First Aid and CPR

Don’t Get Sick During Travel

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:15:44 +0000

To avoid avoid getting sick while traveling, wash hands often, stay hydrated and increase intake of foods with antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables. Learn how to stay healthy on a trip by following these easy steps and by taking an immune system booster such as Best Defense in this free video on health concerns from a professional wellness counselor.

URL:Embed:
How to Avoid Getting Sick When Traveling —powered by eHow.com’>

Are you getting ready to go on a vacation or a business trip but want to ensure that you don’t get sick? I’m here to help. I’m Isabelle Simon, your personal and workplace wellness consultant, and today we’re going to learn some simple things to help avoiding getting sick when you travel. First thing first, make sure you wash your hands very often, more often than when you are in the office or at home because you’re going to be in a lot of different places and people, kids maybe coughing on things and door handles and that type of thing, so the more often you wash your hands, the better off you’ll be. Number two, stay hydrated, especially when we fly in an airplane, we tend to be very much dehydrated so definitely increase your intake of water. Number three, you will want to eat more fruits and vegetables because they are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the cells and help keep the bugs away if you will. One thing that I personally use when I travel is something called Best Defense. It is packed with echinacea, zinc and vitamin C and they all have proven qualities to boost your immune system. And all you do, you take a tablet and you mix it with some water. But also those come in terms of, in forms of teas and you can drink those as well. So more fruits, more vegetables, echinacea, zinc and vitamin C and more water will keep the bugs away and you will stay healthy while you travel. I’m Isabelle Simon, enjoy your traveling.

View the original article here

Technorati Tags: During, Travel

How to Get Sand Out of Your Eye

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:31:44 +0000

Get Sand Out of Your Eye Sand in the eye can be a painful experience that may lead to scratches on the eye (corneal abrasions) or an eye infection. A windy day or a sand-throwing incident at the beach can lead to sand in the eyes, and properly administering first aid is essential in order to lessen the chance of a serious eye injury or infection. When a foreign object enters the eye, profuse tearing results. Proper first aid for sand in the eye involves mimicking the natural tearing process by flushing the affected eye(s).

Wash your hands using antibacterial soap. Clean the inside of an eye cup or a plain drinking cup using antibacterial soap. Rinse very thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap.

Fill the eye cup (or drinking cup) to the brim with room-temperature water. Bottled water is ideal, but if this is not available, allow the tap to run for a full minute before filling the cup (to avoid using water containing particles as a result of sitting in the pipes for an extended period of time).

Place the water-filled cup on a flat surface. Lower your face over the cup, immersing your affected eye inside the water.

Blink your eye while it’s immersed in the water to help flush away the sand particles. It usually takes 10 to 20 seconds of flushing to remove all sand particles, but you may flush the eyes for up to 15 minutes.

Monitor for signs of eye infection for 48 hours after the sand is removed from your eyes. Any time a foreign object comes in contact with the eyes, there is a chance that an infection will develop. Signs of an infection include redness, swelling, pain/discomfort and eye discharge.

Ideally, a second person should perform steps 1 through 3, as the victim may be in extreme discomfort, particularly if both eyes are affected.

If a clean cup is not available, tip your head back and pour water over the affected eye(s). Try to avoid blinking during the first few seconds of flushing.

If water is not available, then eye drops can be used to aid in eye flushing.

If water is unavailable, then allow the eye to tear. Although this will lead to discomfort for a longer period of time, the sand will be flushed out of the eye. The chances of a corneal abrasion are much higher if water is not available to flush the victim’s eyes.

If eye flushing does not remove a foreign object, seek emergency medical attention. In addition, a person with a corneal abrasion may feel like there’s an object in the eye, so a medical exam is essential to determine the true nature of the situation.

Resist the urge to rub your eyes. You may inadvertently draw the sand across the eye’s surface, leading to scratches on the eye’s surface, or corneal abrasions.

If, after flushing, it still feels like there is a foreign object in your eye (i.e. you still experience the urge to blink and your eye continues tearing), it’s possible you may have suffered a corneal abrasion. Keep the eye closed, apply an eye patch (if available) and seek immediate medical attention.

View the original article here

Why Do Mosquito Bites Swell and Itch?

admin — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:47:44 +0000

It is the female mosquito that bites. Mosquito bites can ruin even the most anticipated summer holiday. One bite is persistently itchy and annoying, but several bites can be itchy enough to ruin any day. Most people will not react severely to a mosquito bite, but they will still swell and itch for several days.

Female mosquitoes require certain nutrients from blood to survive. They have a needle-like nose called a proboscis which they use for collecting the blood of their victims. There are about 3,500 types of mosquito, and some of these species feed on the blood of humans.

An open wound clots easily. To avoid clotting as it feeds, the mosquito injects a little bit of saliva into the open wound as it penetrates the skin. This saliva contains chemicals known as anti-coagulants, that stop clotting for a short period of time.

The chemicals in the mosquito saliva are left behind after the insect leaves. This causes a histamine response in our bodies, which is a slight allergic reaction. These allergens cause a raised red mark and itchiness after a couple of hours, which can last several days.

