The season of winter is filled with memories of sledding, ice skating, and many of those snow filled fun activities. Unfortunately, the hospitals see sharp increases in accident-related injuries from recreational activities or slips on the ice and snow, whole hosts of respiratory illness (including croup, RSV, influenza, bronchitis), carbon monoxide poisoning, trauma related to car crashes (typically up 25 percent during the winter months), heart disease and finally heart attacks. Heart attacks increase during December through March. It should be noted that shoveling snow is a very strenuous activity and it is important to warm up, stretch, and take breaks. Watch out for any sudden loss of sensation or speech, and immediately go to the ER if you or a loved one experiences this, as these are signs of a stroke.
