11 Unusual things that land you in the ER & how to avoid them

If you're not careful, the metal bristles from the brush used to clean your grill could end up in your belly. During barbecue season, ERs tend to see patients who come in thinking they have food poisioning only to discover that they're ingested tiny bristles from barbecue brushes that ended up in their food. Already this year, a woman made headlines after having emergency surgery to remove a bristle from her intestines, a situation that could be deadly. 

Always double check your grill after a cleaning to make sure that it's free of any residue/bristles before cooking on it again. And try cleaning it with a towel once in a while to wipe away any dangerous metal objects.

You might expect that competitors in endurance events like the Tough Mudder and Rugged Maniac occasionally end up in the ER to have cuts, sprains and broken bones treated, but there are actually a number of people being poisoned and electrocuted. The Tough Mudder's infamous final obstacle involves participants (often wet) racing through live electrical wirings and being randomly shocked, which for some can cause fainting, seizures, etc. There have even been reports of contestants swallowing too much muddy water and being poisoned by impurities.

The easiest thing to do is not to compete in these events. But if you can't resist the thrill, be very careful off what you ingest and skip the electricity event.

This doesn't just happen in the movies, people. ER staff frequently see patients with foreign objects stuck inside of their bodies and even sexual partners who are literally stuck together. I can't quite figure that one out, but apparently it does happen. 

Don't put weird things in your body! Oh, and use some lube.

Those new-fangled laundry pods may seem convenient, but they're also dangerous, particularly for children and pets. The detergent's bright and shiny appearance is super-alluring to young children who may think they are actually toys or candy. These pods are extremely poisonous and have caused severe reactions including death in children.

If you have small kids or pets, DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT! Stick with regular detergent until your kids are much older–it's simply not worth the risk.

Shockingly, a number of women only discover their pregnancies when they show up in the emergency room with strange, otherwise unexplainable symptoms. Sometimes this doesn't even happen until they are already in labor and experiencing intense contractions! It might not seem plausible, but many women continue to spot throughout their pregnancies and don't gain any significant amount of weight.

It's important to stay in tune with your cycle. Track it every month, and if you're not actively trying to conceive be sure to use contraceptives.

It can be hard to tell how much is too much, especially once you're already a couple drinks in and start to lose track, but alcohol poisoning is a serious problem and can even be fatal. You might expect vomiting, but seizures, shortness of breath and low body temperature are also symptoms and major red flags.

Know your limits, don't push them, and never try to keep up with anyone else. Every body metabolizes alcohol differently and your own metabolism and size, will affect your tolerance.

Even if you don't watch the news, you've probably seen the horrific images of spiders and other pests lurking in peoples' produce on somewhere on social media. In recent years, a number of consumers have reported finding deadly Brazilian spiders in their bananas, and more recently a 21-year-old was bitten by a spider when she reached into a bag of grapes, the spider crawled up her arm and immediately bit her. She was treated and is fine, but will need to be monitored for some time.

The lesson: double check your produce before you leave the market, and be sure to wash it and check it again before you consume it at home.

The little known and potentially fatal condition known as secondary drowning, is one that every parent of small children should be aware of, and not just in the summer. If your child has an incident in the water–even if he appears fine immediately afterwards–he could have water lingering in his lungs, which can cause a pneumonia like condition that if left untreated can be fatal.

Keep a very close eye on your child after any accident involving water. Look out for continued coughing, lethargy, any changes in breathing, changes in behavior and an unusual color to the lips. If you notice anything at all, seek medical help immediately. Pay close attention for the rest of the day, and put off naps and bedtime until you're sure everything is okay.

I know those skinny jeans make your legs look incredible, but if you don't leave at least a little wiggle room, you could actually suffer from meralgia paresthetica, a condition that causes numbness and a painful burning sensation in the outer thigh. The tightness of your pants can compress the nerves in the tops of your thighs and cut off your circulation.

Never wear jeans that are too small, and make sure that even jeans that are the right size are not cut so tightly as to cause any discomfort.

As women we tend to have a grin-and-bear-it attitude when if comes to discomfort caused by footwear, but wearing shoes without proper support can cause you chronic pain that you probably don't want to live with forever. Flip flops are a major culprit when it comes to tedonitis, as well as knee and hip problems, due to the lack of arch support.

Choose a shoe that provides at least some arch support and a snug, supportive fit.

We don't often think about how we sneeze, but we probably should. Holding in a sneeze or blocking your airways by pinching your noise and covering your mouth, could land you in the hospital. Blocking the airways during a sneeze causes pressure to build up in the throat, which could result in a punctured airway–a potentially fatal problem.

Always make sure either your mouth or your nose is unobstructed when you sneeze.