Learning First Aid is one of the best life skills anyone can acquire. You never know when an emergency might strike or when you might need to apply those skills to someone that is injured. Having an understanding of basic First Aid treatment may turn what was initially a very serious situation into a more manageable one.
With your quick-thinking and confidence to help someone in need, you might just save someone’s life.
Today we will take a look at some of the most common scenarios that require immediate First Aid and how knowing First Aid can remedy the situations.
Choking
Choking is when someone is having a hard time breathing because food, a toy, or some other object is blocking their airway. When this happens not enough oxygen is being inhaled and brain damage may result in as little as 4-6 minutes.
Whether happening to an adult or child, choking is a very serious situation that requires immediate attention. Whether you know First Aid or not, it is crucial that you or someone nearby calls 911 when a person is choking, having trouble breathing, or is unconscious.
If someone begins choking and is over the age of one year old, you can use the Heimlich maneuver to clear an object that is blocking the airway of a conscious person. This procedure is very simple, but does require some basic knowledge to be performed correctly and have the highest rate of dislodgment.
For children under the age of one, it is important you do not perform the Heimlich maneuver on them as they are too fragile. Instead you should turn the child face down on your forearm, supported by your thigh and give forceful blows to dislodge the object.
Seizure
A seizure occurs when there is a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain. A person experiencing a seizure will typically display a tightening of the body’s muscles followed by uncontrollable jerking movements, and may become dazed or confused lasting even after the seizure has ended.
There are several things someone knowledgeable in First Aid can do when an individual nearby is having a seizure:
- Stay Nearby – The most important thing to do when someone is having a seizure is to stay nearby and make sure they are safe. The symptoms may start out relatively minor and turn into very violent movement, followed by a loss of consciousness. It is important that the person affected is not in any immediate danger.
- Take Note – Try to get an estimated length of time the seizure lasts. Also measure how long after the end of the seizure it takes the person to fully recover.
- Do Not Restrain – Trying to hold a person down forcibly to stop a seizure will not work and can actually lead to more injury.
Sprains
Sprains occur when a person injures the ligaments that are attached to a nearby bone. The most common sprains occur in the ankles and knees and happen often in athletes.
As someone who has taken general First Aid classes, you will know that the recipe for treating a minor sprain includes the R.I.C.E. method (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate). If someone you know has suffered a sprain, instruct them first to take all of their weight off of the injured area. To limit the swelling and curb the pain use ice or a cold pack on the affected area. Afterwards compress the area with a bandage. Lastly, elevate the injured area, if possible, to lessen the swelling.
Broken Bones
A broken bone can happen when any type of excessive trauma has been applied to the bone.
Common symptoms of a broken bone include:
- Intense pain
- Swelling, numbness, bluish discoloration
- Deformity of the limb
- Bone protrusion
- Heavy bleeding at the injury site
While not usually life threatening, a broken bone does require immediate First Aid and medical treatment.
Learning how to stabilize a person with a broken bone, stop any bleeding, and treat them for symptoms of shock are all skills that would be learned in your local Baltimore First Aid classes.
Drowning
Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children in the United States aged 14 and younger. Young children are often curious, have limited swimming abilities, and do not fully understand the dangers of falling into a pool of water.
By investing a small amount of time into Chesapeake AED Services First Aid and CPR training classes, you can learn how to save the life of a drowning victim. With a hands-on, interactive experience, taught by professionals in the medical field, you will learn how to recognize the signs of someone in trouble, how to remove them from the water source, how to identify whether a person is breathing or has a pulse, whether they need CPR, and how to perform it properly.
Bleeding
Excessive bleeding can occur for many reasons. The important thing to know about bleeding First Aid response is that you must have medical personnel notified right away and you must attempt to stop the bleeding. The act of stopping excessive bleeding is an extensive one that requires a solid understanding of First Aid techniques.
Here is a brief overview of some of the things your Baltimore First Aid training classes will teach you about bleeding First Aid:
- Remove any superficial debris but DO NOT remove large or deeply embedded objects as that could cause more bleeding to occur.
- Stop the bleeding by pressing a cloth or bandage firmly over the wound.
- If possible, lie the person down and try to elevate their legs.
- Apply a tourniquet on large wounds, if trained properly.
- Immobilize the injured area until medical personnel arrive or you can safely transport the person to the emergency room.
Burns
Most burns are minor and require First Aid treatment that can be applied at home. This is when the skills you acquired in your Baltimore First Aid training classes will come in handy.
Here are some of the common types of burns and a quick look at what can immediately remedy the them:
Heat Burns – These are caused by fire. Smother any flames with a large blanket or douse them with water. If any clothing is on fire the affected person should stop, drop, and roll. Call 911 if you believe there is a serious injury.- Cold Burns – These are caused by extreme cold. Warm the area slowly with warm water, or clothing.
- Liquid Burns – These are caused by hot liquid and can scald the skin. Run cool tap water over the affected area for 10-20 minutes. Do not apply ice.
- Electrical Burns – These are caused by an electrical source and can be very serious. Check to make sure the affected person is breathing and has a heartbeat. If not, perform emergency First Aid and CPR as you were taught and call 911.
- Chemical Burns – These are caused by caustic materials that affect the skin. You must contact the Poison Control Center or National Poison Control Hotline for information on how to treat the burn, according to what caused it.
Heat Burns – These are caused by fire. Smother any flames with a large blanket or douse them with water. If any clothing is on fire the affected person should stop, drop, and roll. Call 911 if you believe there is a serious injury.
Shock
Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection, poisoning, or a severe burn. When a person goes into shock, their organs are not receiving enough blood or oxygen and can lead to death if not treated immediately.
By taking First Aid training classes, you will learn to recognize when a person is in shock and how to treat them accordingly. If you suspect someone is in shock, you will want to lay the person down with slightly elevated legs, keep the person still if possible, and perform CPR if they stop breathing.
Final Thoughts
All of the above medical emergencies can use some level of immediate First Aid treatment. If you are interested in being prepared for a variety of medical emergencies and have very little to no medical training, contact Chesapeake AED Services and sign up for their First Aid and CPR training courses. The information they will teach you may come in handy during an emergency situation and you may have someone thanking you for saving their life.
