The holidays are usually filled with happiness and positive memories. Families gather together to reunite, enjoy delicious meals, make new and lasting memories, and relax. However, this is also the time that urgent cares tend to see an uptick in patients.

With the holidays, life can become more hectic, and the weather change typically brings less than ideal conditions that you have to be mindful of to ensure your safety and that of others. People pull out the ladders to decorate and the salt to keep the ice off their driveways and sidewalks. There are a lot more accidents during the holidays that send people to AFC Urgent Care Hillsdale. Visit our center today for any of the following reasons.

Slip & Falls

It doesn’t take much for a slip-and-fall to occur during the holidays when people are busy jumping around trying to get groceries, gifts, or decorations. Many people tend to let down their guard, which increases the risk of slip and fall injuries.

Some things that can lead to a slip and fall include a poorly placed extension cord, gifts extending into a high traffic area, or an unsteady ladder. It’s important to put gifts out of the walking path of others and neatly under the Christmas tree, and extension cords should be carefully placed and secured so that they are not a hazard.

Before using your ladder, check the condition of the ladder itself as well as the surface (e.g., sturdy or icy). Avoid drinking and doing certain activities like hanging lights since your mobility and vision could become affected from being intoxicated, leading to a slip and fall accident.

Be careful on icy surfaces at home and when out and about because ice is a recipe for a slip and fall disaster.

Burns From Cooking

Since the kitchen can become an even busier spot than usual, the risk of accidents increases. Burns from cooking is one of the types of accidents that cause some people to land in urgent care during the holidays. Rushing can cause accidents to happen in an instant, and when cooking, you can quickly burn yourself or others around you if you are in a hurry.

Keep anxiousness at bay, especially if cooking large meals with family this holiday season, and ask for help if you feel overwhelmed. Anxiety can cause you to make mistakes, and something like a small spill while draining cooked potatoes can lead to severe scalding. Research has indicated that between 85%-90% of scald burns are directly related to cooking, drinking, or serving hot liquids.

Be in control of your kitchen over the holidays and prevent burn accidents by taking the necessary precautions, like:

• Keeping kids and pets out of the kitchen
• Put hot liquids and foods in the middle of the table or towards the back of your kitchen counter
• Keep pot/pan handles from hanging over the edge of the stove
• Monitor your cooking and stay alert for timers
• Be mind of everything that’s going on in your kitchen; this way, you can prevent burn disasters before they happen

Illness

The holidays are a festive time, and cooking and eating are a big part of Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, it’s also when many people get sick and end up in an urgent care facility. You will have people that overeat and at a quick pace, which could leave them with heartburn and indigestion.

Still, perhaps the most considerable food-related illness is food poisoning caused by bacteria, such as E. Coli or Salmonella contaminating the food. The holiday season is cold and flu season, and the flu especially sends many people to urgent care each year. It’s best to get your annual flu shot to reduce your risk of contracting the flu.

How can you avoid urgent care this holiday season? Take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent burns, foodborne illnesses, as well as slip and fall accidents. However, if you suffer an injury over the holidays, your local urgent care can help you with the medical care that you may need.