Things to do when someone is Choking

Choking occurs  by an object that gets stuck in the throat and then restricts airflow. 

Often, when getting food stuck or when a piece of food  lodged in your throat, that blocks the airflow.

Choking may be caused by food or small household items. Some foods are more likely to cause choking than others, including: Hot dogs,nuts,chunks of meat, cheese, or peanut butter, whole grapes, popcorn, raw carrots and toys (any toy that can pass through a toilet paper roll is a choking hazard)

Complications include Death,Hypoxia, Brain Injury

Warning signals

Chocking is life threatening and needs immediate action.  A person who is choking may:

• Have a frightened look on his face
• Cough hard to try to get rid of whatever is stuck in the throat
• Breathe loudly  or with great difficulty
• Can’t speak
• Clutch at his font

The Heimlich Maneuver

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Do you know Heimlich Maneuver?  No?  Okay i will tell you.  The Heimlich maneuver is an emergency technique for preventing suffocation when a person's airway (windpipe) becomes blocked by a piece of food or other object.

• Have the person stand and support him from behind.
• Clench a fist and put it right under the breastbone, with the angle of the thumb against the abdomen.
• Grasp the fist firmly with your other hand.
• Jerk your hands inward and slightly upward giving the victim a hard squeeze.

For children

• Stand behind the child.  Wrap your arms around the child’s waist.
• Make a fist with one hand, thumb side in. Place your fist just below the chest and slightly above the navel.
• Grab your fist with the other hand.
• Press just above the navel.  Give a quick upward push 5 times to make the object or food come out of the child’s mouth.
• Keep pushing until the piece of food or object comes out.

For babies

• After checking the baby’s mouth for debris, put him face down on your forearm with his behind towards you.  Your arm should be resting on your thigh. 
• Slant your forearm downwards so that his head is lower than his body, while holding his jaws to support his head.
• With the palm of your other hand, give the child 4 rapid but light blows between shoulder blades.
• If the obstruction remains, turn the infant on her back so that the head is lower than the torso.
• Place two fingers in the centers of the chest about one finger’s width below the breast bone (Make sure you do not touch the tip of the breast bone.) Press inward rapidly 4 times.
• If this fails, do mouth-to-nose or mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Things you need to do:

• If the person is not choking, let him try to expel the object  himself.  Once the object is expelled, reassure the person and advise him to breathe deeply and slowly
• If the person can speak, cough loudly, or breathe, and has a normal skin color, this means air is still maneuver, if you have been trained to do it.  Do not leave him alone.  Ask someone to seek immediate help.
• If the person is unable to breathe or make sounds, emergency help.  Do the Heimlich Maneuver, if you have been trained to do it.

• Watch for coughing, difficulty in breathing or wheezing that continues even after the object that a partial obstruction that can still move and totally block breathing again.  If this is the case, seek immediate help.

In case it is a child who appears choking:

• Make sure the child is really choking.  If she is coughing forcefully, leave her alone; she’s not choking.  A choking child will gag or make a high pitched sound.
• Ask the child, “Are you choking?” If she nods, let her know you can help
• Do the Heimlich Maneuver for Children, if you have been trained to do it.
• Once the object is out, take the child to the doctor.
• A piece of the object can still be in the lung.  Only a Doctor can say if the child is okay.
• If the child passes out, call emergency, Tell medical personnel what happened.

  Ways to prevent it:

• Chew food thoroughly.
• Don’t force yourself to swallow big chunks of food.
• Chop food into angled pieces because round items are more difficult to extract and will completely obstruct the trachea.
• Don’t eat too fast.
• Avoid talking and laughing while eating.
• Keep small toys and household items away from infants or children.
• Don’t walk or run with food or objects in your mouth.

This video shows how to perform Heimlich Maneuver in a Choking person.  Watch this video about the proper way to execute the Heimlich maneuver.

