Extent of Broken Bone Accidents or Injuries 0 comments

Broken bones are more commonly referred to by the term fracture. There are several causes for broken bones, but it is typically not life-threatening. However, the extent of the pain suffered by the patient from broken bones can be extremely painful that it has to be addressed as soon as possible.

The amount of pain experienced from broken bones can range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the damage. In some cases, a person suffering from fractures caused by trauma or injury might not be aware that s/he has broken bones because it is not readily visible through the skin. It is only during x-ray that the broken bones are revealed. In this cases, you should be looking out for symptoms such as swelling, increased pain when moving the injured area, and bleeding.

Immediate Care

Broken bones can range from being uncomfortable to extremely painful. Hence, it is important to provide immediate care to anyone suffering from fracture while you await for professional or emergency help. Since dealing with broken bones is an intricate procedure, you have to leave it to the professional medical practitioners. What you must try to do is provide relief to the patient to prevent further damage or relieve them from pain.

Here are recommended first aid actions until further help arrives:

• If there are any form of bleeding, find a way to stop it. In most cases, the danger comes from excessive bleeding more than the fracture itself. If you are going to wrap the bleeding area with a cloth, make sure it is clean to avoid infection.
• Position the injured part in the most natural position without causing pain to the person injured. Avoid moving the patient until professional medical assistance arrives.
• If there is pain or swelling, apply ice packs. Make sure to cover the ice with cloth or towel. Do not apply ice directly against the skin.
• Most people suffering from broken bones will suffer from shock resulting to a fainting sensation or having short breaths. To relieve them, lay the person down. Keep the leg area elevated as you lay the head lower than the trunk.

When To Seek Emergency Help

While it is a mandatory step to call professional medical assistance whenever someone suffers from fracture, it is important to call for emergency in these extreme conditions:

• If the person's vital signs are missing, especially after applying CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for a few tries.
• If there is an excessive amount of bleeding.
• If the patient suffers from intense pain, even for gentle movements.
• If there are deformities in the joints or limbs.
• If the bone has managed to penetrate the skin.
• If you notice that the tip of the fingers or toes (for either leg or arm injury) has turned bluish.
• If the bones affected are in the neck, back, or head.

Making a Sling

Follow the procedures below to make a sling when someone suffers from broken bones in the arms:

1. Cut a piece of clothing to about 40 inches square.
2. Form a triangle by folding the cloth diagonally.
3. Using one end of the cloth, slip it under the patient's arm. While the other end of the cloth is placed over the shoulder.
4. As both ends of the bandage meet behind the neck, tie them up.
5. Fasten up the bandage's edge, the one near the elbow, for better stability on your sling.

Splinting a Fracture

Splinters are ideal for fracture in the lower arm and ankle. For fractures in the lower arm or wrist, you will need a piece of clothing. Use other tiny strings of cloth to wrap the bigger piece of clothing around the injured area.

For ankle or lower leg fracture, follow the same procedures of wrapping a bigger piece of clothing around the injured area and then tying it up with smaller pieces of clothing for security. The idea behind using splinters is to produce as less movement as possible within the injured area to prevent further damage.

Precautions for Serious Broken Bone Problems

In serious cases of broken bones, avoid moving the patient unless professional medical assistance arrives. Any further movement could produce more damage and turn out to be fatal for the patient. Hence, you must only try to relieve pain or any other symptoms. Moving patients must absolutely be avoided if the patient shows any sign of discomfort when you are trying to move them.

For cases that involve injury to the head, neck, or back, it might be ideal to wait for emergency help to arrive before attempting to do anything to the patient.

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Breathing Problems First Aid 1 comments

Breathing problems can be described in several different ways. It can be shortness of breath, difficulty to take deep breath, filling of inability to get enough air, or unable to gasp for air. Any of these cases should be a cause of concern especially if it happens outdoors or when you think emergency help is not accessible.

Breathing problems have several potential causes. Injury to the chest, neck or lung can result to heavy breathing. Other causes include:

• Asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, emphysema, or heart failure.
• Pulmonary embolism or blot clot formation in the lung.
• Breathing second hand smoke or cigarette smoking
• Collapsed lung (can happen if you have asthma or emphysema, but may also happen to young and healthy people)
• Heart attack.
• Allergic reaction

First Aid

Call 911.
Attend to the person and check his or her breathing, airway, and circulation.
Loose any tight clothing.
Begin CPR if necessary.
If breeding is present, stop it right away by applying pressure on the open wound with a clean cloth.
Continue monitoring the patient's breathing and circulation while waiting for emergency help to arrive. Never assume that the person's condition is improving if you can no longer hear any wheezing.
For injury-related breathing problems, make sure that the injured part of the victim's body is untouched. Never move or realign injuries.
If the chest or the neck has open wounds, they must be closed at once. Bandage these wounds immediately.
Do not give any food or drinks to the victim
If breathing problem is caused by fatigue, heat exhaustion or hyperventilation, stop any activity and take the person out of direct sunlight.
If the victim has inhaled fumes, take him or her to a safe place. If the person is or becomes unconscious, make sure that nothing is obstruction the airway.
When to call for emergency help

Call emergency medical help with breathing problem is accompanied by the following:
• Excessive drooling
• Chest pain
• Open wound on the chest and neck
• Inability to speak
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Blue lips, fingers or toenails
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Hives
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Swelling of the tongue, throat or face
• Presence of blood when coughing

Call for emergency help right away if breathing difficulty is accompanied by coughing, if the victim has fever, green or yellow phlegm, weight loss, swelling in the legs, night sweats, and loss of appetite.

