Tattoos being used for medical alerts

[LynneSin]

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090608/LIFE/906080307/1005/Tattoos+being+used+for+medical+alerts

There's a tattoo trend surfacing -- one that could save lives.



Increasing numbers of people who have serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, are turning to tattooing to identify themselves on the chance a health emergency leaves them unable to communicate, says Saleh Aldasouqi, a diabetes expert from Cape Girardeau, Mo., who will present a report on the topic Friday in Houston at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

"Like it or not, a lot of people are resorting to this way of medical identification," Aldasouqi says. "It's not that we (doctors) are promoting it. It's more, 'What should we do about it?' It is happening."

Aldasouqi first met a patient with a medical tattoo last year when Illinois correctional officer Todd Walsh, who has had type 1 diabetes since childhood, came to him for care.

Walsh, 37, sports on his wrist a black and red "star of life," a six-pointed star with a spiraling serpent inside, often seen on ambulances. The word "diabetic" is inscribed below it.

Walsh has had numerous episodes of potentially life-threatening low blood sugar, which can cause disorientation and even unconsciousness. He had worn medical alert bracelets over the years, but he says they often broke and the cost was adding up. "This is a more permanent solution," he says.

[Deep13]

1. My concern is that people might not know to look for a tattoo.

Those bracelets are suffciiently common that medics or even knowledgeable samaritans know to look for them. It might be awhile before they know to look for tattoos.

[LynneSin]

2. The picture from the article showed the tattoo on the wrist

But you have a point if folks are execting a bracelet

[NJmaverick]

5. As an EMT I can tell you this is the first I am hearning about this

so I wouldn't look for one on the street. Medic alert bracelets on the other hand...

[LynneSin]

9. I'm sure it's something new but I can see where having the tattoo is useful

According to one of the people interviewed for the article he got tired of buying new medical bracelets because they would break after use. What if one broke during a car accident? A tattoo, if placed someplace obvious like the wrist, would be there permamently.

Then again whatif the person was burned badly?

I guess it's a no-win situation.

[NJmaverick]

13. Over the years I have seen various new ideas like this

putting your info in your cell phone, vial of life in the fridge and so on. None of them have really caught on. In fact even medical alert bracelets are pretty rare and I think it's been a couple of decades since I can recall one being of assistance.

[pokerfan]

18. Question for you as an EMT

What's this I'm hearing about 'hands-only' or compression-only CPR? I think I heard about on the news a couple of weeks ago. I've had so many CPR classes over the years (mountaineers, ski patrol, etc.) and it seems like they are always changing this. It's very frustrating to stay current.

[NJmaverick]

23. CPR certified for nearly 24 years

and I share your frustration. Still it makes sense to start to get away from ventilations. First off there is air exchange taking place during the chest compressions. Then there is the issue of loss of pressure as you stop to ventilate. I was talking to one of my crew mates that is a CPR instructor. Seems it takes X number of compressions just to prime the pump, so to speak. After that priming you get the effective circulation. When you stop for breathes you lose that prime and have to start from scratch.

Like I said it gets challenging to relearn a basic skill ever year or so.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Put the tattoo around the wrist, or on the under side of the forearm. nt

[XemaSab]

26. If the EMT's have to insert a line

they would probably see a tat. The question is "Which arm?"

[Kali]

3. my sis has her soc security number on her ankle

so they can id her body
we are a little sick in my family:rofl:

[Sigh Sister]

4. We use temporary tattoos at work

to alert staff when an upper extremity is not to be used for blood pressure or lab draws/IV. Of course the patient has to consent. I've heard of people having DNR tattooed on their chests so there is no question when the time comes.

[LynneSin]

6. I've heard of patients writing things like "Left Kidney" on themselves

to ensure the doctor takes the correct part out during surgury

[Sigh Sister]

11. I know a woman who was having a right breast mastectomy

and she wrote "NOT THIS ONE" on the left.

[supernova]

7. Tats for radiation treatment too

They tattoo in the perimeters of where the beam should go. Weird but effective.

[LynneSin]

10. I remember my father had those on his head

He had lung cancer that went to the brain. The put tiny dot tattoos on his heed (it was right where the neck connected) so they would know where to line up the radiation machine.

[DainBramaged]

16. Why didn't they use industrial Magic markers?????

[NightWatcher]

12. more and more soldiers are using them as meat tags incase they lose a limb

to help ID the body in case they get blown apart. Usually found on the side near the bottom ribs

[pokerfan]

20. Medi-alerts should really go on the forehead

You can't really get detached from your head but you can lose a limb. A barcode combined with some sort of database would seem to make the most sense.

[jmowreader]

14. I had a biker platoon sergeant who did something similar

This guy was covered in tattoos, and he probably rode 10,000 miles a year. Naturally, the fear of bad medical care was high in his mind...so inside his left elbow he had tattooed his name, SSN, blood type and a circle around his vein, so they could get in and out of it easily. Said EJ, "if I'm in a wreck that's where they're going to stick me, so they should be able to find my information fairly easily."

[DainBramaged]

15. I have a Medic-Alert dog tag with super strong stainless chain around my neck

I don't think I'd want a tattoo visible, with all of my medical problems, for the world to see.

[Roon]

17. I remember reading in our local gay rag

about people getting HIV+ tatted on their shoulder.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

19. The biohazard symbol is often tattooed to show HIV+ status

It's apparently, common enough that my tattoo artist says he lets people know the meaning of it before getting it tattooed. He said he doesn't want someone getting it, then finding out the other meaning later on.

[Roon]

22. I never knew that

Interesting

[Manifestor_of_Light]

21. I knew a lady with one of those tattoos 25 or more years ago.

This was in the early 80s.

She was a massage therapist and had "Allergic to Penicillin" tattooed on her upper arm.

Pretty cool idea.

[Quantess]

24. Did it look like this?

[Quantess]

25. Here's a very straightforward one:

[Forkboy]

27. I could spend all night thinking of warnings to put on myself.

High Blood Pressure
Does Not Play Well With Others
No Salads

...the possibilities are endless.