Health » First Aid & Safety Tips

Concussion

admin1 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:36:26 +0000

Concussion is generally not regarded as a serious injury. It is caused by a sudden blow or impact to the head and one is temporarily unconscious and recovers quickly. However, because it is accompanied with violent head movements it can cause long-term brain injuries and/or skull fracture. So even though a victim recovers when the impact stops, medical examination and help is essential.

First Aid for Concussion
First aid and safety tips for helping a person with concussion are:

Place the person in recovery position and monitor ABC if need arises
Call an ambulance if the person does not recover from the impact within 3 minutes or if you notice signs of skull fracture or injury
Once the person recovers tell the victim he or she needs to seek medical help soon
Check for neck injuries which are most likely

Typical symptoms of a concussion are not very apparent and can be very subtle such as – dizziness, confusion, headache, amnesia, nausea or vomiting, slurred speech, fatigue or even ringing ears. All of these symptoms can be there for weeks or longer.

First Aid for Splinters

admin1 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:12:27 +0000

Though embedded objects next to sensitive areas such as the eyes need medical attention, minor debris such as a wood splinter can be removed at home. It is always easier to remove a half stuck splinter but a completely embedded one would need medical attention.

First Aid for Splinters
Ways to remove a wood splinter from your finger or hand is explained below:

If the splinter is completely embedded, wipe the area clean and cover with a gauze or clean cloth before you seek medical help
If the splinter is partially out, you can try pulling it out with the help of tweezers
To reduce infection, sterilize the tweezers by holding it over flame
Try pulling out the splinter in the same angle that you held it with the end of the tweezers
If the splinter breaks while trying to pull it out seek medical help
Once you manage to take out the splinter, squeeze the spot to allow some blood to come out
Wash the spot with soap and water and cover the area with a clean dressing and/or gauze

Though it may not seem like a big injury, splinters can cause infection and tetanus. Check for infection in the future and consider when you last took an injection for tetanus. You may need a booster dose.

Tennis Elbow

admin1 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:28:57 +0000

A tennis elbow is an injury affecting the tendon and soft muscle tissue at the elbow. Repetitive and twisting motion of the elbow usually leads to such an injury. The condition is marked by symptoms such as recurring pain extending from the elbow to the wrist. It is difficult to carry heavy baggage with a tennis elbow. Sometimes with tendon tears, lifting the arms also becomes painful and impossible.

First Aid for Tennis Elbow
Self care for a tennis elbow can be started at home with the help of the following procedure:

Apply ice pack to the affected elbow for 15-20 minutes every hour for the first three days
Over the counter medication can be taken to reduce swelling and pain
Get enough rest for the elbow (at least a week)
Warm up the muscles of your arm by stretching (extend your arm out with your palms facing out and gently pull the fingers back with the other hand for a few times)
Rehab the muscle by using a 1-2 pound weight (grip tight and lift for about 15-20 times)

If your condition does not improve or remains the same, consult a doctor. Specific treatment in the form of steroid injections to reduce inflammation or surgery to repair tendon damage maybe recommended.

Treating Frostnip

admin1 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:35:39 +0000

Frostnip is a less severe form of frostbite. Frostnip can also affect the fingers, toes, ears and the face – the nose and/or chin. The symptoms are more or less the same as in the case of frostbite but with lesser intensity. Nonetheless, a frostnip can also be quiet painful for a person.

First Aid for Frostnip
To treat a frostnip, follow the procedure below:

Frostnip is caused due to extreme cold weather conditions. Seek shelter and start warming up the parts affected.
Remove cover from the affected area (it is easy to identify because of the pain and tenderness felt at the spot)
Dip your affected parts in warm water or warm with your own body heat if warm water is not available. The affected fingers, toes should return to its original color on warming. If you notice BLISTERS beginning to appear in the affected areas, it is not a frostnip but frostbite so treat accordingly.
Once warmed, do not allow the areas to be freeze again because that can cause further tissue damage and pain.
Get medical help if the frostnip doesn’t heal in time

A frostnip generally heals with some amount of heating and rest. If not, it may be an indication of a frostbite for which medical assistance is absolutely necessary. A frostnip or frostbite can happen anytime of the year and not necessarily in blizzards. Be aware of the weather forecasts especially if you are planning a trip outdoors. Wear layers to take off or add clothing to keep protected from extreme harsh weathers.

Coping with Claustrophobia

admin1 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:11:14 +0000

Claustrophobia is the fear of getting trapped in closed or narrow spaces such as a lift or room. Claustrophobia is relatively common and very often goes undiagnosed because people are hesitant and embarrassed to approach a professional for help. Unlike other kinds of phobia, claustrophobia can be treated; the symptoms being very similar to that of anxiety or panic attack.

Coping with Claustrophobia
Since claustrophobia has been established as an anxiety disorder, the treatments for irrational fear of enclosed spaces are also the same.

Seek medical help and treatment
Recognize the symptoms of claustrophobia – nausea, dizziness, excessive sweating, increased heart rate and/or hyperventilation
Beware of what it could lead you into – estrangement from family, friends and social life
Learn some relaxation techniques to cope with your symptoms of fear and anxiety
Understand the anxiety disorders
Learn about your own self triggers and ways to react to particular situations
Join support groups

Medical treatments for claustrophobia include the cognitive behavioral therapy, the relaxation therapy and medication such as antidepressants and beta-blockers.

