Hurricanes are based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, which places them in 5 categories. Weather (hurricane) predictions, names, and tracking are provided by The National Hurricane Center (NHC), a division of NOAA. Hurricane season lasts from June to November. Preparing for a hurricane is necessary if you live in an area prone to them. Prepare a hurricane supply and first aid kit ahead of time. Read more: Hurricane Preparedness Article
SLIDESHOW
8 First Aid Kit Essentials for Scrapes, Cuts, Bug Bites, and More See SlideshowRelated Disease Conditions
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Heat Rash: Symptoms and Treatment
Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating. It can occur at any age and it appears as a rash that itches or feels prickly, and looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters. Heat rash remedies include OTC creams and sprays. Usually heat rash resolves when the skin is cooled sufficiently. Medical treatment may be necessary if the sweat glands become infected.
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Heat Exhaustion (First Aid Tips)
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement fluids. Warning signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and fainting. A person suffering from heat exhaustion should stop the activity are doing, move to a cooler environment, and rehydrate with liquids, for example, water or sports drinks. Complications of heat exhaustion are dehydration, muscle weakness, nausea, and vomiting. Heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke (a medical emergency) if not treated.
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Cuts, Scrapes, and Puncture Wounds
Learn about first aid for cuts, scrapes (abrasions), and puncture wounds, when to see a doctor, if tetanus shots are necessary, and how to spot signs of infection.
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Heat Stroke
Heat stroke (heatstroke or sun stroke) is a form of hyperthermia. Heat stroke is a true medical emergency that can be fatal if not promptly and properly treated. Symptoms of heat stroke include high body temperature, absence of sweating, hot red or flushed dry skin, rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, strange behavior, hallucinations, confusion, agitation, disorientation, seizure, and coma. A victim of heat stroke must receive immediate treatment to avoid permanent organ damage.
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Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic or severe stress can be harmful to your health. Learn what happens in your body when you are stressed and how you can manage your response.
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Grief and Mourning
Grief is the feeling one experiences after a loss (of a friendship, death of a loved one, job). Complicated grief refers to grief that lasts for more than a year. Mourning describes the customs and rituals that help bereaved individuals make sense of their loss.
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Tinnitus
Tinnitus is described as a throbbing, ringing, clicking, or buzzing in one or both ears. Tinnitus is caused by trauma to the ear, over exposure to loud noises, medication, and diseases or infections of the ear such as multiple sclerosis, TMJ, autistic neruoma, Meniere's disease, hearing loss, and aging. Treatments include medication, tinnitus masking, retraining therapy, and relief therapy.
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Dehydration in Adults & Children
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of dehydration include headache, lightheadedness, constipation, and bad breath. Treatment for dehydration is to replace lost fluids and electrolytes.
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Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of many conditions including motion sickness, pregnancy, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, and other illnesses. Learn about causes, treatment, and when to be concerned.
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Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by symptoms such as trouble concentrating, headaches, sleep problems, and irritability. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults. Treatment for anxiety may incorporate medications and psychotherapy.
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Mold Exposure
Mold exposure may cause symptoms in people who are sensitive to molds. Symptoms of mold allergy include sneezing, runny nose, wheezing, coughing, redness of the eyes, and rash. Prevent mold growth by keeping indoor humidity low, between 30%-50%, using bathroom fans when showering, repairing plumbing leaks quickly, and using an air conditioner during humid seasons.
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Depression
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
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Tetanus
Tetanus is an often-fatal disease caused by nerve toxins produced by the common bacteria Clostridium tetani. In a 7-day period after infection, a person experiences muscle spasms, restlessness, headache, irritability, then lockjaw, and the lungs stop functioning. Tetanus is treatable with antibiotics and drainage. Sedation is often give to stop muscle spasms.
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Burns (First Aid)
Burn types are based on their severity: first-degree burns, second-degree burns, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns are similar to a painful sunburn. The damage is more severe with second-degree burns, leading to blistering and more intense pain. The skin turns white and loses sensation with third-degree burns. Burn treatment depends upon the burn location, total burn area, and intensity of the burn.
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Heat Cramps
Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity or work in a hot, humid environment. Symptoms of heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms, usually in the abdomen, arms or legs that occur in association with strenuous activity. Heat cramps are part of a group of heat-related illnesses. Heat cramps can sometimes lead to heat exhaustion or, in severe instances, heat stroke, which is a true medical emergency.
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Drowning (Dry, Wet, Near)
Drowning is a common cause of death and disability worldwide. In the US, it is the third most common cause of accidental death. Complications of drowning include: brain damage, pneumonia, ARDS, hypothermia, and spine fractures. At times, there are discussions of near drowning, wet vs. dry, or salt vs. fresh water drownings. Children and young adults are at most risk for drowning accidents. Medical emergencies in the water may lead to drowning such as: seizures, hypoglycemia, sudden cardiac death, or heart attack. Treatment of a drowning victim depends up on the severity of the injury. Prevention is the key to prevent drowning.