View the original article here

Technorati Tags: Bites, Mosquito, Swell

Conquer the sun burn, protect from potential future problems

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:11:14 +0000

There are lots of precautions we can take to shield our children from sun damage.

The “slip, slop, slap” message is embedded in most parents’ brains. For many it’s second nature to plonk hats on kids’ heads and slather sunscreen all over their bodies before letting them out in the sun.

But, as summer starts to fire up, the USA remains the skin cancer capital of the world, and every week kids of all ages are getting sunburned, dramatically increasing their risk of skin cancer later in life. So what else can parents do to keep kids sun safe?

The UV index is an important tool

Keeping an eye on the UV index each day is a good tactic. The World Health Organization highly recommends the usage of protective clothing when the UV index shoots to level 3 or above. The average summer high is well above this in many parts of America. Parents must plan their family outings to be early in the morning or late afternoon. These are the periods when the UV index is at rock bottom. So if you are invited to a kids’ party at noon, they will need to be fully geared up with sun-protective clothing , sunscreen , a hat , and most importantly, they must be kept in the shade constantly.

There are several mobile phone apps that provide real-time UV information, which give UV level and sun-protection times for anywhere in the country.

Out in the Sun really isn’t safe

Just when you thought the weather is fine enough to bring your children out , the UV index ( which is a measurement of the intensity of the sun’s ultraviolet rays ) shoots up to undesirable levels, making exposure to the sun dangerous.

Skin cancer experts in Sun and Health, are adamant; in the height of summer, children should not be out in the sun between 10am and 4pm.

This is not to make parents afraid of letting their kids play outside, this is a great country so get out there and enjoy it, but every time you go out in the sun, you’re cranking up your risk of skin cancer.

A great deal of the damage is caused in the early years

One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, later in life. According to the US Skin Cancer Foundation, the chances of a person getting melanoma will double if the person has had 5, or more than 5 sunburns at any stage of his life.

Sun exposure is the cause of about 99 per cent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 95 per cent of melanoma skin cancers in the USA. It’s important to protect our skin from the sun at all ages, but it’s particularly important to avoid exposure in childhood. Figures show that there are still 24 % of teenagers and 8% of children suffering sunburn on a usual summer weekend.

Sunscreen by itself is not the answer

Depending on sunscreen alone is just not sufficient to shield children from the sun. A sunscreen should be used as just a health supplement to wearing protective clothing and keeping yourself away from the sun. It must never be treated as your first line of defense towards sun burns. Most people don’t put on enough, they don’t cover all their exposed areas or they don’t reapply often enough, all of which greatly lowers the effectiveness of sunburn creams.

First Aid Shop

Identifying Skin Cancers

Click here to view the embedded video.

First Aid for little children and the Aged

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:05:25 +0000

I am sure no parents want their kids to get hurt. However, it is inevitable for children to have bruises, cuts and some slightly more severe injuries than all these. Knowing this , it is especially essential that you are aware of how to attend to and treat these various injuries.

Even though many families have first aid kits stored in their homes, a lot of these people do not actually know how to use them properly and some even do not know the real purpose of some first aid items.

You might learn the fundamentals of first aid and have probably applied some to your kids but what if the situation is reversed; you are injured and your children are the only one present. Keeping this in mind, it is essential for kids to acquire at least some basic knowledge in using first aid , and also master what they need to do in case of an emergency in the absence of an adult. This may all prove to be too tough for a child to master ; but , they actually just need to master the fundamental know-hows and this isn’t rocket-science knowledge for them. Furthermore, you probably will need to impart them some intermediate level of first aid skills as they grow older.

Your children will first need to be able to easily identify and master the usage of some things present in a fundamental pre-packaged first aid kit. There are items such as scissors, bandages of various sizes, antibiotic ointments, wipes, burn treatments as well as other fundamental items. However, as mentioned not everything can be taught to children.

Elderly people require different level of first aid. They generally require constant attention and care because they are more prone to accidents. As their body are more fragile , help should be given at all times. Due to this fact, it is highly recommended for you to employ a caregiver when there is no one in the family who can offer constant care and attention to elderly people. Their medications should be regularly checked and supplied as well.

In additional , it is essential to have a portable defibrillator ready at all times when you have an elderly person to take care of at all. This defibrillator will come to handy when the old folk has a heart attack. In addition to getting a defibrillator, identifying when to use a defibrillator and learning how to use a it properly is also vital. When an elderly person is found in cardiac distress, without a heartbeat as well as non-responsive, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is probably needed. It may not be appropriate for children to perform this measure unless they have attended an actual CPR class and understand the whole concept and/or given a certificate.

Teaching your children basic first aid, acquiring a home defibrillator and learning CPR are important when you want to lessen the risk of injury in your home. No one knows when an accident will occur but you will be rewarded with knowing that your family is far better prepared to handle an emergency situation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bug Stings, at times finish in some sort of allergic response

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:44:47 +0000

Hypersensitivity to insect stings

There are many stinging insects within Australia, and an astonishing amount of Australians happen to be allergic to their stings. The most common allergic reactions occur with stings from bees, wasps and ants.

