August 4th, 2009 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Humor
2 Comments »
When looking for the cause of atrial fibrillation during a physical examination, not only can the doctor’s olfactory bulb be helpful, but so can the examination of what gets brought into the exam room.
Patient: “Hey doc, it’s just a Pepsi.”
Doctor: “Really? Can I see?”
Nothing a good knife and a piece of scotch tape can’t manufacture.
Case solved.
-Wes
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
June 12th, 2009 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network
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Last weekend an intoxicated 16-year old Orinda teen died in a hallway during a party, a preventable loss that disturbs any sane person. It makes me obsess about why our culture encourages the use of alcohol as part of celebrating and socializing, where the adults were, why the other teens ignored a person who had obviously drank too much, and most importantly, what if someone had just called 911 earlier?
Everyone in that community and all of us who heard about this tragedy will live with the “what ifs” but I hope it encourages every parent to make sure s/he has talked to their teen about expectations for their behavior, sure, but also about what to do when things get out of hand! You can help them avoid living with the “what ifs” by checking out Doc Gurley’s great article for SF Gate this week that includes six practical tips that all teens should know about alcohol!
In addition to knowing how to recognize a medical emergency which you can find in Doc Gurley’s article, families also need (rules) agreements about what to do if a teen finds themselves in a situation where alcohol is being abused. Of course, parents have to be comfortable with the agreement, but some families have agreements that include:
- no driving a car after consuming any amount of alcohol;
- no being in a car with anyone who has consumed any amount of alcohol;
- not staying at a party where anyone is drinking or has had too much to drink;
- a parent can be called at any time of the day or night to:
- intervene at a party;
- pick up a teen who has been drinking;
- take a friend home who has been drinking;
- help talk to irate parents; and
- talk to friends about alcohol use.
Most of these agreements include a “no consequence” clause for the teen – which means there is no anger, grounding, punishment, etc… associated with any of those activities. That does not mean there isn’t a serious conversation about alcohol use that may follow a good night’s sleep, shower, and 12-hour cool down period, but if your teen does drink, you really do not want them to drive, be in a car, or be a victim in any way – so, please make sure they know that you would rather them call you and be safe!
If you want to know what your teen knows about alcohol use and when to call for help, ask him or her to tell you exactly what they would do if someone at a party has passed out or puked on themselves. If it does not including calling 911 and you to pick them up, ask them why, and then make an agreement about what will happen in those situations – and then abide by the agreement!
Every teen deserves this conversation!
This post, Talking to Teens About Alcohol, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..
April 29th, 2009 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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In continuing with the theme of getting ready for the beach and water sports this summer, let’s consider what to do about substance abuse. There is no controversy whatsoever about the fact that persons under the influence of alcohol or any other mind-altering substance have a higher incidence of accidents. In fact, ingestion of alcohol figures prominently as a statistic in falls, drownings, motor vehicle accidents and virtually every variety of activity that has ever been studied. The issue, then, is not whether or not alcohol contributes to illness and injury, but to what extent we are able to control its use by reason and, when necessary, prohibition.
Im June of 2008, Solana Beach, California banned alcohol consumption on its beaches for at least a year. This ban continues. Here is what appears on the city’s website:
Alcoholic Beverages – Alcohol is banned at all beach areas in Solana Beach. Alcohol is also prohibited in the parking lot, community center, viewpoint or any other public place adjacent to the beach. Glass is prohibited as well.
There are similar rules at, among others, Torrey Pines State Beach, Cardiff, San Elijo, South Carlsbad and Carlsbad state beaches.
City officials made this move proactively, to avoid the sorts of tragedies and social problems that have intermittently plagued “wet” beaches. Recognizing that judgment is often an irrelevant factor when it comes to drinking alcohol, they made a strong and, in my opinion, laudable move. Like it or not, judgment is impaired by drinking alcohol, so the concept of “responsible drinking” is an oxymoron when water sports and potentially hazardous surf conditions coexist with beer, wine, and liquor. Of course, the same is true for certain prescription drugs and illicit drugs.
Needless to say, civil libertarians and numerous other individuals are opposed to mandated prohibitions. They cite lack of observation of problems, principles of freedom and personal rights, and even the loss of romanticism. The issue obviously has two sides.
From a safety perspective, it’s a no-brainer. There’s no benefit to drinking alcohol and entering the ocean. It can never make you safer, and can only make you less safe. Even if you are able to drink alcohol at the beach and safely dispose of your metal cans and glass bottles, not litter, not be rowdy or obnoxious, and keep your drinking to yourself, the moment you dip a toe, you are a greater risk to yourself and to the lifeguards and other rescuers entrusted to protect you. You may not believe that to be the case, but the stories and statistics don’t support you. Having pulled intoxicated victims from the water, treated them at the scene, stitched their heads and set their broken bones in the emergency department, and having had to tell their families and friends that they are dead (while knowing that none of this would have ever happened had the victims been sober), I am offering well-intentioned advice. Not every city will mandate that you leave your beer cooler at home when you head to the beach. When you need to be the one to decide, choose wisely.
Preview the Annual Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society, which will be held in Snowmass, Colorado July 24-29, 2009.
Join me from January 24 to February 2, 2010 for an exciting dive and wilderness medicine CME adventure aboard the Nautilus Explorer to Socorro Island, Mexico to benefit the Wilderness Medical Society.
photo courtesy of www.aquaticsafetygroup.com
*This post, Alcohol At The Beach, was originally published on Healthline.com by Paul S. Auerbach, MD, MS.*
