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| Most Basic Types of First Aid You Must Master |
WHAT
IS FIRST AID?
First aid is the first
quick response to a person with mild or severe illness or injury. The purpose
of first aid is to provide care to sustain life, prevent deterioration of the
current condition, and promote recovery. In other words, this is the first
invasion of a serious illness before professional help is available.
WHY
IS FIRST AID IMPORTANT?
Sometimes little
accidents happen around us. Most of them are overlooked, but some of the
accidents can be life-threatening. Even if you are a spectator, an accident
will affect you. You sympathize with those affected. Somewhere in your heart,
you want to do it right.
Basic knowledge of first aid can be very helpful in an emergency. In your workplace, you can be responsible for the safety of others. As a first aid attendant, you must provide medical support until professional support arrives. First aid is necessary for injuries and illnesses. A basic first aid kit can help provide the primary support the victim needs.
Some
of the benefits of basic first aid knowledge are:
First aid training can
be helpful for people working in different fields. If you are working with a
child, you need to know how to demonstrate first aid. It also applies to child care professionals. People who work in high-risk environments such as
factories, industrial plants, and machine shops need some form of first aid
training for occupational health and safety. If an athlete is injured during a
game, a first aid coach must provide primary care. Therefore, sports first aid
training is also required there.
Here is a list of the eight most common injuries that require first aid and what you can do in the event of such an accident.
The basics of first aid
you should know
1. First Aid To Deal With Bruises
You must do: Compress the bruised body part
with ice cubes.
Avoid doing this: Take a shower with
warm water.
Bruises can be caused by anything, whether it's a hit, or something else. The purplish-blue color that is visible on the surface of the skin occurs due to broken blood vessels and causing the blood to clot. Most of the bruises heal by themselves after a week or two but try to protect the bruises from any further impact. Compressing with ice cubes is a form of first aid to narrow the broken blood vessels and restore them slowly. For the first 48 hours, you will need to apply ice to the bruised area for 20 minutes every hour. Then after 48 hours have passed, you must replace the compress with a cloth soaked in warm water to stimulate normal circulation. Make sure to see your doctor, if a bruise is swollen or severe.
2. First Aid In Overcoming Burnt Skin
You must do: Compress the burned area with a cloth soaked in cold water.
Avoid doing this: Applying an ointment
containing aloe vera or vitamin E.
The most common cause
of burn or blistering occurs from accidentally handling hot objects or being
exposed to hot oil. Immediately apply cold running water or apply a cold, damp
towel until the pain is gone. Cover the small blisters with loose bandages or
gauze and duct tape. Do not use cold compresses for burns that cover more than
a tenth of your body. Do not push the blisters yourself. If the skin breaks,
apply antibiotic cream and cover it with a bandage or gauze until it heals.
Watch out for redness, swelling, tenderness, or discharge, as these are all
signs of infection.
When To Call Your Doctor: Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have a burn to your face, hands, or genitals, or if your burn is larger than a quarter of an inch anywhere on your body. Visit your doctor, if you find any signs of infection. If the burns are bad enough you have to take them to the emergency department for quick treatment. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, what can be done is to put a cloth that has been soaked in cold water beforehand. Do not apply burns with any ointment as this may cause irritation.
3. First Aid When Punctured By Foreign
Objects
You have to do this: Pick up the punctured
splinter using a small needle or tweezers.
Avoid doing this: Ignoring it or
immersing the body part in water.
When you are punctured
by a foreign object, such as wood, and then a small part of that object remains
inside your skin, it must be quickly removed. First aid must be done quickly
because if it is too late it can cause infection. The longer the foreign object
remains in your skin, the greater the risk of infection. Use tweezers to pull
foreign objects such as wood chips out. Do not immerse the pierced body in
water as this can make the wood chips softer and more difficult to remove.
After getting the flakes, wash the area of the body with soap and apply an
antibacterial ointment.
4. First Aid To Deal With Open Wounds Resulting From Cuts Or Scrape
What you should do: Wash the injured body
part with soap and running water.
Avoid doing this: Washing the wound with
alcohol.
If you are bleeding,
press firmly with a clean cloth for 3 to 15 minutes until it stops. Clean with
lukewarm water and dry with a tap. Meanwhile, if you use alcohol, the liquid
will actually provide a burning sensation and a burning feeling to your wound.
After making sure that the wound is washed clean, you can apply an antiseptic
ointment to the wound and cover the wound with a bandage. Continue to use the
antibiotic ointment and apply a new bandage daily (or more often if necessary)
until the cut has healed.
When To Call Your Doctor: If you cannot control the bleeding after several attempts with direct pressure, contact your doctor or go to the emergency ward of a hospital. If the sore appears to be forming or draining pus, or if it becomes swollen, tender, or red, see a doctor immediately to treat the infection.
5. First Aid To Overcome Nosebleeds
You have to do: Compress the nose to
prevent bleeding.
Avoid doing this: Put the tissue in your
nose while tilting your head.
