The 4th of July brings all sorts of fun like hot dogs, sparklers and, of course, fireworks.

But no matter how much fun they are, you should always be prepared for injuries.

A Kirksville doctor told KTVO that if you get a hand injury, make sure the first thing you do is find cool water and wash it off gently.

"Running them under cold water, especially if a burn is involved, but certainly if the skin is broken, irrigate it thoroughly with water to make sure you get debris and anything that might cause infection if it's not cleaned out of the wound," said ATSU Kirksville Family Medicine's Dr. Eric Lesh, D.O. "But certainly seeing your doctor, or if it's severe enough, go into the ER to having it evaluated. It's important. "

Eye injuries are another common danger related to fireworks.

That's why experts say don't point fireworks at anyone and they recommend wearing eye protection while firing them off.

If you do suffer an eye injury, seek medical attention right away.

"If someone does sustain an injury to the eye, they need to be evaluated immediately, likely in an emergency setting because you don't want to mess around with your vision, and if things are not treated appropriately and quickly, that could be a concern," Lesh said.

Also, if you are working directly with fireworks, you should wear ear protection.

A silent injury that can occur with constant loud noises is a long-term ear injury.

You may not notice it right away, but over time, constant exposure to loud noises can lead to long-term effects on your hearing.

"Also any type of loud, repetitive sound exposure can ultimately affect your hearing long-term," Lesh said, "So certainly people who use a lot of fireworks and are close to them when they're going off long term will be regretting it because they'll have some hearing loss later in life."