The battle to protect your five senses: A review of holiday health risks

In a few days, we will usher in the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake. For Chinese people, it is the happiest and warmest time of the year. During the holidays, when everyone enjoys delicious food and gorgeous fireworks, they often ignore some health risks that they don’t pay attention to at other times.

Today, let’s take stock of the most common problems encountered in ENT emergency departments during the long holidays.

1. Fishbone stuck in throat : an unexpected surprise on the holiday table

During the Spring Festival, families gather for dinner, visit relatives and friends, and enjoy a rare feast. Among the delicious dishes, fish is always an indispensable dish. During the Spring Festival, the risk of fish bones stuck in the throat is greatly increased compared to normal times. Among the patients who visit the otolaryngology emergency department during the holiday, more than half of them have fish bones stuck in the throat.

Although fish bones are small, sometimes if they get stuck inappropriately, the consequences can be very serious. Most small fish bones get stuck in the pharynx or tonsils. Although they cause temporary pain, they generally do not cause major problems. But if it is a relatively large fish bone stuck in the esophagus, the risk increases exponentially. If the fish bone pierces the esophageal wall, it will cause a chest infection and even endanger life. Therefore, when we are enjoying delicious food, remember to chew slowly and distinguish carefully. If you are accidentally stuck by a fish bone, do not forcefully swallow the rice ball. See a doctor in time and let an ENT doctor evaluate and treat it.

2. Fireworks and firecrackers : risk of blast-induced hearing loss and facial trauma

With the ban on fireworks, injuries caused by fireworks during the Spring Festival in urban areas have been decreasing year by year in recent years, but they still happen in suburban hospitals. Especially in the past two years, many friends in the ban area will drive to the outer ring road to set off fireworks. For example, during a specific time period, a concentrated setting-off point will spontaneously form around Gucun Park. At that time, the smoke is filled, as if you are on a battlefield, and the risk factor rises sharply.

Although fireworks and firecrackers add a lot of festive atmosphere to the holidays, we should also pay attention to protection while enjoying the joy. The most common emergency situations in the ENT department are deafness and head and facial trauma. When fireworks and firecrackers explode, the shock waves generated at close range may cause blast deafness, and the patient may suddenly feel blurred hearing, tinnitus, or even dizziness. Similarly, sparks and fragments from fireworks may also cause facial trauma, such as skin scratches and burns, and even damage to important organs such as the eyes.

Therefore, if you must set off fireworks, for safety reasons, it is best to choose an open place with few people and no flammable materials, and it is best to wear protective glasses.

3. Take a plane - be careful of barootitis media

What many people don’t know is that holidays are also the peak period for barootitis media. During the Spring Festival, many people will choose to travel by plane. During takeoff and landing, the outside air pressure will change dramatically, which may cause barootitis media. Our middle ear cavity is connected to the nasopharynx through the Eustachian tube, and then through the nasal cavity to keep consistent with the outside atmospheric pressure. Airplane takeoff and landing, high-speed elevators, or high-speed trains repeatedly entering and exiting tunnels will cause sudden changes in air pressure, forming negative pressure in the middle ear cavity, and many people will feel stuffy in the ears all of a sudden. If the Eustachian tube is blocked due to rhinitis, colds, etc. at the same time, the air pressure difference between the inside and outside of the middle ear will further increase, and eventually secondary otitis media will occur. Patients may feel stuffy and painful in the ears, and their hearing may also be affected.

In order to prevent barootitis media, we should swallow and chew more often when flying, especially during takeoff and landing, to help open the Eustachian tube and balance the air pressure inside and outside the middle ear. In addition, patients with colds and rhinitis should actively seek treatment before flying to avoid secondary barootitis media.

4. Diet and daily routine : factors that cause pharyngitis and tonsillitis

After a busy year, why don't people relax during the Spring Festival? Of course, you can! Visiting relatives and friends, eating and drinking, and having a disordered schedule may be the norm for Chinese people during the Spring Festival. While having fun, greasy and spicy food, tobacco and alcohol stimulation, and disordered schedules can easily lead to acute attacks of chronic pharyngitis and chronic tonsillitis. Therefore, in order to avoid excessive joy and sorrow, everyone should maintain good eating habits during the Spring Festival. Don't just eat fish and meat, but also eat more vegetables and fruits. Carnival is inevitable, but don't be too tired and stay up late.

After reviewing so many things, I still hope that everyone will have a healthy and happy Spring Festival! Don't let us see you in the emergency room.

I wish you all a happy New Year!