Don’t let your festive holiday cheer get out of hand and land you in the ER this Christmas.

Believe it or not, the weeks and days surrounding Christmas are a peak time for increased accidents and emergency room visits.

Holiday stress is one reason to explain the increase in injuries, but it’s not the only one. Here are the top Christmas Emergencies and tips to avoid them.

At Post Oak ER, the emergency room set at the heart of Houston, Texas, we’re happy to provide you with the emergency care that you need during those crucial hours.  We’re open 24 hours during all holidays including Christmas and New Years.

Food Prep Accidents

Cooking for extended family and friends can put extra stress on us and lead to an increased risk of cooking-related injuries, including cuts and burns.

Preventing Accidents in the Kitchen

• Don’t allow small children or pets in the kitchen while you are prepping or cooking, as they can accidentally cut themselves with a knife or burn themselves
• Use a chopping board and always slice away from your fingers
• Place knives and other sharp objects away from the counter’s edge to avoid accidentally knocking them to the ground
• Always have someone watch over food that is cooking on the cooktop or oven to prevent it from overheating and catching fire
• Place pot handles facing inward, never outward, as someone can bump into it and scald themselves
• Keep flammable objects, including kitchen towels and food wrappers, away from heat sources

Overeating

Many of us can’t wait to sit at the dinner table and enjoy all the delicious food. However, overeating is not a healthy habit; it can lead to indigestion and chest pain and increases your risk of having a heart attack.

Researchers noticed an increase in fatal heart attacks during the Holidays, so they decided to investigate. The study found that, indeed, many heart attacks are the result of overeating; here is why:

• When we overeat, our body must adjust and send more blood to the digestive system so it can do its job. However, this means less blood reaches the heart, which can lead to angina or chest pains, especially in individuals with blocked arteries
• Moreover, when our stomach is too full, it expands,

Tips to Avoid Overeating During Christmas

• Don’t skip meals before the big dinner, instead try eating smaller meals and healthy snacks during the hours before a big meal to avoid being overly hungry
• Eat slowly. Make sure to chew your food and wait in between bites to allow your stomach and brain to communicate and signal each other when you’ve had enough

Alcohol Poisoning

Drinking too much at parties impairs our judgment and decreases our reflexes, increasing our risk of injury.

In extreme cases, drinking too much can lead to alcohol poisoning, which is a serious and sometimes deadly condition. In addition, drinking too much too quickly can weaken the heart muscle, affect our heart rate and breathing, and impact our body temperature and hydration levels.

Preventing Alcohol Poisoning

• Pace yourself while drinking
• Have a glass of water in between drinks; this will help keep you hydrated and lower the amount of alcohol you consume
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach

Alcohol Poisoning is a medical emergency; please call 911 if you suspect someone you know is experiencing it.

Respiratory Infections

The Holidays coincide with the flu and cold season. While in most cases, these illnesses don’t require medical attention, if you develop complications, including trouble breathing, high fever, and persistent vomiting, you must seek help.

Preventing Respiratory Infections

• Wash your hands often, especially after touching high-contact surfaces
• Physical distancing can lower your risk of infection
• Get vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19

At Post Oak ER, we wish you and your family a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season. Our facility will always remain open during these festive days to help you through any medical emergency.