’s best for him or her to breathe and to keep airways clear. (Most likely, the best position to ease breathing is either sitting up or semi-reclining.) Read the rest

Sure, if you get punched in the nose, it’s very likely that you’ll end up with a bloody nose. But what about spontaneous nose bleeds those sudden, worrisome bouts that seem to come from nowhere? Don’t worry. In most cases, those seemingly unprovoked nosebleeds are more annoying than dangerous.

Technically, a nosebleed occurs when the tissue lining the inside of the nose becomes irritated. These irritations can be caused by any of the following things: Read the rest

Electricity causes burns via the flow of electric voltage through the skin. But electric shock can cause more than burns. Bad shocks can cause deep tissue damage, and extremely high voltages may even stop the heart. You can tell an electric shock burn from other burns by the small, discolored marks on the skin at the points of entry and exit of the electricity. Read the rest