Minor crush injuries can usually be treated with basic first aid, such as cleaning and bandaging the wound. Medical treatment is needed for a more serious crush injury. This treatment is needed to prevent loss of function, restore circulation to the injured area, and prevent infection. An example of a minor crush injury is getting a finger caught in a door. A crush injury is more serious when it involves a large force, such as a foot being run over by a car.
The crush injury is cleansed with soap and water. If there is bleeding, pressure is applied to control the bleeding. Ice is applied. An x-ray is required to determine if the bone was damaged.
A tetanus shot should be given if the person has not had one in the past 10 years. Antibiotics may be given to prevent infection.
A severe injury may need surgery and even removal of the body part.
When someone suffers an injury such as those sustained in Haiti during and after the recent earthquake, professional medical attention should of course be sought. However, as is all too horribly evident, in many cases such basic facilities just are not available to Haitians in dire need.
For the next few days, we will be posting a multi-part blog which will briefly go over some basic techniques that you can use in the worst of times, when you are the only medical attention present.
Part 1: Puncture Wounds
A puncture wound doesn’t usually cause excessive bleeding. Often the wound seems to close almost instantly. But these features don’t mean treatment isn’t necessary, especially because of the risk of infection.
- Stop the bleeding.
- Clean the wound. Properly cleaning the wound and removing particles can reduce the risk of tetanus.
- Apply the antibiotic (if available).
- Cover the wound. Exposure to air speeds healing, but bandages can help keep the wound clean and keep harmful bacteria out.
- Change the dressing.
- Watch for signs of infection.
- If you suspect shock, take the victim to the nearest hospital emergency room. If this is not possible, call for an ambulance immediately. While waiting for medical help, start
these first aid measures:
http://www.firstaidtopics.com/shock/
www.genuinefirstaid.com
Dehydration is when the body doesn’t have enough fluid. Children and people over 60 are particularly susceptible to dehydration. Dehydration (from the Greek hydor (water)) and the Latin prefix de- (indicating deprivation, removal, and separation) occurs when more water and fluids are exiting the body than are entering the body.
Under normal conditions, we all lose body water daily through sweat, tears, urine and stool. In a healthy person, this water is replaced by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water. When a person becomes so sick with fever, diarrhea, or vomiting or if an individual is overexposed to the sun, dehydration occurs. This is caused when the body loses water content and essential body salts such as sodium, potassium, calcium bicarbonate and phosphate.
Occasionally, dehydration can be caused by drugs, such as diuretics, which deplete body fluids and electrolytes. Whatever the cause, dehydration should be treated as soon as possible. What are the symptoms of dehydration?
The most common symptoms of dehydration (each individual may experience symptoms differently) may include:
In children, additional symptoms may include dry mouth and tongue, no tears when crying, no wet diapers for more than 3 hours, sunken abdomen, eyes, or cheeks, high fever, listlessness, irritability, skin that does not flatten when pinched and released.
Treatment for dehydration:Dehydration can often be treated at home under a physician’s guidance if it’s caught early. In children, directions for giving food and fluids will differ according to the cause of the dehydration, so it is important to consult your pediatrician.
In cases of mild dehydration, simple rehydration is recommended by drinking fluids. Many sports drinks on the market effectively restore body fluids, electrolytes, and salt balance.
For moderate dehydration, intravenous fluids may be required, although if caught early enough, simple rehydration may be effective. Cases of serious dehydration should be treated as a medical emergency, and hospitalization, along with intravenous fluids, is necessary. Immediate action should be taken. How can dehydration be prevented?
Take precautionary measures to avoid the harmful effects of dehydration, including:
How much water do you need? http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153363.php
http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/dehyrat.htm
http://genuinefirstaid.com/
- Apply direct pressure with towel or gauze until bleeding is stopped.
- Clean minor cuts with Hydrogen Peroxide.
- Apply antibiotic ointment and band-aid.
It’s time to get down to brass tacks. This entire site is dedicated to first aid and “first aid” is one of those terms thrown around like everyone out there knows what you’re talking about.
Do they?
First aid is a double-duty term. It requires context to really understand what is being talked about since first aid can be the lowliest bit of medical minutia or a truly life-saving intervention.
