Bone, Joint and Muscle Injuries

When recovery efforts are underway after a disaster, people can get injured by improperly lifting heavy loads or removing debris. People want to get their homes and lives restored as quickly as possible, but often times they don’t exercise caution and try to tackle heavy lifting jobs without assistance or proper lifting techniques leading to muscle strains or pulls.

In addition to moving heavy objects, recovery often involves the use of striking tools such as hammers and crowbars. The repetitive use of these tools run the risk of injuring fingers, toes and other body parts. Care should be taken when using these tools in confined or crowded work areas to avoid injury to self and others.

Follow these tips to avoid injuries:

• Use teams of two or more to move bulky objects
• Avoid lifting any materials that weigh more than 50 lbs. per person
• Use proper lifting techniques or lifting devices when possible
• Wear work gloves, closed or steel toe shoes, and long pants

If an injury occurs, seek urgent or emergency care at one of our convenient locations or schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists.

Mold

Mold can start growing in a home the day after a flood. Mold spores are everywhere and quickly become an issue in warm climates. Mold can affect the eyes and throat and increase the chance of allergy symptoms, headaches, bronchitis, asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. People with asthma or other pulmonary illnesses, compromised immune systems, infants and the elderly are more likely to develop mold-related illnesses.

The Differences between Mold and Mildew

From the mold-advisor.com website, we know that mold and mildew are both types of fungi and are similar in many ways. The major differences between mold and mildew are noted below:

Repair and Gutting

When repairing or gutting flooded homes, power tools are often involved. Although these tools assist with making the job more efficient, they also present dangers to the user and others. Flying debris and loud noise are common issues when using power tools. Precautions should be taken to avoid injuries to your eyes and ears. Approved safety glasses should be worn during cleanup operations to prevent objects and debris from entering the eye. Did you know a chainsaw puts out 104 dB which is almost as loud as a helicopter taking off? Hearing protection, such as earplugs or earmuffs, should be worn whenever using power tools to minimize hearing loss or damage. Ensure that the hearing protection is properly fitted before starting power equipment.

Here are some tips to help cope with the stress of recovery:

• Talk to others about how you are feeling and what you experienced. You need to express sadness, grief, anger and fear over what has happened and what you are facing.
• Don’t overwork yourself. Take time off from repairs to be with your family. Make time for recreation, relaxation or a favorite hobby.
• Don’t let yourself become isolated.
• Seek out and maintain connections with your community, friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers or church members.
• Pay close attention to your physical health as prolonged stress can take a toll on your body. Maintain a good diet, get enough sleep and exercise regularly.
• Upsetting times can cause some people to use alcohol or drugs to cope with stress. In the long run, they will not help and will likely cause other problems.

If your stress level becomes unmanageable or lasts longer than three months, contact our Behavioral and Mental Health experts.

Rashes and Sores

Since floodwaters may have been contaminated during the floods, objects that were submerged may be a source for skin rashes. When cleaning up or moving flood debris, avoid skin contact by wearing pants and long sleeve shirts, rubber boots and gloves. People with open wounds also need to take extra care to keep them covered as floodwaters can easily cause a wound to become infected. Allergies to mold and other irritants, as well as exposure to chemicals during clean-up can lead to rashes or sores. If a rash or sore persists after standard treatment options, consider visiting a UTMB Health urgent care clinic or dermatologist for further examination to reduce the risk of infection.

Stomach Illnesses 

Although flood waters have receded, the contamination left behind can lead to gastrointestinal disorders. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps can result from viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms left behind on many surfaces contaminated by flood waters. Some germs can cause illness when only a few are ingested.

Practicing good personal hygiene during clean-up is essential. Wash your hands carefully with soap and disinfected water before eating or handling food, after clean-up work and after handling flood water contaminated items. Most of these minor gastrointestinal disorders can be managed if you drink plenty of fluids so you don’t become dehydrated. Special attention should be given to small children and the elderly if they develop moderate to severe diarrhea, particularly if it lasts longer than three days.

If your illness is serious enough, see a UTMB Health primary care physician to determine the cause of your illness and to prevent others from becoming ill.