How to treat Cuts and Abrasions (Cuts and Abrasions First Aid)

A cut is a clean slice into the skin.  Minor cuts damage only the skin and the fatty tissue beneath it.  They usually heal without permanent damage.  More serious cuts may damage muscles, tendons, blood vessels  ligaments or nerves.  These cuts should be examined by a doctor.  An abrasion is an injury caused by a thing that rubs or scrapes against the skin damaging or wearing away by rubbing, or scraping or grinding. An abrasion is a wound that is cause of an existing damage to the skin, no deeper than the epidermis.  

Scraps or abrasions

It Occur when one or more layers of skin are torn or scrapped damage the upper layers, but they don’t gape open. They are usually caused by falls onto the hands, knees or elbows, exposing the nerve  endings that carry pain impulses to the brain.  Because abrasions can affect so many nerve endings, they are usually much more painful than cuts.

Most abrasions and scrapes happen so often they seem unimportant and are usually treated at home.  However, if they become infected, call your doctor.  You can get an infection caused of a wound by tetanus bacteria.

Complications

• Severe bleeding, when a major artery or vein is damaged
• Infection of the wound, characterized by fever, inflammation, worsening pain and pus formation
• Onset of tetanus from infection of a wound by tetanus bacteria

What you can do?

• Stop the bleeding. Clean the area well with soap and water.  Press on the wound hard enough to stop the bleeding.  Don’t let up  on the pressure even to change cloths. Just add a clean cloth over the original one.  If there is a lot of bleeding, raise the wound above heart level, unless this will be painful.  If blood spurts from a wound or bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes of applying pressure, call your doctor immediately.

• Clean the wound. Wash out the cut with soap and water.  Make sure no dirt, glass or foreign material remains  in the wound.  Avoid using hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, Mercurochrome or iodine.  They are not necessary, can be very painful and may delay healing.  If the cut is very dirty or you cannot get all dirt out.

• Bandage the wound. Bandage a cut if its edges tend to fall together and when the cut is not very deep.  Use “butterfly bandages,” strips of sterile  paper tape, or adhesive strip bandages to keep edges together.  Apply the bandage crosswise, not lengthwise, to bring the edges of the wound into firm contact and promote healing.  Moist wounds heal faster and have less scar tissue than dry wounds.

Watch this video to be aware on how to treat abrasions, in case one of your love ones or even stranger yous saw experiencing it, helping them using your knowledge about the abrasion first aid.

The previous video is about abrasion, now i want you to watch this another vid to make you also aware. Know how to act when someone experienced cut.

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How to treat Burns and Scalds (Burns and Scalds First Aid)

Burns and Scald is a damage to the skin and/or the soft tissue, muscle and bone under the skin from contact with hear, chemical or electricity.   The longer the contact, the worse the burn may be.  A scald is a burn or injury to the skin or flesh by hot liquid or steam.


Burns are classified according to the severity of damage to body tissues:

• First degree burns  affect only the top or the first layer of the skin.  The skin can be red, dry or swollen. These burns may peel and are usually painful.  A mild sunburn or a slight scalding usually results in first degree burns

• Second degree burns affect the two top layers of skin.  The skin can be red, swollen and have some blisters.  These burns are painful and the pain may be severe. It can be fatal if more than one square inch of skin, causes a lot of blistering or is on the hand, face or groin, medical attention is required.

• Third degree burns damage all three layers of skin. They may even harm tissue, muscle, nerves, bones, white waxy, or charred black.  These burns are very painful or if the nerves are destroyed, painless.  The burned area may ooze large amounts of clear liquid.  Medical attention is required for all third degree burns.  There may be permanent scars from the burn.

Causes

• Touching a hot surface can cause burns
• Steam, hot liquids, flame and some chemicals also cause burns

Complications

• Shock (paleness), rapid breathing, cold sweat, clammy skin, drowsiness, fast pulse rate, loss of consciousness)
• Bacterial infection
• Internal damage, in case of electrical burns

What you can do?

• For small first or second degree burns

Soak the area in cool water or apply a cold, wet compress on it.  Do not use ice water, unless that is the only source of cold available, because this can increase the injury by causing hypothermia. The wet, cooling action helps stop any more burning below the skin.

