The team at AFC Urgent Care Sevierville understands how much you and your loved ones want to be outside now that the weather is warming up—and we don’t blame you! However, with being outdoors more comes health risks, such as strains and sprains, cuts, and insect bites. While you shouldn’t allow these things to keep you indoors, you should educate yourself and your family on the proper first-aid responses should an accident occur so that you can treat it properly until you can seek medical care. Have Your First-aid Knowledge Ready When the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, that seems like a sign that a hike through Abram Falls needs to happen at some point. Even on relatively flat terrain, though, slips and spills are possible. So if you or your hiking partner trip and fall, be sure to take immediate action. You first want to look for pain and tenderness, difficulty moving, and swelling or bruising. Then practice RICE, which is to:

• Rest—Have the person who is injured sit down.
• Ice—You want to apply a cold compress (such as an ice pack) to the injured area to help minimize bruising and reduce swelling and pain. However, please note that you do not want to keep the ice on the area for longer than 10 minutes.
• Compression—If possible, place a supportive wrap or bandage around the injured area.
• Elevate—Place his or her foot/ankle in an elevated position.

Make sure to seek medical care as soon as possible for further treatment and to ensure nothing is broken. Also, it never fails. You and your family are enjoying a wonderful day at Dollywood, and an insect bite or bee sting comes along to ruin the fun. But—don’t let it! Placing an ice pack on the sting (or holding a cup with ice in it up against the area) can help reduce the pain. An antihistamine can help you find relief from swelling and itching, and plain hydrocortisone cream can also help with itching and redness. If your bite or sting still causes pain and swelling after taking these steps, visit us as soon as possible for further medical care. Did your outdoor fun lead to a minor injury? Visit AFC Urgent Care Sevierville for proper care and treatment from a knowledgeable and compassionate medical team.