Dangers in the sand and surf:
What you must know to protect your family

Every summer, beaches across the U.S. and around the world fill with vacationers eager to relax and enjoy the surf, sand and sun. But there are a wide range of risks children and adults face at the beach, many of which are life-threatening. We’ve gathered advice on what to be on guard against and how best to protect yourself.

“The best strategy is knowing the risks you could face,” believes PinnacleCare’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miles J. Varn. “No one should spend their vacation worrying about what might happen, but if you know where danger can lurk, you can better avoid it. You’ll also be well armed to deal with any problems that do arise.”

Could you save yourself from drowning?

Last year, according to statistics gathered by the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), lifeguards at American beaches rescued more than 56,000 people from drowning. Many of the reasons people find themselves in danger in the ocean are tied to lapses of judgment, for example swimming too far out or while under the influence of alcohol (which can cause intoxication more quickly when you’re dehydrated from a day in the heat).

One of the best safeguards is to always swim near a lifeguard if one is available. The USLA has determined that the risk of drowning at an unguarded beach is five times greater, while the likelihood of drowning at a beach protected by a USLA affiliated lifeguard is a miniscule 1 in 18 million.

The association pinpoints rip currents as the cause of 80 percent of ocean rescues and more than 100 deaths each year. A rip current is a powerful, channeled current of water that flows away from the shore out past the breakers. These currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes. Rip currents travel at a rate of one to two feet per second, so you can quickly be carried out into deeper water. Rip currents most often form near breaks in sand bars or near jetties and piers.

An additional factor that makes these currents a danger is that they are often difficult to detect. The water may seem calm until you find yourself in the pull of the current. Rip currents can sometimes be identified by these characteristics:

• A channel of choppy water
• An area of water that is a different color than the surrounding surf
• A line of foam or seaweed that’s moving quickly out to sea
• A break in the pattern of waves approaching the shore

Steer clear of jellyfish

While most jellyfish stings result in minor swelling, pain and itching, it’s still a wise idea to stay out of the water when these marine invertebrates float in on the tide. Worldwide, there are more than 10,000 species of jellyfish, with more than 100 species with venom that is toxic to humans in varying degrees.

According to Dr. David Chen, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital, a PinnacleCare Center of Excellence, jellyfish stings can cause a wide range of reactions, from cutaneous rashes to cardiovascular and respiratory collapse. His research has found that, with increasing numbers of people using U.S. beaches, the number of envenomations or stings is rising. One investigator cited 500,000 stings in the Chesapeake Bay region and an additional 200,000 annually on the Florida coast. The West Coast is also subject to invasions of jellyfish, but most are less likely to sting.

The Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish, which sometimes blows inshore near southern Atlantic beaches and is found in the waters off Hawaii, can be dangerous and has been linked to a number of deaths. Most often, however, these stings are simply extremely painful, with many victims describing the sensation as being similar to being struck by lightning. If you are stung by one of these jellyfish and experience any trouble breathing, confusion or faintness, seek immediate medical help.

International travelers can come into contact with exceptionally dangerous jellyfish like the box jellyfish whose sting is almost always fatal. The sting of any jellyfish, however, can be dangerous to a person who has an allergic reaction to the venom. If the victim shows any signs of breathing distress or altered consciousness, get medical help right away.

Children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are more likely to have a moderate to severe reaction to jellyfish stings. To treat a mild to moderate sting, physicians recommend rinsing it with salt water and avoiding fresh water which activates the stinging parts of the tentacles that may be left on the skin. Diphenhydramine can help minimize itching and over-the-counter pain medicines can lessen discomfort.

Head and neck injuries could shatter your future

Hundreds of head and neck injuries occur at beaches every summer. The majority of these injuries occur when people run into the water and dive into a wave, are knocked over by a large wave, and as a result of body surfing and boogie boarding.

Safety experts suggest the best way to enter the ocean is by walking in. That gives you the chance to gauge the depth, strength of currents and force of the waves you’ll be dealing with. If you are knocked down by a wave, crouch into a ball with your head tucked and roll with the wave. On a boogie board or when body surfing, keep your arms straight out in front of you to protect your neck if you’re thrown hard against the ocean floor or the shore.

It’s important to know the signs of a neck or spinal cord injury because someone who has this type of injury should only be moved by an EMT or physician. These signs can include:

• Bruises and scrapes on the face
• Neck or back pain or tenderness
• Inability to move
• Difficulty breathing
• Weakness in the arms and/or legs
• Numbness or tingling in the arms and/or legs

Sand hole suffocation dangers

Digging in the sand seems like harmless fun, but according to Dr. Bradley Maron, Harvard Medical School, sand hole collapses pose a serious danger. Since 1985, at least 20 children and young adults have suffocated as a result of these cave-ins in the U.S.

“Typically, victims became completely submerged in the sand when the walls of the hole unexpectedly collapsed, leaving virtually no evidence of the hole or location of the victim,” Dr. Maron, a former lifeguard who witnessed a sand hole collapse while on vacation, explains.

Most victims of this type of accident are young men and boys who range in age from 3 to 21, with an average age of 12. The holes involved in the accidents were from three to nine feet deep. To protect against this type of tragedy, Dr. Maron recommends digging holes no deeper than knee-high and supervising children at all times when they are playing in or around sand holes.

The best vacation is a safe one

Taking common sense precautions can help you protect yourself and your family while you enjoy time at the beach. “Wearing a helmet doesn’t make biking less fun, just safer. It’s the same with following beach safety rules,” adds Dr. Varn.