Nose bleeding can
happen all of a sudden. Sit up straight and don't tilt your head back. In fact,
tilting your head back and stuffing your nose with a tissue will only make the
blood fall towards your throat and stomach. If you swallow too much blood, it
will be worse for your health. Loosen tight clothing around your neck. So the
best way is to take a tissue or cloth, then squeeze your nose using it. Hold
for 10 minutes or until the nosebleeds stopped. Do not remove your nose and
check. The bleeding can be prolonged. If the nosebleeds are the result of
trauma, you can reduce the swelling by applying ice packs. In the majority of cases, nose bleeding is caused by nose pricking. The best way to prevent nose
bleeding is to keep your fingers out of your nostrils.
When To Call Your Doctor: If it lasts more than 10 minutes or comes back later, contact your doctor or go to the emergency room to check for damage.
6. First Aid To Overcome Sprains And
Cramps
You have to do: Apply ice to the
affected area.
Avoid doing this: Compress with a warm
damp cloth.
It is very possible
that you experience cramps and sprains due to activity. It is easy to identify the difference between a sprain and fracture injury. If you can bear some weight
without a lot of pain on the injury, the chance is the injury is a sprain and
not a fracture. If there is a sprain, the first thing you should do is to
reduce this problem is to, lift it, compress the tense body part with ice
cubes and pressure to reduce the swelling. This cold compress helps get rid of
swelling and inflammation. Do this for about 24 hours.
When To Call Your Doctor: Strains with severe pain, swelling, or discoloration may require a trip to the hospital. In mild cases, rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory drugs can help heal the area.
7. Insect Bites Or Stings:
If an insect leaves a
puncture wound, gently rub the skin with your fingernail to remove it without
damaging it. Contrary to popular belief; do not try to pick the stinger
with tweezers. As they will cause more poisoning in the area and could cause
further injury. Instead, try pulling the skin around the stringer and flick it
away with the edge of a card like a credit card. To reduce the swelling, and offer some
relief, apply some ice to the affected area. Then cover the singed area using a
sterile bandage. Be cautious of server allergic reactions like trouble
breathing, coughing or hoarseness, hives, or swelling of the lips or tongue. To
combat the itching, apply a 1% hydrocortisone cream or a topical antihistamine
if the skin is not broken or crusted.
When To Call Your Doctor: Visit your doctor in case of such an allergic reaction. If you think you have been bitten by a tick, contact your doctor. They may want to test for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
8. First Aid For Sunburn:
You have to do: Limit the time spent
in direct sunlight.
Avoid doing this: To avoid sunburn, wear
sunscreen.
If you get sunburned,
the signs and symptoms of sunburn will appear within hours of sun exposure. The
affected skin is painful, red, and swollen. In some cases, blisters may appear.
You may also experience headaches, fever, and nausea.
If you have a sunburn, to
relieve sunburn, do the following:
v Refresh
the skin. Apply a clean towel soaked in cold tap water to the affected skin. Or
take a cool bath.
v Apply
a moisturizer, lotion, or gel. Aloe vera lotion or gel or calamine lotion can be
soothing.
v Drink
water to avoid dehydration.
v Do
not break the small blisters (no larger than the small nails). If the blisters
break, gently wash the area with mild soap and water, apply antibiotic
ointment, and cover the wound with a non-stick gauze bandage. If you get a
rash, stop using the ointment and see a doctor.
v To
relieve the discomfort and swelling from sunburn, take pain relievers such as
ibuprofen.
When To Call Your Doctor: If you have dizziness, weakness, stomach pain, or high fever, or have severe burns (blisters within 48 hours) and cover most of your body, go to the emergency room.
9. First Aid for Fracture
You have to do: Apply an ice pack to
help control swelling and relieve pain.
Avoid doing this: Do not move anyone
unless necessary to avoid further injury.
Fractures are broken
bones and can occur from falls and other severe impacts. Take these steps
immediately while waiting for medical help:
•
Stop bleeding. Apply pressure to the
wound with a sterile bandage, clean cloth, or clean clothing.
•
Repair the injured area. Do not readjust
the bones or try to push back the protruding bones. If you are trained in
sprinting methods and do not immediately get professional help, apply sprints
to the areas above and below the fracture site. Padding the sprint can reduce
discomfort.
•
Apply an ice pack. Apply an ice pack to
help control swelling and relieve pain. Never apply ice directly to the skin.
Wrap the ice in a towel, rag, or other material.
• Treatment of any shock. Help them reach a comfortable position, encourage them to rest, and calm them down. Cover them with a blanket or clothes to keep them warm.
When
To Call Your Doctor: Keep in mind that fractures can cut
blood vessels and nerves if left unrepaired and can be much more seriously
injured. In this case, it is necessary to fix the affected area and avoid
additional operations on the affected area. Repair the injured area and
transport it as soon as possible to the nearest hospital or clinic.
Everyone needs a
well-stocked first aid kit at home or on the go. Accidents can happen anywhere,
and it pays to be prepared at all times.
First aid essentials:
•
Breathe barriers when strangers have to
perform CPR
•
Tweezers to remove debris and mites
•
Hydrocortisone 1% cream for bites or
stings
•
Alcoholic wipes for cleaning scissors
and tweezers
•
Oral antihistamine
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