Forest fires are sudden and spread rapidly through trees and homes causing millions of deaths and damage to property. Southern California for instance, is always a victim of summer fires where the flames usurp life and homes stretched between miles. Even though you may think that the flames are not going to reach you, the smoke is enough to cause lot of damage to your body.

How to fight forest fire smoke?
Knowing how to reduce the damage caused by forest fire smoke, you need to do the following:

• Do not exercise outdoors
• Close windows and stay inside with air conditioner switched on
• Replace the filters of your conditioner as soon as you can
• Do not light candles inside your home
• Do not smoke either
• If you are finding it difficult to breathe or are experiencing chest pain refer a doctor at once

People suffering from heart disease or emphysema need to be particularly careful about protecting themselves against forest fire smoke which can be very dangerous.

A doctor’s help is needed for taking out any foreign object from the ear canal. There are many causes for foreign objects getting inside the ears such as by accident, especially in children or sometimes insects get in while someone is asleep. Whatever be the cause, a foreign object in the ear can cause great discomfort and pain. The person may also get dizzy or the presence of the foreign object could also lead to an infection or discharge from the ears which can be in the form of blood.

First Aid for Foreign Object in Ears
This is what is needed to be done for treating foreign object in ears:

• Tweezers can be used for pulling out the object if it is slightly visible
• If the object is small shaking the head with ears facing down can force the object out automatically
• If an insect is suspected to be in the ears the turn the head with the affected ears facing up
• Pour baby oil or warm vegetable oil to float out an insect
• Do not pour oil if it is not an insect or it may lead to swelling
• Seek medical help

Do not try cleaning or pushing your fingers through your ears to take out a foreign object. Refer a doctor if none of the methods work and you still feel uncomfortable in the ears.

Fever is typically not a disease but an indication of a disease. When the body temperature rises above normal which is above 37 degrees Celsius or 98.6 Fahrenheit, the condition is identified as fever. There maybe many reasons for fever, both mild and severe. Some mild causes maybe viral infection, hot weather or allergies. There could be additional symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, constipation, etc which need to watched out for.

First Aid for Fever
First aid and safety tips for helping someone with fever:

• Check the temperature with the help of a thermometer
• Remove extra clothes from the person’s body
• Try making the person rest in a cool place
• Sponge bath can help reduce fever
• Administer lot of fluids
• Prescribed doses of paracetamol should be given for fever
• Don’t give aspirin for fever
• Don’t wrap the person warm with blankets, etc

In case of viral infection, fever does not stay too long. However, a doctor should be consulted if fever is accompanied with the following symptoms – stiff neck, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, irregular breathing, convulsions or pain while urinating.

Back pain is characterized by acute pain in the back which does not last too long. It indicates stress and can arise due to poor posture, muscle strain, pregnancy, constipation, stress, prolonged sitting or sleeping on uncomfortable mattresses. Often bearable, back pain can turn severe and be very debilitating at times.

First Aid for Back Pain
Here’s what you need to do to get immediate relief from back pain:

• Take rest in your preferred and comfortable position
• Applying ice packs to the area can also help relieve pain
• Over the counter painkillers or prescribed by doctor can be taken
• Avoid too much movement or exercise to the back muscles
• Do not use pillows to sleep
• Do not sleep on very soft mattresses

Treatments for severe back pain include – traction, anti-inflammatory drugs, massage with hot or cold packs, regular exercise. You need to consult a doctor if back pain persists and/or is accompanied with numbness or pain experienced in the legs or toes and if it is difficult to pass urine.

An ingrown toenail is not just an ugly sight but also very painful. It is a condition of the toe characterized by swelling and pain which is caused by sharp corners of the toenail digging into the skin at the corners or around. Initially, there is just pain and swelling that a person may suffer where the nail curls into the skin but later, the area can further swell to form an extra tissue that secretes yellow fluid.

First Aid for an Ingrown Toenail
This is how you need to treat an ingrown toenail to secure it from further infection and decay:

• Soak in warm water to soften the ingrown toenail
• Wet a piece of cotton and place it between the skin and the ingrown toenail to keep your skin from further cutting in
• Repeat this procedure daily till the toenail grows big enough to cut it off and trim

Ingrown toenails can be prevented through proper grooming of the nails and by wearing comfortable shoes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.