Thanksgiving Health Threats
Thanksgiving might seem like a fun and harmless holiday. Amid the festivities, however, some people actually end up having to carve out time for an emergency room visit. Here are the top four reasons for ER visits over the holiday weekend:
1. Heart Failure
When family and friends get together to celebrate, it can be easy to forget about existing health issues, such as a heart condition. On Thanksgiving, most people eat a lot — much more than they normally do — in a relatively short time period. Unless the entire meal — including the appetizers, side dishes, main course, and desserts — is cooked completely from scratch, it’s likely to contain a lot of blood-pressure-raising salt. Excessive sodium consumption can also lead to too much fluid retention, which can quickly escalate to a life-threatening situation for an individual who has a history of heart failure.
2. Diabetic Issues
On Thanksgiving, portion control can be a big issue for many people, including individuals who have diabetes. Even those who carefully watch what they eat under normal circumstances may be tempted to load up a plate, then go back for seconds — and even thirds — when surrounded by so much delicious food. After all, it’s just one day, right? Unfortunately, one day of overindulgence can not only throw off your blood sugar for that day, but it can also make difficult to get back on track the next day. For instance, you might be inclined to forego exercising — which can help rid your blood of excess sugar — because you still feel sluggish from overeating. The key to controlling your blood sugar on Thanksgiving is being mindful of what you eat and balancing any carbohydrates on your plate with proteins and non-starchy vegetable dishes.
3. “Turkey Bowl” Injuries
For many people, Thanksgiving includes a pick-up football game, which can be a source of great fun — and also significant injuries, especially among normally sedentary folks who decide to join in. Plus, as the spirit of competition takes hold and people naturally begin trying to one-up each other, what starts out as a touch football game may quickly escalate into a tackling frenzy. Over Thanksgiving weekend, many physicians see head injuries and concussions, along with various orthopedic injuries, such as from wrist and ankle fractures, ruptured Achilles’ tendons, dislocated fingers, knee sprains, and lacerations.
4. Choking or Food Lodged in the Esophagus
On Thanksgiving, some people simply try to eat too much too fast. As a result, they may not chew their food thoroughly, especially while talking. If it feels like a piece of food didn’t go all the way down your throat, it may be stuck in your esophagus. If you can’t speak, cough, or breathe, you are facing a life-threatening emergency — motion for help immediately. Someone should call 911 and begin performing abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) on you right away. Otherwise, if you’re gagging or drooling, the food may have cleared your windpipe but become lodged in your esophagus. If you are unable to dislodge the food by coughing or drinking water, a physician may need to push it down into your stomach or pull it up and out of your mouth.
Stay Safe on Thanksgiving
By planning ahead and taking some precautions, you can keep yourself and your family safe as you maintain the festive spirit throughout Thanksgiving. If you have questions or would like to see a doctor, please contact or visit South Tampa Immediate Care. Our walk-in clinic is conveniently located at 602 South Howard Avenue in Tampa, FL.
