Health Tips for January 4

Health Tip: Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

To prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide -- a colorless, odorless gas -- it's important to take precautions at home.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers these safety recommendations:

* Have your appliances that burn fuel checked once a year, including your chimney and furnace flues.
* Don't try to heat your home with a gas-burning oven.
* Never use a grill or barbecue inside the home, in a garage, or in any enclosed space.
* Don't use an unvented kerosene or gas heater inside the home, particularly while you sleep.
* Don't allow a lawn mower or car to run inside a garage.
* Use a carbon monoxide alarm in your home, particularly in areas where you sleep.

Health Tip: Caring for a Surgical Incision

It is important to properly care for a surgical incision after the procedure.

Here are instructions on how to do so and avoid infection, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

* Your bandage should be replaced each day for at least several days after surgery. If you're unsure about how many days to wear a bandage, speak with your doctor.
* Use an antibiotic ointment as recommended by your doctor to prevent infection.
* While some redness around the edge of the incision is normal, contact your doctor if the area becomes very red and swollen.
* Keep the incision dry for at least 24 hours -- take a sponge bath instead of a regular bath or shower.
* Avoid activities that will pull on the incision, such as lifting, straining, exercising or playing sports.