Safe Haven or House of Harm?

According to researchers, an average of 91,000 individuals die each year from unintentional injuries and approximately 20 percent of these deaths occur in the home. An even larger percentage of nonfatal unintentional injuries occur in the home.
By: Nanci Schwartz
 
May 25, 2011 - PRLog -- Our “Home Sweet Home” could actually be called “Home Risky Home.”  According to the Home Safety Council (http://www.HomeSafetyCouncil.org), 55 people die and 58,000 need medical care as a result of accidents in the home.

Many times, those injuries are the result of falls or improper lifting which lead to chronic back pain.

People who suffer from diseases that make them prone to injury are at even greater risk for accidents in the home.

Osteoporosis sufferers, who suffer from weakened bones, are especially susceptible to injury from minor falls. In severe cases, they can get seriously hurt by bumping into furniture or bending over.

The Home Safety Council has designated June as Home Safety Month and is encouraging everyone to take precautions to eliminate accidents waiting to happen. They recommend following guidelines which are especially important for older Americans who may be more susceptible to falls:

1.   Have grab bars in the tub and shower.
2.   Install bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings.
3.   Have handrails on both sides of the stairs and steps.
4.   Use a ladder for climbing instead of a stool or furniture.
5.   It is easy to trip on small rugs. Tape them to the floor or do not have them at all.
6.   Keep the stairs clear.
7.   Put non-slip strips in your tub or shower. Have a bath mat with a non-skid bottom next  to the tub and shower.
8.   Use nightlights in hallways and bathrooms.
9.   Fix broken or chipped steps and walkways as soon as possible.
10.   Do not try to lift objects that are too heavy or cumbersome.

Eighty-one year old Ruth Bailey, of Homosassa, Fla., knows well the debilitating pain associated with an injury caused during a simple at-home task. She suffered for years from weakened bones due to osteoporosis before fracturing a vertebra while gardening about five years ago.

“I was due to fly out to Iowa for a visit with our son's family, and I went, thinking that I would feel better.  Instead, it got worse, and I came home in a brace,” said Bailey.  “I went to see Dr. James Ronzo at Gulfcoast Spine Institute where an x-ray revealed a broken bone in the thoracic region of my spine.”

Not wanting to live with the chronic back pain, Bailey underwent a minimally invasive procedure called “kyphoplasty” where Dr. Ronzo inserted a small balloon into the affected vertebra and then inflated it. Once her vertebra was in the right position, Dr. Ronzo filled the cavity with bone cement which formed an internal cast surrounding the bone and preventing further collapse.

Today, Bailey is active and living pain-free. She frequently participates in the National Osteoporosis Foundation Citrus County Osteoporosis Support Group, based in Hernando. The National Osteoporosis Foundation even suggests tips for moving safely to avoid injuries.

Using conservative pain treatment which includes medication and therapy as well as minimally invasive spine procedures, the nationally-recognized staff at Gulfcoast Spine Institute enjoys the reward of satisfaction from giving a pain-free life back to many of their patients.

Gulfcoast Spine Institute has three locations in Inverness, Spring Hill and The Villages. For information about the practice or to schedule a consultation, call 1-855-Gulfcoast or visit http://www.GulfcoastSpine.net.

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While surgery is considered a last resort, the surgeons at Gulfcoast Spine Institute specialize in minimally invasive spinal procedures that provide less risk and discomfort while successfully restoring patients to an active lifestyle.
End
Source:Nanci Schwartz
Email:***@thecommconnection.com Email Verified
Zip:34749
Tags:Back Pain, Spine Surgery, Chronic Pain, Home Injuries, Osteoporosis, Pain Free, Active Lifestyle, Neck Pain
Industry:Health, Medical, Home
Location:Leesburg - Florida - United States
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