Sprains, Sunburn, And More: Kitchen Foods to the Rescue 0 comments

For every sprain, sunburn, bug bite, burn, bump, and strain that your children experience, what first aid do you give? Do you automatically resort to medication once they experience any of these? Or do you panic and see a pediatrician immediately to help your child feel better? Although these are not major injuries or health problems, these can make your little ones feel very uncomfortable, thus you must give them immediate relief. But do you know that the best product which can give them just that is just right behind your kitchen doors? Why don't you read on to know which of these kitchen foods can help relieve your children's pain and discomfort.

Start with that smelly onion that you use for cooking great meals. If your child has been stung by a bee or bitten by a bug, simply use freshly cut onion, rub it to the infected area, and voila, that will take away the itch or the hurt in an instant. How about sprains, bumps, and strains? Smelly onion is also very effective at those. If you have athletic kids who keep having minor injuries while playing, you can tape on a sliced, yellow onion overnight over the injured area to help reduce the pain and swelling. And if your child experienced non-stop coughing, don't hesitate to use again, this smelly onion which is thinly sliced, wrapped in cheese cloth, and warmed in the oven at 200 degrees. Simply put it on your child's chest and then cover it with a T-shirt. You'll see, your child will stop coughing in no time.

How about burn and sunburn? Well, why don't you go over that honey jar and start using that sticky solution to treat minor burns. Your child may think that you're letting him or her eat honey, but not this time. You will apply it to the burned area so that will give relief in a jiffy. But make sure you use only raw, natural honey, okay? As for sunburn, that apple cider vinegar that you often use in cooking, well you can put one cup of it in your child's bath. Ask your child how it was and for sure he or she will answer, "That was so cool and soothing!"

Smelly onion, honey, and apple cider vinegar are just some of the kitchen foods that you can use to give your children itch and pain relief. Who says you need to spend more just to make them feel better? Everything is just right at your kitchen. Take a look.

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Sprains 0 comments

What is a Sprain?

Sprain happens when your ligaments become injured once they are overly stretched. Ligaments are elastic bands that are linked to your bones and responsible for holding joints in place. The extent of your sprain injury varies whether the ligament suffer from small tears or is completely torn apart.

When this happens, symptoms like swelling on the sprained area, pain, and inability to bear weight on the specific area suffering from sprain is common. The intensity of the pain is often an indicator of how severe the injury is. However, self-care is often enough for minor cases of sprains.

When to Seek Medical Assistance

Although you can perform first aid treatments yourself for sprain injuries, in some cases it can be so severe as to require emergency medical assistance. When any of the following scenarios happen, you must call 911 immediately:

• Whenever a popping sound is produced upon the acquisition of the injury;
• When you lack stability in the specific injured area;
• If the victim is suffering from fever that is unlikely high as it could indicate an infection;
• If the victim is suffering from intense amount of pain;
• If the injury does not improve after 2-3 days of initial treatment.

Assessing Extent of Injury

Before attempting to treat a sprain, you must begin by evaluating how serious the injury is. This will determine what specific treatment you need to perform, as well as safeguarding yourself to avoid worsening the injury.

You know that the injury is serious if any or a combination of the following is observed:

*snapping sound or indication of a broken bone
*deformities that are visible on the skin surface
*symptoms of hemorrhage
*increased joint laxity on the injured area of the body
*inability to move the injured area
*swelling on the injured area
*discoloration on the injured area

Protecting Injury

Whether the injury is serious or not, you can prevent further damage by protecting it. One way to do this is avoiding the use of the specific joint that is affected. You can make a splint to produce as little movement on the area as possible. For leg sprain injuries, you can also use crutches to avoid bearing weight on your sprained leg.

Resting Injury

Allowing proper rest and protection on the sprained area of the body is important for faster recovery. Protecting and resting your injury must then go hand in hand. You must avoid using the specific area of the body that is injured to avoid straining it. If you cannot avoid using it, for example if your leg or ankle is sprained, then you can find several supporting devices that will put minimal weight on the injured body part.

Cold Compress

Making an ice pack and using cold compress on the sprained area of the body is helpful in numbing the pain. However, it is not advisable to apply ice directly on the skin as it will result to frostbite. You can wrap the ice around a cloth or pack before applying it on your injury.

Place the ice pack or cold compress against the injured area for at least 20 minutes. After that, you will notice that the area has numbed and swelling has reduced. If the area has turned completely numb, stop using the ice pack. And make sure to not use the ice pack for beyond 20 minutes. Also, allow at least 20 minutes of break before re-applying cold compress again. This treatment should proceed for the next 3 days or until symptoms have subsided.

Bandage the Injury

Compressing the injured area is also useful during treatment. You can take an elastic bandage or wrap to snugly fit into the injured area. Avoid tying the elastic bandage too tightly as it can cut the circulation of blood.

Elevation

To prevent further swelling on the injury, you must raise the injured area of the body. Make sure that the injured area is elevated above the heart level to drain fluids out of the area and keep it from being swollen. Do this as often as possible during the first 48 hours since the acquisition of injury.

Recovery From Sprain

Most minor cases of sprain enable patients to recover normally. Meaning, they can go back to their normal everyday activities without signs of the injury. One way to help yourself recover from the injury is invite as much movement and circulation into the injured area. If there is any sign of pain or discomfort, do not push yourself beyond your capabilities.

For major cases of sprain, however, follow up treatment is often required. This will evaluate all signs of healing to ensure that the injured area has properly healed.

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Summer First Aid Tips for Fleas Bites 0 comments

Pets may cause quite a few problems on their own. But what lives under their coat is entirely a different league. Fleas are tiny wingless creatures that live in your cats' and dogs' fur. Since your pets live inside your house and since these fleas have the ability to jump long distances and can without a host for some period of time, you and your house are not spared to the menace they can bring.