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Seizure (Epilepsy)
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
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Seizures Symptoms and Types
Seizures are divided into two categories: generalized and partial. Generalized seizures are produced by electrical impulses from throughout the brain, while partial seizures are produced by electrical impulses in a small part of the brain. Seizure symptoms include unconsciousness, convulsions, and muscle rigidity.
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Stress Management Techniques
Stress may be considered as any physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental unrest and that may be a factor in disease causation. Managing stress in our lives is important. Elimination of stress is unrealistic, since stress is a part of normal life. We can however, learn to manage stress through techniques such as exercise, relaxation, meditation, time management, and support systems so that we have control over our stress and its effects on our physical and mental health.
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Hyperthermia (Heat-Related Illness)
Heat-related illness include heat rash, cramps, exhaustion, stroke, and sunburn. Treatment of heat related illnesses depend on the condition, but symptoms may include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, seizures, and coma. Heat stroke is a medical emergency, and may result in death if not treated promptly. Heat exhaustion may lead to heat stroke if not treated properly.
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Suicide
Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
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Mental Health
Mental health is an optimal way of thinking, relating to others, and feeling. All of the diagnosable mental disorders fall under the umbrella of mental illness. Depression, anxiety, and substance-abuse disorders are common types of mental illness. Symptoms and signs of mental illness include irritability, moodiness, insomnia, headaches, and sadness. Treatment may involve psychotherapy and medication.
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Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Its Prevention
Noise-induced hearing loss may be an acoustic trauma, which causes temporary hearing loss, or it may be permanent due to an acute acoustic trauma. Experts agree that continual exposure to more than 85 dBs (decibels) is dangerous to the ears. Ear plugs and ear muffs can help prevent noise-induced hearing loss as well as decreasing exposure to loud noises.
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First Aid: Why You Need a First Aid Kit and CPR
First aid is providing medical assistance to someone a sick or injured person. The type of first aid depends on their condition. Preparedness is key to first aid, like having basic medical emergency kits in your home, car, boat, or RV. Many minor injuries may require first aid, including cuts, puncture wounds, sprains, strains, and nosebleeds. Examples of more critical first aid emergencies include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and heatstroke.
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Diabetes: Caring for Your Diabetes at Special Times
Taking care of a disease such as diabetes is a life-long process. Learn how to care for yourself or loved one with diabetes in situations such as illness, work, school, travel, or a natural disaster.
Treatment & Diagnosis
Prevention & Wellness
- It's Hurricane Season, So Get Your Storm Medical Kit Together
- AHA News: How to Take Care of Kids When a Natural Disaster Strikes
- Which Americans Are Most (and Least) Prepared for Disasters?
- More Hurricanes Mean Rising Death Toll for Americans
- Is Sheltering Under an Overpass Safe When Tornadoes Strike?
- Tree Rings Show Hurricanes Becoming Wetter, Longer, More Dangerous
- Hurricanes Leave Rise in Hospitalizations in Their Wake
- Preparing for Flooding During Hurricane Season
- U.S. Hurricanes Are Bigger, Stronger, More Destructive: Study
- Health Tip: Staying Safe After a Hurricane
- Health Tip: Hurricane Readiness
- Hurricanes Like Dorian Take Heavy Toll on Mental Health
- Hurricane Dorian Can Wreak Havoc on Heart Health
- Many Older Americans Aren't Equipped to Weather Hurricanes Like Dorian
- Flooding a Major Health Danger as Michael's Fury Continues
- As Hurricane Michael Hits Florida, Experts Urge Safety
- As Hurricane Florence Targets U.S., Experts Urge Safety
- Most Hospitals Aren't Ready for Mass Tragedies, ER Docs Say
- How Would Your Family Weather a Disaster?
- Health Tip: Medication Use After a Natural Disaster
- Matthew Battering Florida Coast
- Having Battered Bahamas, Hurricane Matthew Bears Down on Florida
- Hurricane Matthew Takes Aim at Florida
- Fall Weather Can Be Tricky to Navigate
- Health Tip: Practice Tornado Drills
- As Tropical Storm Erika Eyes Southeastern U.S., Residents Need to Prepare
- Hurricanes With Female Names Have Been Deadlier
- Health Tip: Be Ready for a Hurricane
- Hurricane Readiness Tips for Pregnant Women
- Health Risks Will Rise in Sandy's Wake, Experts Warn
- Act Quickly to Beat Mold After a Flood
- Hypothermia Risk in Sandy's Aftermath
- Sandy's Wrath Brings Massive Blackouts, Flooding Across Northeast
- Tips on Keeping Food Safe When the Power Goes Out
- Q & A: Riding Out the Storm Safely
- Millions Prepare as Hurricane Sandy Spins Toward the East Coast
- Many More U.S. Households Ready for Disasters: CDC
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