10 First Aids You Must Know for Medical Emergencies

First aid is the emergency care that a sick or injured person needs. It might be all they need in some situations, while in others, it might just get them through until paramedics arrive or they are taken to the hospital. You need to be aware of what you must do if you ever find yourself in a situation where someone needs first aid. The ability to respond appropriately in an emergency could mean the difference between life and death.

Emergencies can take many different forms, such as severe bleeding, unconsciousness, burns, poisoning, and choking. Rachit Multispeciality Hospital, the best hospital in Gorakhpur, educates you on different medical aspects. In this blog, we will learn about the appropriate first aid for these emergencies and when professional care should be sought out.

10 medical emergencies and their first-aid

1. Cardiac arrest

Inflammation of the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart causes a heart attack. Clots frequently cause the condition to worsen because they begin to form as a result of the body’s decreased oxygen levels.

Symptoms of cardiac arrest

• Pain, discomfort, and tightness or pressure in the chest region.
• Breathlessness and Sweating
• Discomfort in the shoulders, jaw, or neck
• Stomach ache, Nausea, bloating and heartburn

Although many heart attacks give warning signs, some are sudden. According to the cardiologist in Gorakhpur, if you experience chest pain for more than 15 minutes, you could be having a heart attack.

First aid for cardiac arrest

• Place the person in a comfortable position and call an ambulance.
• Tighten any neck- and chest-constricting clothing.
• If the person is unconscious and you are trained in CPR, perform chest compressions and rescue breathing.
• Use both hands to apply slow, steady pressure to the centre of the chest, about 100–120 times per minute. At all times, leave about an inch between your hands to allow the chest to naturally rise. In this manner, blood can continue to flow through the body until help arrives.
• If an AED is available, try using it as directed by the manual. If someone else can find it, don’t waste time looking for it yourself. Until then, continue with chest compression
• If you aren’t allergic, take aspirin.

 

2. Bleeding

It might be the result of an accident, a burn, an electrical injury, an animal bite, or a puncture. Before bleeding becomes severe, almost all of it can be stopped. It can cause shock and eventually death if ignored and allowed to continue.

First aid for bleeding

• First and foremost wash your hands.
• Cover the wound after rinsing it with water.
• To prevent the wound from reopening, apply pressure.
• If you can, raise the area of the body that is bleeding above the heart.
• If the towel is wet, do not remove it; instead, add another layer and keep applying pressure.
• Once the bleeding has stopped, apply a fresh bandage.

If the bleeding continues for a long, seek medical help from doctors at Rachit Multispeciality  Hospital, the multispecialty hospital in Gorakhpur.

3. Choking

An obstruction in the respiratory tract or throat causes choking to happen. According to doctors at Rachit Multispeciality Hospital in Gorakhpur, the situation is grave and has the potential to cause unconsciousness or even death.

The symptoms include wheezing, gasping for air, gagging, an inability to speak or make noise, a blue face, a grabbing sensation in the throat, a waving of the arms, and a panicked appearance.

First aid for choking

• Encourage the person to lean forward by approaching from behind.
• Grab their wrist close to their navel with one hand and curled fingers.
• Make five quick thrusts under the ribcage with both hands, both clenched in your fists.
• Continue until the object comes up in a cough.

Holding infants upside down, firmly tap their backs between their shoulder blades. To help them get rid of it, you could also try making them vomit.

4. Burns

Dry heat, such as that produced by a fire or by touching a hot metal object, contact with an electrical current, or chemicals can all result in burns.

First-aid for burns

• The first step after getting a burn is to stop burning and remove any chemicals or electricity that may have been present. The type of treatment should be determined by how severe the burn is.
• Run cold water over the burned area for several minutes to relieve first- and second-degree burns.
• Cover the wound with a bandage or loose, sterile dressing.
• If you require pain relief, take Ibuprofen (Motrin) or Acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Third-degree burns are regarded as major burns and require immediate medical care. Get help and reach an emergency ward at a good hospital such as Rachit Multispeciality Hospital in Gorakhpur.