Cover the burn with a clean, dry, preferably non stick dressing or cloth that covers the entire burn area.

Burned skin can itch for weeks and is sensitive to the sun for up to a year after it has healed.  Remember to apply sunscreen on the area to prevent further damage.

 Check to see whether a tetanus shot is needed

If you see any signs of infection on the burned area, call your doctor.  Infants, elderly adults and people with diabetes, kidney disease or other chronic conditions may be at  greater risk of infection.

• For severe burns:

If a person’s clothes are on fire, put out the fire with a blanket, towel, rug or coat.  Wrap it over the flames.  Press down to keep air from reaching the fire.  The person may struggle or try to run.  Make the person lie still on the floor.

 Pull away bits of clothing that may be smoldering. Leave  alone cloth that sticks to the skin but is not burning.  Emergency room workers  can take off these stuck pieces of cloth safely.

 Call emergency or, of the burn is not too large, take the person to a doctor right away. Do not let the burn victim drive.  If you cannot get him to a hospital right away, treat him for shock.

 Try to get the burn victim, If conscious and not vomiting, to  drink warm water.  The water will help replace fluids from the burn.

Check to see whether a tetanus shot is needed.

Ways to prevent it:

• Read labels of all household products and follow all precautions. Put potentially dangerous substances in safety containers.
• Wear protective clothing, gloves, and goggles when handling chemicals.
• Never store household products in food or drink containers.
• Store chemicals in safe places immediately after use, and keep them out of reach of children.

Watch this video to learn what is the First Aid of Burns and Scalds

This video will explain about first aid treatment for burns and scalds to relieve pain, to prevent or treat shock, and to prevent infection. This video will also discusses the different types of burns and demonstrates the proper treatment for each. Shows applications of appropriate bandages and cover dressings, and emphasizes the correct and prompt treatment for physical shock

 

You will know the right procedure of treating first to third degree burns on this video.

How to treat bleeding and stop it?

photo source: youtube.com

     

Bleeding from large cuts requires immediate and fast medical treatment, but most small cuts is not really dangerous.  Larger wounds, particularly those where an artery in heart has been damaged, can cause severe bleeding.  It depends on the type of wound and its location, there may be damage to tendons and nerves.

Symptoms to take note:

• Blood from an open wound
• Bruising
• Shock
• Paleness
• Clammy Skin
• Dizziness or light-headedness after an injury
• Rapid pulse, increased heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Shortness of breathe
• Confusion or decreasing alertness
• Abdominal Pain
• Weakness
• External bleeding through a natural opening
• Swollen abdomen or extremity

Causes:

Bleeding may result from injuries or occur spontaneously. Spontaneous bleeding may come from problems in the gastrointestinal or urogenital tract.

What to do?

• For bleeding from human bite

-  If you have  a human bite that is bleeding, apply pressure directly to the bite area and try to raise the wound above heart level.

-  Using a washcloth and mild soap, wash the bite area vigorously under running water for at least 5 minutes.

• For minor bleeding from a small cut or abrasion

-  Rinse the wound thoroughly with water to flush out dirt and debris

-  Wash the wound with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.  Avoid antiseptic solutions; they do not provide additional protection

-  Cover the wound with a sterile adhesive bandage or sterile gauze and adhesive tape.

-  Examine the wound daily.  If the bandages gets wet, remove it and apply a new one. After the wound forms a scab, a bandage is no longer necessary.

-  If the wound is red, swollen, tender, warm or beginning to drain, consult your doctor.

• For bleeding from a large cut or laceration

-  Wash the wound thoroughly with water to allow you to see the wound clearly and assess its size

-  Place a piece of sterile gauze or a clean cloth over the entire wound. If available, use clean latex or rubber gloves to protect yourself from exposure to      blood.  If you can, raise the bleeding body part above the level of the heart.  Do not apply a tourniquet.

