Have a small wound at home? No need to freak out! Before you visit a doctor, nurse clinician instant Urgent care shares fundamental first aid information on how to handle minor injuries.
Even if you take extra precautions at home, there will still be times when you or a loved one sustains a common injury like a cut, burn, or sprain. Keep your composure in such situations and adhere to these fundamental guidelines before visiting a doctor.
Why do you require a first aid kit in your home ?
First aid refers to the prompt treatment or assistance provided to an injured person to stop further injury. It stops any injuries from getting worse before seeking medical attention or advice.
The first aid kit's contents should be inspected for expiration once a month, according to Instant Urgent Care. As an alternative, you can buy these supplies off the shelf and fill your own first aid kit. So that everyone knows where to find it, put your first aid kit in an easily recognized location at home.
Items to put in a first aid kit include:
- sterile non-stick dressing
- Antibacterial cream
- A bandage
- disposable cotton swabs
- blanket bandage
- Scissors (stationary types are acceptable; clean them first). Please refrain from using kitchen shears that are used for cutting food.
Tips to handle minor injuries :
Knowing how to administer first aid as soon as possible after suffering an injury can help stop a minor injury from becoming more serious.
- Burns and Scalds
Remove any jewelry or watches that may be close to the injury site. If the object is stuck to the skin, don't try to remove it because that will make the problem worse.
Put the burned area under running water from the faucet for 10 to 20 minutes. Avoid adding ice cubes or ice water because the sudden temperature change could make the situation worse. Additionally, the ice may have contained bacteria from being next to your raw food in the freezer.
With a clean cloth, dab dry the wet areas close to the injury. Steer clear of using fibrous materials like tissue, which could stick to the burned area.
Avoid popping any potential blisters because the intact skin protects against infection of an open wound.
Applying any ointment, cream, or "home remedy," such as toothpaste, without a doctor's prescription is not advised. Ineffective treatment will delay healing and slow the heat release from the burned area.
Use clean plastic cling wrap or non-stick dressing to loosely cover the burned area.
- If redness or pain lasts for more than a few hours, see a doctor.
- If the situation persists after receiving first aid, consult a doctor right away.
- Hands, faces/head, and genitalia have scaled areas.
- Brown, black, and white patches can be seen in the scaled area.
- An electrical burn or a chemical burn occurs to the injured person.
- an injured person has breathing problems.
- Injured person doesn't feel pain in the area that was hurt.
- Individual who was hurt has a pre-existing medical condition (example: diabetes).
- Cuts
To get rid of any debris, wash the injured area with soap and water (if possible).
Apply a clean cloth to dry. Avoid using fibrous objects like tissue because they could stick to the injury and make it worse.
Apply pressure for approximately 5 minutes while covering the injured area with a clean cloth.
Examine the wounded area. If bleeding continues, apply pressure for a second time for another five minutes.
Before applying a bandage or non-stick dressing to the cut, you can apply an antiseptic ointment.
Immediately after administering first aid, if necessary, consult a doctor.
After the second application of pressure, bleeding keeps happening.
The person with the cut received a Tetanus shot more than 5 years ago.
The cut reveals bones, muscles, tendons, and fat. This denotes a significant wound that may need suturing.
The redness that surrounds the injured area doesn't go away or even seems to be getting worse.
The victim of the injury becomes feverish (infection may have occurred).
The injured person feels numbness in the area of injury (infection may have set in, or a nerve may have been injured).
There is a medical condition that underlies the injury (example: diabetes).
- Sprains
To stop the sprained area from getting worse, rest or immobilize it. For no longer than 20 minutes, apply ice to the strained area. It can be done three times an hour to reduce pain and swelling.
To keep the injured area supported and immobilized, bandage it. Avoid wrapping too tightly because the resulting constriction may reduce blood flow.
When you can, elevate the injured area to promote blood flow and lessen swelling. Use a pillow to support your ankle or leg while you're sleeping, for instance, or raise your legs on a chair when you're sitting down.
After administering first aid, if necessary, consult a doctor right away.
The victim of the injury becomes feverish.
The redness that surrounds the injured area is neither lessening nor intensifying.
Even in the absence of an ice pack or in the intervals between ice pack applications, the sprained area feels cool to the touch.
In the sprained area, the injured person feels numbness or sharp pain.
Swelling and pain are either getting worse or have increased.
Conclusion
Keep first aid supplies in your house and car.
In your home and car, keep current copies of each person's medical history.
Keep a list of emergency contacts by each phone in the home. Everyone who visits your home, including family members and babysitters, should see it.
Make sure your kids are aware of how to call 911 and what to say to the operator.