Flea bites have certain characteristics due to the tiny size of the flea itself as well as the nature of the bite.

A flea bite is very itchy and can cause redness to the skin. The bitten area will develop swollen wheal (lump). After a day or so the wheal may become a blister or a small wound. While most cases of flea bites do not cause serious harm to a person, infection may become an issue because of scratching. Hypersensitivity to bites may also trigger allergic reactions and should be a cause of concern.

Treatment depends on the severity of the bites. Again, flea bites are rarely an emergency case. For this type, the best thing to do is to resist the urge to scratch to prevent secondary infection or scarring.

Take oral antihistamine to help relieve itching, and paracetamol for reduce the pain. Use anaesthetic creams or calamine lotion to reduce itching.

Take a lukewarm bath (do not take a hot bath for it may aggravate the swelling) and use antiseptic soap to reduce the risk of infection. Do this as necessary.

Apply an icepack over the area of the bites to reduce swelling.

If flea bites result to allergic reactions, call your physician right away.

Remember that flea bites are just like any other insect or animal bites. They are just bites, so don't think that fleas will borrow into your skin or something like that. If you want to end the flea bites once and for all, get to the source of the bites. Rid the source of infestation.

Treat your pet. See a veterinarian for appropriate flea-killing products.

Fleas can breed in your home all year round, but it is during summer that the problem can become very serious. Treat your house. Use flea bombs. Clean animal beddings and the general surrounding thoroughly. Vacuum the carper and throw away the cleaner bag. Treat the areas where your pet generally stays. Maintain cleanliness and hygiene.

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Summer First Aid Tips for Major Burns 0 comments

Burns are caused by heat (like fire), wet heat (like hot liquids and steam), chemicals, electricity, UV radiation (like sun and snow), friction, radiation and heated objects.

Among these, thermal burns are the most common. Thermal burns occur when hot objects, steam, flames, and scalding liquids come in contact with your skin. Space heaters, fires, electrical malfunctions, playing with hot objects, and automobile accidents are the frequent causes of these. Thermal burns can also be the result of getting contact with household appliances like hot iron, stove, oven and flammable chemicals like insecticides.

Burns are classified as first-degree burns which affect just the outer layer of the skin; second-degree burns which affect both the underlying skin and the outer layer of the skin; and third-degree burns or full thickness burns extend to into deeper tissues. Here, we will discuss the first aid treatment for third degree burns.

If the person is still on fire, tell him to stop, drop, and roll. Your first job is to smother the flame. Douse the person with water or use objects like rug, blanket, or cotton coat if water is unavailable.

Serious burns, major burns or third degree burns cause pain, swelling, blisters, peeling skin, charred skin, red skin, and shock. It is important to address these things immediately. Call 911 for emergency assistance. Until help arrives, the following steps will help:

• Make sure that the victim is no longer in contact with fire or heat. Bring him to a safe place where you can administer first aid.
• Do not remove burned clothing from the skin
• Check if the person is breathing. If breathing stopped or if the airway is blocked, open the airway. Do CPR if necessary.
• Do not clean the skin with cold water. Doing this could cause shock.
• Cover the burned area of the skin with dry sterile gauze bondage or clean cloth without breaking blisters. Burned fingers and toe nails should be covered separately with clean, dry and non-adhesive dressing.
• If possible, parts of the body that were burned should be elevated above the level of the heart. Elevating the feet about 12 inches and covering the person with a coat or blanket prevents shock. However, never attempt to move the person to any position that would make him feel uncomfortable.
• Never apply any pressure or friction to the burned area of the skin.
• Stay with the person. Continue monitor his vital signs until help arrives. Blood pressure, rate of breathing and pulse should be checked regularly.

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Summer First Aid Tips for Minor Burns 0 comments

The type of first aid depends on the type of burns a person has acquired. Treatment approach is either for minor burns or for major burns.

First- and second-degree burns are considered minor burn while third-degree burns are considered major burns (first aid for major burns will be discussed on separate article). In some cases, treatment for major burns may apply on second-degree burns.

First aid tips for minor burns:

• Cool and clean the burn. Soak the affected area of the skin under cold water for at least 5 minutes or until the pain subsides. If soaking is impractical, run cold water over the area of the burn instead. If both are unavailable, cool the burn with cold compress. Soak soft cotton to cold water and use is as cold compress. Cooling the burn is an effective way to reduce inflammation as well. Caution: Do not use ice-cold water or place ice on the affected area of the skin. Ice can cause frostbite, which can further damage the skin.
• Wrap the burn with dry, sterile gauze bondage or clean dressing. Don't use anything that can cause skin irritation. Do not wrap the skin too tightly or put pressure on burned skin. Doing this reduces pain and protects the skin from irritation and blistering.
• Do not use butter, ointment, cream, or oil spray as household remedy.
• Do not disturb dead or blistered skin by applying contact or removing clothing that is still stuck to the skin. Do not break the blisters as this will disrupt normal healing.
• If necessary, take over-the-counter pain reliever. Ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and naproxen are good. Teenagers and children should not be given aspirin.
• Minor burns will heal after several days without the need for further treatment. But if it is a second-degree burn with considerable size, or if the burn is located on the face, hands, feet, groin, major joints, or buttocks, treat it the way you treat a third degree burn.

Do not hesitate to call for emergency help if the burn is the size of your palm or larger, if you are not sure how serious it is, if you think it is a third-degree burn, if you inhaled smoke, if physical abuse is the known cause of burn, or if it is caused by chemicals or electricity. Also, if there are signs of infection, severe pain, swelling, fever and other serious reaction, call 911 immediately.

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