-  With a gauze or cloth on the palm of your hand, apply a direct pressure to the wound for 5 minutes. During this time, do not lift the gauze to check the wound or disturb any blood clots that may form on the gauze.)

- If blood soaks through the gauze, do not remove it. Simply place another gauze pad on top and continue applying pressure.

- For all large cuts or laceration, If you are unable to stop the bleeding after 5 minutes of pressure, if you are unable to thoroughly flush out all dirt and debris, if the wound is on the face or neck, if there is something stuck in the wound, if the cut is more than ½ inch long or appears to be deep, consult your doctor . Large or deep wounds can result in nerve damage.

Tips for Prevention: Use good judgment and keep knives and sharp objects away from small children.

Complications include Hypo tension, Shock and even Death

This video shows how to deal with Bleeding.

How to heal Bruise or bruises?

A bruise forms when blood cells seep from injured veins into surroundings skin tissue. Basically, they are sores that don’t break the skin. Newer bruises usually appear black and blue.  As they heal, they may look green and yellow.

The following are causes of bruises:

• Injury from contact with a hard, even surface (e.g., falling down)
• Blow from a blunt object
• Medications, e.g., anticoagulants and aspirin, that cause people to bruise more easily
• Some women develop bruises prior to their menstrual period

What to do when you have a bruise?

• Apply ice and firm pressure on the bruised area as quickly as possible.  This helps veins constrict reducing the flow of blood into the skin tissue and helping the flow of blood into the skin tissue and helping to minimize the bruise
• Raise the damaged area higher than the heart to minimize swelling
• In the absence of an open wound, apply an over the counter medicine cream or ointment to hasten the absorption of blood.  This is true of the so-called "black-eyes" or the bluish discoloration around the puncture site following blood extractions or after IV puncture.
• Apply a warm compress on a bruise after 24 hours.

The Bystander’s responsibility.  According to the health article, a bystander Shall bring the victim to the emergency room of the nearest hospital for the following condition:

• He has suffered a head blow and vomits, is drowsy or loss consciousness
• He has suffered a blow to the body and he feels a localized tenderness or pain upon coughing.
• He may have broken a rib(s) or sustained injuries to other internal organs.

This helpful video will make you aware of how to do safety procedures when you got bruises.

How to Treat Animal Bites? (Animal Bite First Aid)

Accidents can happen to anyone at any place any time.  That is why it is a must that we know how to act during these circumstances.  Read on the tips on what to do during emergency situations, as well as prevention of any untoward events in First Aid.

ANIMAL BITES

Each year, millions of people across the world are bitten by animals, including pets, wild animals and insects.  The seriousness of an animal and insects. The seriousness of an animal bite depends on the extent and area of tissue damage, the amount of blood lost, and  the presence of infection (tetanus, in some cases) and rabies.


Snakebite is a wound resulting from penetration of the flesh by the fangs of a snake, especially a snake secreting venom through or near the fangs.  A bite by a bite by a venomous snake may be serious, depending on the victim’s size or the bite’s location, the amount of injected venom and the speed of it’s absorption.  Bites from poisonous snakes are rarely fatal when medical assistance is provided quickly.  If a snake bites you, try to kill it without deforming its head and bring it with you when you seek medical attention.  If you are unable to kill the snake, remember what it looked like.


The reaction to most bug bites is confined to the area around the bite itself.  But some insect bites can be very dangerous, even fatal. They also become life-threatening when reaction to the bite courses through include dizziness, nausea, breathing difficulty, rapid or irregular heartbeat, confusion, swelling or redness of the body and swelling of tongue, lips or face.  A person who shows any of these symptoms after an insect bite should be brought to a hospital or healthcare provider.


Seek medical help for multiple stings from bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets or fire ants, and if you experience vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache, muscle spasms or light-headedness.  If a tick  or spider, such as a brown house spider or black widow spider, bites you, call your doctor.

