WTOP talked with a local emergency room doctor on the common patients they see around the holiday and the steps you can take to try to stay away from the hospital this Christmas.
While Christmas is a time to celebrate with family and friends, sometimes injuries and illnesses happen.
WTOP talked with a local emergency room doctor on the patients they commonly see around the holiday and the steps you can take to try to stay away from the hospital this Christmas.
“Over the holidays people get cuts cooking, people get cuts opening packages … even broken ornaments can get the best of you,” said Dr. Miriam Fischer, a senior attending physician in emergency medicine at MedStar Health.
She said she sees a lot of cuts and abrasions over the Christmas holiday. But when should you take that trip to the ER?
“If the cut doesn’t stop bleeding after pressure after a number of minutes, you want to consider. Also, if the cut is deep enough that you’re concerned that there is ligament involvement or tendon, or you see any bone, absolutely come on in,” she said.
And if you use a ladder to put up or take down Christmas decorations, “first and foremost, ask for help. You don’t need to be getting up on that ladder yourself.”
It’s also a time of the year that they see a lot of burns.
“So, holiday cooking, make sure you are thoughtful about opening the oven and turning on those burners. Never leave ovens or burners unwatched. Always turn the pot handles in,” she said.
And space heaters can be a common danger for burns and fires.
“Not only can space heaters cause burns and fires, but they also cause carbon monoxide and other poisoning. So, with the space heater, if you need one, make sure you give those heaters a lot of room and never use them in an enclosed space,” she said.
And for when you are relaxing with that glass of wine, she said to pace yourself. They see a lot of people for health issues related to excessive drinking.
“We see a lot of overconsumption, that awkward family dinner or that really fun party, and it’s just never worth spending the night in the ER instead of with your families and friends. So be thoughtful about how much you drink. Make sure you mix it with a healthy amount of water and with food,” she said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.