First Aid 101: Acute Upper Respiratory Infections in Workplaces

Unknown to many employers and employees, acute upper respiratory infections (AURI) can be contracted in the workplace and cause net loss due to absenteeism and poor work performance even though AURI is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in Grand Prairie . This is why it is important for both employers and employees to know the risk factors of AURI in a workplace setting and how taking Grand Prairie first aid classes can help. Seasonality AURI, especially those that are caused by viruses, are known to be seasonal in nature. This means that for workers who spend most of their time outside or in the field are more likely to develop this disease. Because of the fact that it is seasonal, many workers are caught off guard by these infections. Most of the time, they neglect doing proper hygiene or immune system boosting techniques since they think that the season of AURI is over or that it will never come. Hence, they always get sick when they least expect it. Those who work indoors are also at risk because of the seasonality of AURI. Working inside a cold office building or room and going out to face the blistering heat of the sun or vice versa is one of the causes of sinusitis and other AURI. Contagiousness Because of the fact that some AURI are highly contagious, healthcare workers who are treating patients that are diagnosed with any of these diseases are at high risk for contracting the disease as well especially those who work in rural areas or areas with insufficient hygiene and healthcare equipment. This is...

Risk Factors of Acute Upper Respiratory Infections in Children

Even though acute upper respiratory infections are the leading causes of adult emergency visits in Grand Prairie, these types of diseases are more common in children than in adults. This is because children are consistently exposed to environments and situations which put them at greater risk for acquiring these diseases. This is why knowing basic Grand Prairie first aid is a must of parents. Here are some of the risk factors of acute upper respiratory infections in children. Bottle feeding In a study that was conducted by Dr. Sheryl W. Abrahams and Dr. Miriam H. Labbok which was published in the United States National Library of Medicine in 2011, it was revealed that cases of otitis media was higher for babies who were introduced to bottle feeding within six months after birth. Their research strongly supports the study that was conducted by Swedish researchers in 1994 in which it was revealed that breastfed children have more immunity towards the disease. Considering that all babies should be introduced to formula at some point, babies are immediately exposed to one of the risk factors of AURI, specifically otitis media, months after being born. Low Immunity Because of the fact that the immune system of children are generally weaker than the immune system of adults, they are more likely to suffer from diseases that are caused by bacterial and viral infections such as AURI. This means that even if they are home-schooled or even if they do not always meet a lot of people and go to many public places, they are still at risk for developing one form of AURI. Human...

Different Types of Acute Upper Respiratory Infections in the Head

Considering the fact that acute upper respiratory infections are very common not just in Grand Prairie but in other places in Alberta, taking Grand Prairie first aid classes can help residents avoid and manage these problems especially the specific types of diseases which can affect organs in the head. Here are some of these diseases. Sinusitis Also known as rhinosinusitis, sinusitis is the medical term that is used to describe inflamed sinuses. This is the reason why one of its distinct symptoms is facial pain caused by this type of inflammation. It is one of the most common AURI in adults. According to researchers at the Meharry Medical College, it affects 13% of adults each year. Even though it has distinguishable symptoms, a case of acute bacterial sinusitis will only be officially diagnosed if the symptoms are felt by patients for more than 10 days in which the disease may progress into a chronic infection. This is why medical interventions are ordered upon the development of these symptoms even if the patient is not formally diagnosed with acute bacterial sinusitis. Otitis Media A patient is diagnosed with Otitis Media if his or her middle ear is infected or is inflamed. One of the most distinct symptoms of this condition is the feeling of fullness in the ear. Because of the inflammation or the infection, fluid buildup is most likely to occur in the ear which leads to ear discharges. Even though it can be directly caused by specific pathogens such as S. pneumoniae, being previously infected with influenza or other types of AURI can increase its likelihood. This disease...

Acute Upper Respiratory Infections: The Differences

According to the Community Health Profile for Grand Prairie that was released in 2013, acute upper respiratory infections (AURI) are the leading causes of hospitalization in the area. This means that this group of diseases affect many Canadians each year. This is why it is important to learn about the traits and characteristics that differentiates these diseases from each other. Here are some of these traits. Locations The main difference among the diseases that are categorized as AURI is that they affect different organs. Rhinosinusitis, otherwise known as sinusitis mainly affect the sinuses and the other organs and membranes in the nose while otitis media affects the ears and the other organelles in this area.  Pharyngitis, laryngitis, epiglottitis and tonsillitis affect the tonsils, pharynx and other organs in the mouth and throat while bronchitis and tracheitis affect the organelles, membranes and other structures in the chest cavity aside from the lungs. Some AURI, specifically common colds or influenza, affect more than one area of the body. Symptoms Because of the fact that different diseases affect different organs and locations in the body, it does not come as a surprise that the symptoms differ as well. Sinusitis can cause nose congestion or runny nose while other diseases cannot. Bronchitis and tracheitis can cause chest pains and otitis media can cause ear discharges while other AURI cannot. However, AURI’s have similar symptoms such fever and fatigue. This is why they can easily be misdiagnosed especially by someone who does not have a trained eye. Treatment Certain types of antibiotics and pain relievers work best on certain AURI based on the severity...

Silent Killers in Grande Prairie That Cause Sudden Emergencies

Unknown to many residents, Grand Prairie has a lot of silent killer diseases which are not as highly advertised as cardiovascular diseases and STI’s. This is why many of them think that taking Grand Prairie first aid classes are not important. Here are some of these silent killers which make Grand Prairie first aid training more relevant than ever. Hypertension According to the statistics that was included in the community profile for Grande Prairie which was released by the Primary Health Care Division in 2013, hypertension was the most prevalent disease in the area back in 2010. Apparently, the hypertension rate in the area was even higher than the average hypertension rate in the entire province of Alberta. Based on previous data, researchers and government officials also highlighted the fact that this rate is increasing every year. It also does not help that obesity is still one of the area’s main problems and that heart diseases still have the highest morbidity and mortality rate in comparison to other diseases. Neoplasm Neoplasm, often referred to as tumors or tumor growth, was once the leading cause of deaths in Grand Prairie. in 2010, this position was then taken over by cardiovascular or heart diseases. However, this does not mean that tumors and cancers in general is no longer prevalent and lethal since it is still one of the most common causes of operations in the area. Acute Upper Respiratory Infections In the same statistics that was released by the Alberta Government in 2013, it was revealed that acute upper respiratory infections are the leading causes of emergency room visits in Grande...