How Body-Smart Are You?

Think you’re an expert when it comes to handling life’s little health emergencies? You may be in for a surprise. Just because you’ve always done
something a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the best way. Take the quiz and learn how to treat yourself right.

Flu season has arrived, and you’re running a fever. To bring it down:

A. Climb into bed, pile on the blankets and let your body sweat it out.
B. Pop an over-the-counter (OTC) aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen,
according to the dosing instructions on the bottle.
C. Do nothing—the fever helps your immune system do its job.

ANSWER: B There’s no value in being miserable. A fever-reducing medication
won’t interfere with your body’s ability to fight an infection and it will make you feel less like a wet dishrag. Monitor the fever with a digital thermometer (get rid of glass mercury ones, which can break and expose you to the toxic
mercury inside. Go to epa.gov and click on “hazardous waste” to find out where you can dispose of mercury in your area).

Call the doctor if:
-Your fever doesn’t drop within three or four hours after taking an OTC medication. You may have a more serious infection.
-You have other symptoms such as severe headache, rash, stiff neck or
intense sore throat, all of which may indicate meningitis.

You thought you’d take a hike this weekend, but—ow!—you hurt your ankle. To tend to a pulled muscle or twisted ankle, you should:

A. Try to walk off the pain.
B. Stop whatever you’re doing and apply an ice pack.
C. Elevate the injury above the heart to decrease swelling.

ANSWER: B and C Use ice for about 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. After a few days, feel free to use ice or heat packs, whichever feels best to you. Don’t push yourself to work through the pain. Take an OTC anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain. If you want more support for an injured ankle, wrap it snugly with a compression bandage.

Call the doctor if:
-You can’t put weight on it, the pain or swelling doesn’t improve within a few days, or if the bony bump on the outside of the ankle is tender (you may have broken it).

Nosebleeds are more common during dry winter months. To stop one in its tracks:

A. Lie down or hold your head back.
B. Pinch your nose and hold it for 15 minutes.
C. Try one squirt of a decongestant nasal spray.

ANSWER: B and C Use your thumb and forefinger to apply direct pressure just above the nostrils. If that doesn’t work, try a nasal spray such as Neo-Synephrine, which shrinks blood vessels, slowing bleeding and allowing clotting to occur. Holding your head back lets blood drain down your throat, which will just make you feel nauseated. Once bleeding stops, avoid blowing your nose for a few hours so you don’t dislodge the clot.

Call the doctor if:
-Bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes, especially if you’re taking blood thinners, which inhibit clotting. You may need fresh frozen plasma or vitamin K to stop the bleeding.
-You have more than two nosebleeds in 24 hours, which may signal an underlying condition such as high blood pressure.

You took a tumble and hit your head. To reduce the swelling of a “goose egg” bump:

A. Apply an ice pack. If you have no other symptoms besides the lump, you’re probably fine.
B. Use a warm compress on the area.
C. There’s nothing you can do that’s effective.

ANSWER: A Apply ice for about 15 to 20 minutes to reduce swelling. A goose egg will fade in a few days; unfortunately, if you knocked your forehead, you may also end up with a black eye. As the injury heals, blood can drain from the area down into your eye socket.

Call 911 if:
-You were knocked unconscious; you experience dizziness, nausea, blurred vision or a headache afterward; or you have blood or a clear fluid draining from your nose or ears. Any of these symptoms could indicate a concussion or skull fracture.

You burned your hand on a hot pan. The best way to handle it is:

A. Put an ice pack directly on the burned area.

B. Hold the area under cool running
water.
C. Cover the burn with a greasy substance such as butter.

ANSWER: B After holding the burned area under running water for 10 to 15 minutes, apply an antibiotic ointment and cover it with a bandage. If you don’t have access to a faucet, any cool liquid, even soda, will work just as well. Ice packs are too intense for already-sensitive skin, and grease or butter won’t help. Resist the urge to pop the blister that forms—it could cause an infection. Take an OTC painkiller to relieve discomfort, and make sure your tetanus shot is up to date.

Call the doctor if:
-You burn the face, lips, neck, hand or genital area. Burns in these areas are more likely to scar without proper treatment. Also, burns to the head and neck may cause swelling that obstructs your airway.
-The burn forms a blister larger than a quarter, you experience severe pain or the burn appears infected (you see swelling or pus). You may need prescription painkillers or antibiotics.

You ran into the coffee table, and now your knee is turning purple. To minimize bruising:

A. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel.
B. Use a heating pad on the area.
C. Press on the area firmly to decrease blood flow.

ANSWER: A and C Ice or pressure can alleviate the severity of a bruise, but heat increases blood flow and could actually make it worse. Use a cold pack for 10 to 15 minutes or apply light pressure to the bruise for five minutes immediately after you injure yourself.

Call the doctor if:
-The bruise hasn’t faded after two to three weeks, which may indicate an underlying health issue, such as a bleeding disorder.
-You experience swelling and redness in the affected limb, which could signal a blood clot.

Whoops—the knife slipped while you were chopping vegetables. To treat a cut, you should:

A. Apply pressure using gauze or a clean washcloth to stop the bleeding.
B. Rinse the wound with water until it stops bleeding.
C. Clean the area with peroxide, apply an antibiotic cream and keep it covered with a bandage.

ANSWER: A and C Apply direct pressure for five minutes as soon as the cut occurs, then clean and dress the wound once it stops bleeding. Whatever you do, skip cleaning with alcohol—it burns! If you slice off your fingertip—a common kitchen accident—take it with you to the ER in case the doctor can reattach it (wrap it in a wet washcloth and put in a plastic bag, then put that bag on ice). You’ll also need a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one in the past 10 years (or five years if it’s a dirty wound).

Call the doctor if:
-Bleeding doesn’t stop after five minutes of direct pressure, especially if you’re on blood thinners, which inhibit clotting.
-The cut is deep, over a joint or with edges that seem ragged or that will not come together easily. You may need stitches.
-The cut is from a bite or a puncture wound, which are difficult to clean properly at home and therefore more prone to infection.

To prevent that cut from developing into a scar:

A. Let the wound breathe so it can form a scab.
B. Keep the wound covered with a bandage.
C. Rub vitamin E on the area.

ANSWER: B Keeping a wound covered will help it heal faster and reduce the risk of infection. A bandage will also keep it protected from the sun, which tends to make scars worse. While there’s no harm in applying topical vitamin E or other ointments, there’s also no evidence that they reduce scarring. If a cut does form a scar, be patient—it can take a year or more for a scar to
flatten and fade.

Call the doctor if:
-The wound appears red, swollen or hot, which are signs of infection.