Dr. Cortman & Associates

The middle toe on my right foot really hurt, so I pulled off my sock and shoe to investigate. It was sensitive to the touch and had accumulated a protective layer of skin over the tender area. Beneath the excess skin, I noticed a black dot. Unable to explain the origin of the dot or the extra skin, I started digging. I tore through the top layers of skin until I reached the sweet spot. Then I squeezed the outside of the toe to see what would happen. A small pool of liquid seeped out followed by a surprisingly large splinter. Once the splinter was removed, there was no more extra skin, no more liquid and most importantly, no more pain.

If you spend any time near the ocean, you are likely to hear about a dangerous sea condition known as a Rip Tide. Rip Tides are responsible for dozens of drownings each year, rapidly sweeping unsuspecting swimmers out to sea. Yet, these deaths are preventable if you know how to respond to a Rip Tide.