Cleaning up your kid’s skinned knee: first aid.
Reviving Grampa’s stopped heart with CPR: also first aid.
How seriously you might take the notion of first aid depends on the type of aid you’re referring to. Look up from your laptop and scan the rest of the coffee shop. See the mom sitting at the next table over? Ask her what she would expect to learn if she took first aid training.
Don’t tell me. I’m guessing her answer is something about CPR and what to do if you get into a car wreck.
Now turn to your left and ask the guy with one of those blended smoothie things what kind of treatment he would be seeking if he went to the first aid station at a theme park.
Yeah, I know. He said he’d go if he needed a Band-Aid — or maybe a Rolaid.
So, why do we care? First aid encompasses the front line of every medical condition, big or small, emergent or mundane. It’s a good idea to broaden your own definition of first aid when you’re thinking about needs and plans.
Seek out first aid training that covers more than emergencies. Plan for medical emergencies by starting with 911, because whatever first aid treatment you perform in a medical emergency, it will need to be followed by professional medical care. Learn to recognize emergencies and to deal with non-emergencies in the most efficient possible way.
By Rod Brouhard
I wanted to get in touch with you regarding the earthquake in Haiti and how we can all help be a part of the relief efforts. With nine of the major hospitals (already poorly supplied) out of commission, Haiti is in dire need of first aid supplies.
Genuine First Aid has already sent off major donations of first aid kits, bandages, gloves, eye washes, adhesive tapes, cold compresses, etc. However there’s still more needed.
All First Aid or Emergency Preparedness Kits are receiving a 20% discount when you enter the coupon code, “Help Haiti”. Our online ordering process requires a valid shipping address (you can use any valid address – home, business, PO box, etc), but if you select “Send to Haiti Relief Effort” for your shipping method on the next page it will be sent directly to the relief effort instead of the address you’ve input.
Please help in any way you can, even if it’s just forwarding this message on to anyone and everyone you know.
Thank you for your willingness to help.
All the best,
Michael
Use this method if there’s a soft, thin layer of skin over the splinter. This is common if the skin starts to heal over the splinter before you get a chance to take it out. It’s not a good method if the splinter is deep or the layer of skin is thick (like on the heel your foot).
1. Sterilize the tip of the needle with rubbing alcohol.
2. Find the part where the splinter entered the skin.
3. Stick the needle in ever so slightly.
4. Apply upwards pressure, using the tip of the needle to open the skin right above the splinter. Go a little further, with an upward scraping motion.
5. Pull the skin apart gently and you should be able to see the splinter.
6. Use tweezers to pull it out, if the end is sticking out. Otherwise, you might have to use the needle to gently nudge it out. Get the tip of the needle underneath the splinter and nudge it up very gently. You don’t want it to break in your skin. If it does, use the baking soda method immediately to extract it.
- This step requires very steady hands and very good vision.
Tips:
- Don’t forget that most small splinters will work their way out of the skin on their own in a few days or a week. Sometimes it’s simpler and less harmful to just let your body heal itself. Watch for any sign of infection, though; while unlikely, it is possible.
- To numb the site before pulling out the splinter, put ice around the splinter (but not on it) or briefly put the spot in ice water (but not long enough to make the skin wrinkly). Again, make sure the spot is dry; it’ll be harder to use some of the methods if the skin or splinter is moist.
Best,
Genuine First Aid
http://www.genuinefirstaid.com
(To read the rest of the article, click here.)
The Easy Access Pocket System is a patented system for making First Aid Kits and Emergency Preparedness Kits much faster and easier to use, which is vital when there is an emergency and you don't have much time to find out where everything is in your kit.
When an accident or emergency occurs requiring first aid, simply open the kit and take out the pockets. As they are clearly labeled with text and pictures, you can instantly choose and open the pocket that applies to the emergency at hand.
When done, you simply close the resealable pocket and put away the kit.
An added benefit of the Easy Access Pocket System is that refills are available for each pocket.
The contents are packed in the kits in such a way as to make them as easy as possible to identify through the transparent sides of the pockets. The Easy Access Pockets are transparent on the back side, so that you can easily identify the contents at a glance from this side as well.
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