The splendor of a snow-covered forest or a sparkling meadow can sometimes make us forget just how dangerous winter can really be. From 2006 to 2010, approximately 2,000 U.S.

While a mildly injured or sprained thumb isn't a serious ailment, it is necessary to protect the your thumb from further damage by wrapping it with medical tape and a thumb splint. This keeps the thumb in place which, in turn, provides the thumb muscle ligaments enough time to heal.

A strained quad can be as minor an injury as a microtear in the fibers of the thigh muscles or as major as a total rupture of the muscles. The speed of your recovery depends on the severity of your injury, so if you have done serious damage to your quadriceps, expect your healing process to take some time.

Foot injuries can occur from overuse or improper use, such as poor form while exercising, and congenital issues, such as flat feet.

Activated charcoal is a form of carbon that has been processed for greater absorption of certain compounds. Medicinally, it is used to treat poisonings and overdoses.

Many shoulder injuries need to be treated with ice packs right away to help prevent swelling. If you have a rotator cuff tear, bursitis or another form of inflammation in your shoulder, icing will help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Burns to the skin are usually associated with heat, but severe cold can damage your skin in a similar way. If you have ever used an ice pack to treat muscle strains or sprains, avoid direct exposure of the ice pack on your skin.

Swelling of the lip can be caused by an allergic reaction or trauma to the area or, in rare cases, as a result of certain diseases such as leukemia or Hodgkin's disease. Once you identify the cause of your swollen lip, you can begin reducing the swelling through at-home treatment.

If you are tired, achy, running a low-grade fever, coughing up mucus and generally feeling blah, you may have acute bronchitis, or a chest cold. Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes in your lungs become irritated and inflamed.

Changes in skin color, especially blue lips, in a child can indicate it's time to get out of a swimming pool, but these changes can also indicate more serious health conditions. If you know what to look for, you can determine whether your son's blue lips are something to worry about or he just needs to warm up.

Think of charcoal and you might a barbecue or the product many artists use when sketching. But there is a medicinal form of charcoal, known as activated charcoal, that is used to treat a number of ailments, including heartburn, stomach bloating and flatulence. It is also used in cases of poisoning.

Potassium permanganate is a chemical compound with disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Some people, including medical personnel, use it for healing skin conditions. Potassium permanganate is useful for cleansing wounds and treating infected eczema, along with fungal infections such as athlete's foot.