Sports fans: Watch at your own risk

Jacqueline Stenson MSNBC contributor

Steelers season-ticket holder Tom Duffy didn't have many reasons to cheer during last October's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined with an injury, the back-up QB threw three interceptions and his team lost, 23-17, in overtime — its second straight loss at home.

But the Steelers had their better moments, including an interception that sent Duffy to his feet screaming. The joy was short-lived in more ways than one.

"I screamed and something went off in my head," says Duffy, 37, a pension analyst. "Immediately it was this huge headache, like my head was on fire."

Being the diehard fan that he is, Duffy stayed through overtime to watch the end of the game. By the next morning, though, he knew something was really wrong.

"I was very discombobulated," Duffy says, and he had a lingering headache.

A call to his doctor led to a prompt trip to the emergency room, where he was put through a battery of tests, including a spinal tap, MRI and angiogram.

Blood in the spinal fluid was a tell-tale sign that Duffy had burst a blood vessel in his brain during his outburst at the game. He spent four days in the hospital for observation and additional tests. Then he was discharged with strict doctor's orders. "Going forward, they told me not to scream," he says.

Attention sports fans: sometimes watching the game can be hazardous to your health. While sports can be a great way to blow off steam, bond with friends and the local community, and learn a thing or two about teamwork, there are some risks involved that go beyond gaining a beer belly or chipping a tooth while opening a cold one with your mouth. And the madness isn't just in March, it's year-round.

Heart attacks, choking on hot dogs, and more
Doctors in the emergency room see it all, says Dr. Jeff Kalina, associate medical director of the ER at the Methodist Hospital in Houston.

Brian Bahr / Getty Images file Brrrrr! Denver Broncos fans cheer for their team before the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 22 in Denver. Isn't it a little too nippy, guys?

Fans, especially those who smoke or have high blood pressure, come in with heart attacks from the exertion of walking up the ramps at football stadiums, he says, or from the sheer stress of watching the games. In January, another Steelers fan suffered a heart attack during a tense moment against the Indianapolis Colts.

Patients are commonly treated for extreme sunburn and dehydration, because they drink too much beer in the heat. When it's freezing outside, fans are at risk for frostbite if they're not properly covered up.

Simply eating and drinking while being distracted by a game can be a problem. "People eat hot dogs and they jump up to cheer for a touchdown and choke on the hot dog," Kalina says.

Some people have a nervous habit of playing with the tabs on soda and beer cans, which can lead to fingers getting stuck in the can or people choking on broken tabs. Others try to open a twist-off beer bottle with their biceps, causing lacerations.

"People do the stupidest things," says Kalina. Of course, alcohol is a big factor.

When spectating becomes a contact sport
Sometimes fans hurt other people, making spectating a contact sport. Fights break out at games, drunken fans jump around in their seats and fall onto the people below them, and partying tailgaters get hit by cars. Fans have even thrown TVs out windows and pulled out their pistols.

Kalina recently treated a person who took a bullet in the foot that was shot in the air from an overenthusiastic fan. "Those bullets, when they go up in the air they have to fall down somewhere," he says.

How to stay healthy during the game — Don't drink too much alcohol. — Drink plenty of non-alcoholic beverages to stay well-hydrated. — Wear sunblock for day games. — Bundle up if it's cold. — Be cautious in big, rowdy crowds. — Don't go overboard on the junk food. It's not good for your waistline and certain foods, particularly spicy ones, can worsen heartburn. — Don't scream too much. Consider using a noise-maker or whistle instead (if allowed). — If you get hurt, skip the rest of the game and get to the ER asap. — If your team loses, put things into perspective and look forward to the next match-up. Remember, it's not my life, it's just a game.

Tragically, domestic violence also tends to spike after games — particularly when the home team loses.

And when people drink all that beer, sooner or later they need to use the facilities. But some, not wanting to wait in long restroom lines or miss even a second of a game for a bathroom break, just hold it, leading to very undesirable consequences.

"We've seen cases where people's bladders get so full and distended that they can't pee anymore," says Kalina.

One of the most common health problems occurs when hyped-up fans scream too loudly. As Duffy's case shows, screaming sometimes can be very dangerous. And people can even suffer hernias from it, as one Seattle Seahawks fan recently discovered. But the bigger risk from screaming is people losing their voices, says Dr. Robert Buckmire, who is director of the University of North Carolina Voice Center in Chapel Hill.

Laryngitis may not seem like a big deal, but it's a sign that the vocal cords have suffered damage, he says.

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