Signs and Symptoms

• For animal bites

- Puncture wound or laceration
- Bleeding
- Pain, which can be severe

• For snakebites:

-Single (the snake may have broken one of its fangs) or double puncture wounds from the snake’s fangs
-Immediate pain or absence of pain
-Burning, redness, swelling
-Skin discoloration
-Nausea and vomiting
-Increased salivation

• For insects bites:

- Throbbing pain that doesn’t subside within  48 hours
- Burning, redness
- Unusual rash
- Signs of infection or fever of over 38.3 degree Celsius
- Nausea, vomiting, loss of bowel and bladder control
- Dizziness or fainting, shortness of breath, swollen throat, difficulty swallowing
- Hives or swelling all over the body
- Itchiness, usually localized to the affected area.

Complications

• For animal bites:

-  Severe bleeding, if a main blood vessel is torn, which can lead to hemorrhagic shock.
-  Infection of the wound, causing fever, inflammation, worsening pain
-  Tetanus, a disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) due to infection of a wound by tetanus bacteria
-  Rabies, an acute viral infection transmitted to humans by the bite of rabid animal.
-  Death due to rabies or tetanus.

• For snake bites:

-  Shock (paleness), rapid breathing, cold sweat, clammy skin, drowsiness, fast pulse rate, loss of consciousness)
-  Severe poisoning

• For insect bites

-  Allergic reaction
-  Shock
-  Reaction to venom
-  Toxic reaction
-  Infection

What to do?

• For animal bites

-  Wash the wound gently with soap and water.
-  Apply pressure to the injured part with a clean towel to stop bleeding.
-  Cover the wound with a sterile bandage.
-  Elevate the injury above heart level to slow swelling and prevent infection.
-  Report the incident to the proper authority in your community (example: animal control office or police).
-  Apply antibiotic ointment to the area twice a day until it heals.
-  Consult a doctor immediately.

• For poisonous snakebites

-  Do not panic. Venom spreads more rapidly through the body of the victim runs or becomes excited.
-  Before applying first aid, identify the snake. Do not place ice on the bite to avoid tissue damage.
-  For a coral snake bite, elevate and immobilize the affected area and go to the nearest emergency facility.
-  For a poisonous snake (but not a coral snake) bite, within 30 minutes, tie a light tourniquet (or a constricting band of any sort) 3 to 4 inches above the bite, between the bite and the torso.  Do not cut off circulation.  You should be able to slip a finger beneath the band
-  Avoid touching the area and do not consume alcohol or stimulants.  Do not use a snakebite kit to suction venom unless medical treatment is more than an hour away.  If you must use the kit, make an incision 1/4 inch long by 1/8 inch deep over the bite, being careful not to cut deeper than the skin. Place suction cups over the wound and draw out body fluids containing venom.  Do not suction by mouth.

• For non poisonous snakebites

-  Keep the area below heart level
-  Clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water and apply a bandage over it
-  Seek medical help promptly
-  For all insects bites and stings
-  Wash the area with soap and water
-  Apply an antiseptic to prevent infection
-  Wrap a piece of ice in cloth to prevent infection
-  Wrap a piece of ice in a cloth and apply it to the area for 20 to 30 minutes.
-  For pain, take paracetamol or ibuprofen
-  For itching, apply calamine lotion, nonprescription hydrocortisone cream, soothing oatmeal baths and/or cool compresses.

• For bee, wasp, hornet or yellow jacket stings:

-  Remove the stinger with a fingernail or the edge of a credit card.  Do not squeeze or pinch; this can release more venom under the skin

• For mosquito bites.

-  Apply a paste of teaspoon baking soda mixed with a 1 teaspoon of water.

• For spider bites.

-  Apply ice to the wound for 120 to 30 minutes.
-  Elevate the affected area.
-  Seek medical care.

On this video, you will learn what to do in case a Dog attack and bite you. He will give you Safety Tips and First Aid on How to Treat a Dog Bite. So, Watch and learn

On this video, It is stated that Cat bites should be disinfected, treated with sterile water and dressed with gauze and medical tape. Treat cat bites and confirm that the animal has had a rabies vaccination with tips from a street firefighter in this free video on first aid and medical treatments.