The sight of a needle is enough to make a person weakened or faint. Many people have a great fear when it comes to needles and injections and would just prefer to not be bothered with it. However, there are some types of illnesses or medical conditions that warrant the use of needles on a frequent basis, some as often as two to three times a day. When this is the case, there can potentially be an assortment of needles lying around if they are not disposed of properly, in a person’s home or even in their beds.
Hypodermic needles are very sharp and very pointed since their job is to pierce the skin and adequately deliver the medicine in the vial. Used hypodermic needles that have already pierced a person’s body and entered into their skin contain small particles of the person’s skin and blood and any other contaminants that may be present in their system.
Used hypodermic needles are a haven for germs and bacteria, and also a breeding ground for attracting any other airborne contaminants since it is exposed after being used. Properly and safely disposing of used needles is a good habit to develop in order to offset any other medical issues.
- Use a Sharp container to insert the needle after use. This is the clear container with the red top that is used for this.
- Ensure that used needles in their disposed containers get to the right waste facility.
- Immediately handle the needle after using and don’t lay it down somewhere, taking the risk that it will be forgotten.
Facilities like doctor’s offices and individuals who use needles frequently would do well to adopt practices that will help them remove them safely. It is not hard to do, but taking a little extra time to ensure the safe disposal of the needles can make a big difference in a person’s health state.
Medication is used in most any situation of illness, and given in correct dosages ensure that the person returns to a healthy state quicker and stronger. Giving incorrect medicine dosages can be potentially harmful for a person, especially if the medication is meant for a particular illness and is used outside of its intended reason.
Correct medication dosage depends on a variety of circumstances and several factors should be considered first:
Weight
A person’s weight is a key factor in determining correct dosages. Medicine passes through each person’s body at a different pace, and their body weight has a lot to do with how quickly it goes through this process. For example, a heavier person who weighs a lot more than a normal weight individual will require more medication. Since their body mass is heavier, the medicine will take a longer time to travel through their system, therefore giving them the correct amount and enough of it will ensure that they get what they need.
Likewise a lighter-weight person needs less medicine than a heavier person, and having too much medicine in their system can be potentially harmful than better. Always refer to the instructions that accompany the medication to determine the dosage amount, or be sure to refer to the doctor’s written instructions on prescribed medicines to be safe.
Age
A four-year old child’s brain is significantly more underdeveloped than an adult’s brain and also cannot process ingesting too much medication; therefore the medicine dosages will also be different for them. Medication bottles will most often list the appropriate dosages for different ages, and also for those ages that coincide with an estimated weight.
Illness
The determining dosage will depend on the illness that the medication is treating. Although there are some medications that are dual-purpose (they can treat two illnesses), more often, one medication type corresponds to one type of illness. It is unwise to mix medications or to use another medicine for its other intended use to treat an illness that it was not meant for.
Always follow the doctor’s instructions when administering medicine for best results. If it is any over-the-counter medication, follow the instructions carefully and you can avoid under-doses or over-doses and any associated problems.