First Aid for Ear Injury

admin1 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:56:02 +0000

The ear typically has two functions – to aid hearing and it is an organ of balance. When an injury is caused to the ear, it is the hearing which is affected than the balance. Children are more at a risk of injuries caused to the ears because they might put things into their ears without noticing how dangerous it can be. Serious consequences of an ear injury means damage caused to the tympanic membrane or the eardrums.

First Aid for Ear Injury
Safety tips for treating an ear injury should include:

If it is an insect then try floating it out with warm water or vegetable oil
If it is an immovable object refer a doctor
Avoid poking the affected ears

For a ruptured eardrum:

Cover the affected ear to avoid infection
Seek medical help
Do not use eardrops unless prescribed by a doctor
Avoid water sports and/or swimming

Eardrum injuries can happen very easily like while swimming, change in altitudes or forceful blowing of the nose during a cold or flu. Though minor eardrum injuries heal spontaneously within just a few hours; severe ones need medical diagnosis and treatment.

First Aid for Fits

admin1 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:27:04 +0000

Fits can be described as an electrical discharge through the brain. In minor cases of fits, the victims suffers some disturbance in the brain’s normal functioning which may lead to lack of understanding of his or her surroundings. All that you can do to help such victims is to reassure them and lead them away from danger or harm. If the victim has never suffered a convulsion, seeing a doctor is recommended.

First Aid for Fits
In major cases of fits or seizures, the victim is aware of its coming and the electric impulses cause muscle contractions which makes him fall to the ground. When fits subside, the victim enters a state of unconsciousness. And when awoken, he or she feels sleepy and would want to rest.

Some first aid and safety tips for major fits are listed below:

Do not restrain the victim during fits or else you could cause injury to yourself or the victim. Instead move away things that can hurt him or her.
Once the fits stop, monitor the airway and breathing of the victim and you may have to manually apply pressure on the chest to pump blood into the heart and also sit the person up in a recovery position.
Once the victim comes back to consciousness, reassure him and he may have lost control of both his bowel and bladder functions so help him clean up. He may feel sleepy and would want to rest so provide the environment for rest.

Most people who get fits know how to manage themselves once they are back to consciousness through their own coping strategies.

First Aid for Heat Cramps

admin1 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:27:11 +0000

Heat cramps are often a result of inadequate fluid intake. It is a kind of painful, involuntary muscle spasm which usually occurs while exercising in extremely hot conditions or environments. Heat cramps can be more painful and stays for a longer time than the night time leg cramps which is just momentary and lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes.

First Aid for Heat Cramps
First aid and safety tips for heat cramps include the following:

Try cooling down and rest for a while
Drink plenty of fluids such as juice or an electrolyte-based sports drink
Gently massage the affected muscles
Try range of motion stretching exercises for the muscle cramps
If the heat cramps don’t go away within one hour you must visit a doctor or get medical help

Although heat cramps can affect any muscle group that is involved in exercise; the muscles generally affected include the abdominal wall and back, the arms and calves.

Tick Bites

admin1 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:45:21 +0000

Tick bites can turn serious when bacteria are transmitted to cause the Lyme disease or the Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Increased risk to tick bites is caused by and depends on which part of a country you live, how often do you frequent or live in the woody areas and how well protected you have always been.

First Aid for Tick Bites
First aid and safety tips for tick bites are listed below:

Use tweezers to remove a tick by the head or mouth and without crushing it
Preserve the tick in a bottle because in case of symptoms of illness or sickness after a tick bite your doctor may want to have a look at the tick
After removing the tick, wash your hands and the areas around the tick bite carefully with water and soap
If you are not able to remove the tick call a doctor for assistance

Look out for symptoms such as rashes, fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, joint inflammations, and flu like symptoms after a tick bite. You would have to visit a doctor and carry the tick too. 911 should be contacted for emergency situations such as difficulties in breathing, chest pain, headache and paralysis.

First Aid for Blisters

admin1 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:29:29 +0000

Blisters are bubble-like formations on the skin surface caused by the constant rubbing of clothes and/or shoes against the skin. Quiet common in athletes, rowers and trekkers blisters also pop up on wearing new shoes. Blisters fill with fluid, swell into small bulges, itch and are red and painful. The other kind of blisters is known as the fever blisters which arise on account of the Herpes Simplex virus and appear generally in and around the mouth region. Fever blisters are contagious.

First Aid for Blisters
First aid for treating blisters includes:

Avoid touching the blisters, be it of any kind
Avoid contact especially in case of a person with fever blisters
Keep away from stressful situations
Keep your feet dry for shoe blisters
Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water for oral/fever blisters
Keep blisters dry and disinfected in case of fever blisters
Clean the blisters with a gauze
Apply an antibiotic cream
Do not poke or burst the blisters
Put a bandaid if the blister is small and on the body

Blisters heal on their own and disappear after a while. Diabetics should however consult a doctor for blisters.