People are crazy – in social media – they do crazy things to get noticed
– to get likes in Facebook and attract on Youtube. The salt and ice challenge is a YouTube
phenomenon wherein participants pour salt on their bodies, usually on the arm
and ice is then placed on the salt. This causes a "burning"
sensation, and participants vie to withstand the pain for the longest time. The
challenge is recorded and posted on YouTube or other forms of social media. This can quickly cause second and third-degree
injuries similar to frostbite. Due to the numbing sensation of the cold and
possible nerve damage during the stunt, participants are often unaware of the
extent of any injuries sustained during the challenge. Skin discoloration from
the challenge may remain after the challenge has been completed or failed.
Away, from the media glare,
the winter is the time when people are confronted with “wet” sidewalks and
driveways – there are many ‘slips and falls due to icy surfaces’ which cause
moderate to severe injuries to the bones and muscles in the back. It is stated
that falls are responsible for more than
one-quarter of all spinal cord injuries in the U.S. From minor muscle strains
to spinal cord damage, many injuries are caused by slipping on ice.
Medical experts say that - trying
to “catch oneself” to avoid falling on ice can be enough to cause deep-muscle
strain and sprains – particularly in the lower back. Muscles that are strained
or sprained can generally be treated with rest, heat and ice treatments and
anti-inflammatory medications. Experts also advice that persons falling down could
cushion the blow by rolling with a fall.
In places that have lots of
snow and ice in the winter, understand that the highway department spreads salt
on the road to melt the ice.
Scientifically, Ice forms when the temperature of water reaches 32
degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). When you add salt, that temperature
drop. On a roadway, this means sprinkling
salt on the ice can melt it. The salt
dissolves into the liquid water in the ice and lowers its freezing point. Salt
mixed with ice creates a brine that has a temperature lower than 32 F. When you
add salt to the ice water, you lower the melting temperature of the ice down to
0 F or so. The brine is so cold that it easily freezes the ice cream mixture.
Wish TV news reports of tons
of salt being given in preventing falls.
The reports state of an
Indianapolis hospital giving out
thousands of bags of salt to raise awareness about injuries related to falling
on ice. The Department of Public Works donated 17 tons of road salt for St.
Vincent Health’s annual Ice Breakers project. Volunteers bagged close to 7,000
bags.
One doctor says the ER sees
hundreds of fall-related visits every winter season. “Some of them may be very
minor, but we see lots of wrist fractures, lots of hip fractures, even
sometimes see some very serious head injuries,” A Doctor is quoted as saying “Even if this helps one person’s grandma to
not fall and break their hip then it’s worth it.” St. Vincent will hold another
salt giveaway next week at its Fishers hospital.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
8th Dec 2014.