 

5. Heatstroke

Heatstroke results from the body overheating. Consider it serious, and get help right away.

First-aid for heatstroke

• Remove any overly warm clothing to help the person cool off.
• Maintain a damp towel on their back.
• Transfer them to a cool, shaded area.
• Give them ice water or any other sports beverage.

If the symptoms such as high body temperature, vomiting, seizures, dizziness, etc. continue or get worse, get emergency help from a hospital such as Rachit Multispeciality Hospital, the best hospital in Gorakhpur.

 

6. Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds can be brought on by dry air in hot, humid environments, frequent nose blowing or picking, hard falls or getting hit, particular medications, allergies, and high altitude locations.

First-aid for nosebleeds

• Keep your cool, find a comfy seat, and try to unwind.
• Avoid lying down. Maintain a slight forward bend in your head.
• Your nostrils should be pinched shut using your thumb and index finger.
• While breathing through your mouth, continue doing this for 5 to 10 minutes.

These aid in halting blood flow.

 

7. Broken bones

Any injury to your hands, feet or other body parts should be handled as a fracture. What you are worried about can only be verified with an X-ray.

The best orthopaedics in Gorakhpur outlines the following symptoms of broken bones:

• Experiencing pain whenever there is pressure or movement.
• If an extremity is blue or numb
• Increased swelling

If you find yourself in these situations, take the following actions before going for emergency aid in a hospital.

First-aid for broken bones

• To prevent further harm, don’t move the person until it is absolutely necessary.
• Keep the ice pack on the injured area by wrapping it in a towel.
• For pain relief, take any anti-inflammatory medications.

 

8. Seizures

Seizures are primarily caused by epilepsy. There are steps you can take to make seizures safer even though the majority of them don’t require medical attention. When a seizure is about to start, you can predict it and take protective measures.

Symptoms of a seizure include convulsions, unconsciousness, weakness, muscle contractions, foggy awareness, and uncontrollable fidgeting.

First-aid for seizures

• Detach the victim’s collar, necktie, and other pieces of clothing from their body.
• They shouldn’t be restrained or given anything to put in their mouth.
• Keep all objects away from the area around them.
• Until the seizure stops, stay with them.

If it’s your first seizure and lasts longer than five minutes, or occurs again, seek medical assistance right away from the best neurologist in Gorakhpur.

9. Eye irritation

Having foreign objects in the eye can result in a variety of uncomfortable symptoms. If not removed, it could cause major problems.

First aid for eye irritation

• For a while, stand in front of the light while facing it. Avoid rubbing the eye.
• Pull the lower eyelid down and search for an alien object. If it’s there, take it out with a fresh handkerchief.
• If you don’t know where it is or think it might be under your upper eyelid, just blink underwater.
• Pushing the lower eyelid under the upper one after lifting the upper one. The upper lashes may brush against the lower ones, which could cause the foreign object to move.
• Put a soft cotton pad over the eyes and bandage them to keep them in place.
• If a liquid irritant of any kind has entered the eye, close the eyes and thoroughly rinse them with water.

Do not hesitate to seek immediate medical attention at the best hospital in Gorakhpur, if problems worsen.

10. Stings/Bites

Dog and cat bite typically result in small wounds that need to be attended to right away. Experts at the best hospital in Gorakhpur suggest not to delay seeking medical attention if you are bitten by an animal you are aware to be rabid.

Dog bites and bee stings require different first aid procedures. The difference in the severity of the wounds is the cause.

First aid for bee sting

• If the sting is still on the skin, remove it.
• With plenty of water and soap, clean the infected area.
• To reduce swelling, apply an ice pack, and remove the dressing from the wound.
• Any antihistamine will do.

First aid for dog bite

• Clean the bite.
• To stop bleeding, apply cold packs to the area. If you can, cover it with a fresh bandage.
• Do not itch the bites.

Conclusion

These first aids help in instantly overcoming different medical situations. In case, you require medical assistance, visit Rachit Multispeciality Hospital, the best hospital in Gorakhpur with top-notch medical facilities. Here, we have experienced specialists from various medical fields, who can treat you in the best possible way.