Colusa Regional Medical Center,
Caring for Our Community

What to do When Summer Accidents Happen

Summer is in full swing and so are the activities that can lead to summer accidents and injuries. With the warmer weather comes a sharp increase in urgent care and emergency room visits. When an accident happens what should you do?

It’s 6 p.m. on a Tuesday night, you are at softball practice and you have twisted your ankle.  What now?

Consider your options.  In an emergency do what makes sense to you.  If the condition is life threatening, call 911.   In some instances, you may need to go to the facility close to you whether it is an emergency department or an urgent care facility.  ER visits are costly and are reserved for true emergencies, such as serious accidents or chest pain.  Urgent medical problems that are not life threatening can be treated at an urgent care facility and in most cases with a shorter wait time to be seen.  Urgent care does not replace your regular doctor – but you can go there for non-life threatening emergencies if your doctor’s office is closed.

Prevention is the best tactic to avoid injury this summer.  Make sure your body is prepared for the activity.  Use appropriate stretching before playing any sport.  To help avoid sports injuries, use the right equipment that fits properly and is in good condition.  When biking or skating, always wear recommended helmet and safety guards.  Children who participate in year round sports are at greater risk of a problem due to over use of growing muscles.  Repetitive physical activity and play can lead to overuse injuries.

Summer fun is not just kid stuff.  The Baby Boomer generation has given rise to a more active senior population.   People in their 60’s or older are also playing sports aggressively, changing their lifestyles and are keeping more active. This group is also at risk of overuse injuries.

Alcohol often figures into summer accidents.  Drink responsibly, and don’t mix alcohol with cars, boats, water sports or other sports activities. 

Many times summer accidents happen when you are away from home or on vacation.  During the sizzling summer months, most of us are trying to stay cool by swimming in our back yard pools, going to the lake or visiting the ocean.  Remember that water sports can be a tremendous threat to children.  Drowning can affect anyone and still remains the No. 1 cause of death in children under 5 years of age.  Always remember to supervise children around water.

NEVER leave children alone around water for any length of time.

Vacationers with illness or accidents usually go to the hospital emergency room when traveling.  In an emergency room, the more serious cases are always seen first, so those with less sever illness or injuries may to incur a long wait time.  Urgent care facilities are an important resource for vacationers who do not have an established physician in the area.  Most urgent care facilities have extended hours and are open later in the evenings and on weekends.  Urgent care physicians can order prescription refills if you run out or if you forget to pack your medications.  An urgent care facility may provide a good medical and financial alternative when an illness or injury is relatively minor. 

Cuts, bumps, sprains, stains, deep bruises, mild asthma attacks, ear infections, urinary tract infections, upper respirators infection, coughs and congestion, diarrhea, sore throats, insect bites or a rash are some cases where you should consider going to an urgent care facility instead of the emergency room.

Always call 911 and go to the nearest emergency room if you experience severe bleeding, poisoning, difficulty breathing, signs of a heart attack, which may include chest pain or pressure, signs of stroke, like sudden onset of numbness in any extremity, broken bones, partial or total amputation of a limb, trauma or injury to the head, sudden dizziness or difficulty seeing, coughing up or vomiting blood or severe abdominal pain. 

To insure your family’s safety this summer, keep a list of all emergency services next to your telephone.  When traveling, take a few minutes to research and write down the locations of the nearest hospital and urgent care facility where you plan to be.  Knowing the locations of these medical facilities will make the difference in an emergency.  

For more information on urgent care services in our area contact the Williams Urgent Care and Medical Center at (530) 473-5641 or Colusa Regional Medical Center at (530) 458-5821.