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Allergic Reactions 0 comments

Allergy is a common condition shared by many, regardless of age or gender. There are also different triggers to an allergy, which makes it a challenge to understand this condition. However, it is extremely important to know how you can treat allergic reactions when they happen.

Different Types of Allergies

The best way to differentiate allergy types is understand its cause or triggers. Here are just some of the most common ones:

• Food Allergy: There are different types of food that could trigger allergies in a person. However, its severity depend on various factors including the amount of food taken, exposure to the food, and the level of sensitivity by an individual.
• Insect Venom Allergy: This type of allergy is common in children and is triggered when bitten by a particular insect.
• Airborne Allergy: Also known as allergic rhinitis, this type of allergy is triggered by airborne allergens. When symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion and others are manifested, it typically comes with watery or red eyes.

Symptoms of Allergic Reactions

Symptoms of allergy vary depending on the type of allergy and from person to person. However, these symptoms exhibit general symptoms. For your guidance, these generic allergy symptoms are listed below. However, all these symptoms must not necessarily appear at once:

*Swelling on the specific area of the body being affected by allergy;
*Redness on the skin;
*Formation of itchy rash;
*Dizzy feeling or collapse;
*Difficulty breathing similar to asthma attack.

Practical Care for Allergic Reactions

Preventing further damage caused by allergies begin at home. A good knowledge on your specific type of allergy is vital in preventing severe allergic reactions. Here are some practical tips you should know:

• Avoid any possible triggers to allergic reaction. For example, if your allergy is caused by a particular kind of food, make sure to avoid it at all times.
• Do not wait until reactions from allergy turn severe. Seek medical help as soon as the first signs of allergic reaction shows up.
• For mild symptoms of allergies, nonprescription medicines for allergy often respond well. You must take these medications for only a few days, however.
• If you develop rashes from allergies, anti-inflammatory steroid cream such as hydrocortisone are often effective.

Using Medical Treatment

Once the allergen has been addressed, most people suffering from allergic reactions use medication as their choice of treatment. However, when anti-allergy medication is not enough, it might require therapy, especially for people suffering from anaphylactic shock. In cases wherein an individual have difficulty breathing, oxygen is introduced into the body. Or blood pressure is given a boost by introducing intravenous fluids.

Anaphylaxis or Severe Allergic Reactions

Anaphylaxis is the term used to refer to severe and extreme cases of allergic reactions. The condition is also referred to as anaphylactic shock that involves various systems within the body. Among the fatal effects of the development of a severe allergic reaction include circulatory collapse and life-threatening respiratory conditions.

Depending on a person's sensitivity to the triggers, a several allergic reaction might happen within minutes or a few hours following the initial exposure to allergens. There is also different substances that can cause extreme allergic reactions but the symptoms are pretty much the same. Your eyes or lips might suffer from severe swelling. In some cases, swelling can occur inside your throat to make breathing extremely difficult. Other symptoms include reduction in blood pressure, failure of internal organs, nausea, abdominal cramping, dizziness, loss of mental reflex, among others.

First Aid for Anaphylaxis

Once you notice any of the symptoms listed above or you observe someone suffering from them, quickly call for emergency help. Then, observe the following first aid procedures:

• Check the person if s/he might be carrying medications for allergic attack. It might be an auto-injector of epinephrine and make sure to follow instructions for proper usage. When you press the injection into the patient's skin, hold it in place for a few seconds before removing. Then, massage the area where you have injected for fast absorption of the medication.
• While the person is lying on their back, elevate the feet slightly such that it is higher than the head.
• If the person is wearing tight clothes, make sure to loosen it up.
• If you could find a blanket or a big piece of clothing, use it to cover the patient's body.
• If possible, avoid giving the patient any drink, especially if the patient is a stranger. It might contain allergens that might trigger more allergic reactions, if not choke the patient.
• If the person is either bleeding or vomiting, turn them over on their side to allow the vomit to come out and avoid the possibility of the patient choking.
• Check the patient for vital signs. If non-existent, begin administering CPR.

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Accidental Poisoning 1 comments

Accidental poisoning is one of the leading causes of death in America. The sad part is that it often concerns children when they accidentally intake harmful medications. Hence, proper safekeeping at home is an important step towards preventing such dangers to the health of your children.

Dangers of Poisoning

Poisoning happens when an individual is exposed to harmful substances in the body, which could be caused by medications and other toxic substances that are often find inside your home. Indeed, poisoning could be caused by a whole variety of substances and even the medicines you intake. Children are the common victims of accidental poisoning at home. Therefore, proper safekeeping at home is vital in preventing this from happening.

