Emergency at home? Here’s what you need to know
Medical emergencies are all around us. At home or work, you never know when your child or colleague would need you to be there in a matter of life and death. The most important thing is to immediately call for medical assistance, such as an ambulance. But in a situation where quick thinking and knowing what to do (and more importantly what not to) is essential– these guidelines will help you cope better until medical help arrives:
Choking
Choking occurs when the airflow in the windpipe is blocked by a foreign object. In adults, this is most often due to food while in younger children there is always a chance of small objects -anything they get their hands on-being lodged in the windpipe.
With less oxygen supplied to the brain a person can fall unconscious and administering first aid as quickly as possible is imperative.
The universal sign for choking is hands clutched to the throat. If the person doesn’t give the signal, look for these indications:
- Difficulty breathing
- Noisy breathing
- Inability to talk
- Inability to cough forcefully
- Skin, lips and nails turning blue or dusky
- Loss of consciousness
The Red Cross recommends a “five-and-five” approach to delivering first aid.
First, deliver five back blows between the person’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Perform five abdominal thrusts. Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.
Epileptic fit
A seizure, or a fit, can be described as repeated vigorous movements in the limbs followed by loss of consciousness. Indeed it may turn out to be a frightening episode for most and thus staying calm and not panicking is essential.
Move hard or sharp objects out of the way and place something soft under the head.
Loosen anything tight around the neck, and try and keep a check on how long the seizure is going on.
As opposed to the general myth, do not put a spoon or any object in the mouth. The person will not swallow or bite his or her tongue. Gently roll the person onto his or her side as the seizure subsides to allow saliva to drain away and keep the airway clear.
Chest pain
A chest pain is more often than not caused by a severe blockage of blood flow to the heart, leading to a heart attack. Always ask the person feeling the chest pain if it is spreading. If so, chest pains that spread to the arms, neck, jaw, and back suggest a heart attack.
First things first– sit them down in a comfortable position and immediately call for an ambulance.
Give the person an aspirin to chew as this can effectively stop the blockage from worsening.
Burns
Along with the obvious cause being fire, burns can also be caused by hot water, electricity and chemicals. Make sure that the power sources are switched off before approaching a burn victim due to an electrical mishap. To be able to administer first aid, you must be safe too.
Cool the burn to help soothe the pain. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pain eases. Or apply a clean towel dampened with cool tap water. Do not use ice to treat the burn.
Remove rings or other tight items from the burned area. Try to do this quickly and gently, before the area swells.
Don’t break small blisters. If blisters break, gently clean the area with water.
Do not apply anything to the burn. Creams and ointments may make it worse and cause difficulties for emergency teams to gauge the degree of the burn.
Bleeding
Generally bleeding due to a small cut or scrape is not a medical emergency, however if the blood continues to squirt or pump out, it can rapidly lead to death and immediate medical assistance should be sought.
Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth or a clean piece of clothing.
If blood soaks through the material, don’t remove it. Put more cloth or gauze on top of it and continue to apply pressure.
If the wound is on the arm or leg, raise the limb above the heart to help slow bleeding.
Fractures
A fracture causes massive and sometimes unbearable pain. Most often than not it is clearly evident when a person has suffered a fracture, however certain hairline fractures may not be detected at first glance. There is also swelling, inability to use the affected part.
Ask the person to support the broken limb. Try and provide padding to the broken limb.
Immobilize the injured area. Don’t try to realign the bone or push a bone that’s sticking out back in.
Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain. Don’t apply ice directly to the skin. Wrap the ice in a towel, piece of cloth or some other material.
If the person feels faint or is breathing in short, rapid breaths, lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk.
Fainting
The most common causes of feeling faintish include overheating, dehydration, head injury, emotions and certain types of medication. A person may black out if left unattended.
Loosen any tight clothing and fan the person if they are feeling hot
Lie the person down and raise their feet about one foot above the level of their head
Do not try to give the person anything to drink until he/she can sit up and talk properly.
Head injury
If you have children running around the house, head injuries are a medical emergency waiting to happen. More often than not, they are not serious but it is important to know what to look out for in case of a more serious injury.
These are: Vomiting, drowsiness, double vision or a severe headache. In such an instance seek medical assistance immediately.
Allow the person to rest and put an icepack on the injured area to ease pain and reduce swelling.
Keep a close check on the person for the next 24 hours.
Do not administer painkillers as it may mask the actual degree of the injury when seeking medical assistance.