When an individual is accidentally poisoned, it often targets the digestive and nervous system. Hence, symptoms can range from disorientation, drowsy feeling, inability to follow movements with the eye, vomiting, and many other classic signs of poisoning. When any of these signs are detected, it is important to find medical assistance and administer proper first aid treatment methods.

Preventing Accidental Poisoning

The old saying “prevention is better than cure” holds true in the case of poisoning. Although there are modern medicines that are able to reverse the conditions caused by poisoning and cure it effectively, it is better to keep your children away from harm as much as you can.

• If you have chemical products and other hazardous substances at home, keep them away from the reach of children.
• Store your medicines and chemical products away from food or other food products.
• If you are going to use containers for storing delicate and dangerous substances, label them properly.
• Never take medicines that are outdated and take note of proper dosage instructions.
• Avoid taking medicines in front of children, if possible. Young children are known to imitate adult behavior. This tip must also go hand in hand with storing medicines properly to keep them out of children's reach.
• Always return medicines and chemical substances to their respective storage after using them.

First Aid Tips for Different Poisoning Methods

There are several harmful substances that could poison your child, even at your very own home. So, prevention is a bigger emphasis more than treatment.

However, if your child has already suffered from accidental poisoning, you will need to learn a few basic and important first aid treatment options to revive your child's health and save their life.

Treating Swallowed Poisons

In case your child accidentally swallows poisonous materials, here is what you should do:

• Immediately call the poison center and report the situation.
• Avoid administering medicines or giving your child a drink until you have reported the situation or without professional advice. Doing so could worsen your child's condition.
• Avoid forcing your child to vomit, unless advised by the physician whom you called at the poison center.

Treating Inhaled Poisons

Poison could also be airborne. Hence, you need to apply a different first aid approach to such cases when your child or either one of your family inhales poison accidentally:

• Readily transfer the victim to an area that allows fresh air.
• Immediately call the poison center and report the incident.

Treating Poisoned Skin

Poison could affect the patient's skin when an individual comes in direct contact with the harmful substance. Therefore, you have to know exactly what type of first aid treatment to administer your child in case this happens.

• As with any other type of accidental poisoning, call the poison center immediately.
• Remove any article of clothing that has been contaminated with poison.
• Using a running water, rinse off the poisoned area for about 10 minutes.

Treating Poison on Eyes

In worse case scenario, the poison can get inside the patient's eyes. This is more likely to happen with children due to their curiosity. To avoid further damage from eye poison, you must follow the first aid tips below:

• Immediately call the poison center to report the incident.
• Flush running or lukewarm water into the eye of the patient for at least 15 minutes. Ideal source of water should run about 2-4 inches above the eye.

Contacting Emergency Personnel

When contacting emergency personnel in cases of accidental poisoning at your household, the information you provide is vital in the recovery and treatment of the victim. Here is a short list of information that you must provide when you make that call:

• name, address, and contact details
• report the immediate problem
• provide details about the person who was accidentally poisoned such as age, gender, etc.
• describe the condition of the person who was poisoned – indicate symptoms such as vomiting, appearance of skin, choking, conscious or unconsciousness
• provide details about the substance taken – name, period since taken, and at what amount

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What to Do When Grand Mal Seizures Take Place? 0 comments

Swimming can be so much fun during summer, but not when you or someone you know suddenly experience grand mal seizures. This scene can be very frightening, since some incidents like this resulted to drowning. For sure, you don't want to be a witness of this, especially if you don't know exactly what to do when grand mal seizures take place. So, before you hit the beach this summer, why not educate yourself with some grand mal seizure first aid tips? But first, here is a brief overview of what grand mal seizure is.

Also known as tonic-clonic seizure, grand mal seizure is a convulsion or a sudden attack whereas a person experiences violent muscle contractions and loss of consciousness. It is often caused by the abnormal activity throughout the brain; and in some cases, it is triggered by various health conditions like kidney failure, epilepsy, and very low blood sugar. It only lasts a few minutes, the first phase causing the victim to fall down if he or she was standing and become unconscious, while the second phase causing him or her to experience general loss of control over the functions of the body. But these few minutes are very critical, that's why it is important to know what to do when grand mal seizures take place.

Although seeing someone experiencing grand mal seizure can be very frightening, you have to remain calm and have presence of mind to at least help the victim. Although you cannot do anything to stop the seizure, you can do something to prevent it from becoming more serious. First, if the victim is lying on his back, make sure to turn him onto the side so that if he vomits, he will not swallow it and get choked. Second, put something soft under his head because the shaking brought by the seizure might get his head banged hard against the ground. Also, remove sharp objects near him and never restrain him from moving. And third, do not place anything into his mouth.

After doing all those first aid tips, you can either bring the victim to a medical facility or better yet, call 911 so that more reliable personnel can assess the victim. As a bystander, you cannot really do a lot to stop the seizure from taking place. But recalling the scene and providing the needed information to medical personnel could be the victim's lifesaver as far as diagnosis and treatment are concerned.

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