The degree of sensitivity may vary quite a bit, with a lot of people encountering only minor signs and symptoms, for instance, localized irritation and mild aggravation. A lot of these people are not really regarded as ‘allergic’ to insect bites. Some others, though, can have acute allergic attacks when stung, and a number of deaths are reported annually. The majority of stings are more likely to take place in summer.

Nearly all insect stings basically cause discomfort and end in local soreness, itching, a bit of puffiness and inflammation at the location of the sting, and that just isn’t regarded an allergic attack. Localised therapy is in general all that is required to relieve such a sting. In these cases, the region should be washed and disinfected and then ice put on to ease the swelling and general discomfort.

In situations where the swelling starts to build up, antihistamine or possibly steroid medication may be required. On unusual instances, the actual sting site may become infected and antibiotics are usually necessary to remedy the infection.

Exactly what is an allergic attack?

The degree of allergic reactions varies from person to person. A lot of allergy symptoms are minor, and cause just local swelling along with itching. Anaphylaxis is a extreme sort of allergic reaction, and this can be lethal. It entails swelling of the air passages, difficulty breathing and a drop in blood pressure level. Anaphylaxis can also happen just after exposure to all kinds of other triggers, such as certain foods or perhaps medications, as well as insect stings.

Indications of severe allergic reactions involve: rash and also intense itching around parts besides the actual sting site; swollen eye lids; wheezing as well as difficulties in breathing; difficulty in eating on account of inflammation of the tongue, as well as hoarseness; and wooziness and even fainting – this is usually a extremely serious kind of reaction.

Serious allergic reactions commonly take place within a few minutes of the sting, but yet could possibly arise up to one day following the sting. Cases of severe hypersensitive reaction are really a medical emergency situation and require quick medical care.

Treatments for insect allergies
First Aid actions. Whenever stung by a bee or a wasp, you should not pull out or squeeze the sting that is still left in the skin since this could cause more venom to be delivered. The sting should really be removed by simply scraping it laterally using a fingernail, blunt knife or similar item.

Anaphylactic responses have to be managed with adrenaline. There are now self-injectable instruments (such as the EpiPen) intended for those with recognised allergic reactions. Those with known anaphylactic reactions, regardless if to insect stings, particular food items or various other causes, are well-advised to have the device at all times. These kinds of devices are already filled with adrenaline and will need to be injected into the muscle at the front of the upper leg. Most of these types of device carry only a single dose, and people will need to be taken to the hospital just after the adrenaline injection – in case these people require further doses and for professional observation.

First Aid Kit for the Car

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:42:18 +0000

Preparing Your Car First Aid Kit

Many of us have first aid kits stocked up in our homes and workplaces, but what about our cars? The odds are, you and your family spend a lot of time in it. If you are about to embark on a long cross-country trip, you’ll definitely want to prepare a kit. Be prepared in case of an emergency, even if it’s just a small one.

In a worst case scenario, a serious crash, you may need to administer some life saving techniques before first responders can arrive. We’ve compiled a list of essentials for a car first aid kit that prepares you for many different scenarios.

Basic first aid manual, with easy instructions
Stretch bandages
Medical tape
Benadryl
Eye/contact drops
Calamine lotion for bug bites
Tweezers
Scissors – sharp and sturdy enough to cut clothes if necessary
Latex gloves
Instant cold/hot packs
Aspirin or similar pain relievers
Water bottle – make sure it’s clean and full
Paper list of emergency contacts
Any medications for family members
Paper list of medical histories
Packaged moist towels

If a family member has any special needs, be sure to pack the relevant supplies. Have the first aid kit in an easily accessible location, such as the glove box. A first aid kit in your trunk is very hard to obtain in an emergency. Consider placing it in under a seat or in a door pocket.

Of course, there are many more useful first aid items for kits. A quick Internet search will reveal many, or ask your friends and colleagues what they have. You can also find many great, pre-packaged, first aid kits online.

If you haven’t already, consider taking online CPR training so that you can administer CPR to a friend, family member, or even a stranger in an emergency. Being prepared saves lives!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Plan of Action for dealing with Bleeding

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:05:32 +0000

Cover the bleeding wound with a sterile pad and bandage

Whenever major bleeding cannot be controlled CALL 000 IMMEDIATELY.

Precaution: If readily available, always use disposable gloves and safety goggles for protection from possible infection.

Plan of Action

1. PRESSURE

Apply direct pressure to the wound.

2. COVER WOUND

With a sterile clean pad and bandage.

3. RAISE INJURY

Raise injured part if possible and rest the patient

4. IF STILL BLEEDING

Apply another pad on top and bandage over the top of the first bandage
5. SEEK MEDICAL HELP

By calling 000

6. EMBEDDED OBJECTS IN WOUND

Apply pressure around the object but DO NOT directly apply.
Only remove objects that are obviously near the surface.
Build up dressings around the object and then bandage diagonally.
Call 000.

BEWARE: Do not remove wound dressings once they are applied.

First Aid for Sore and Injured Knee joints

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:40:03 +0000

Knee injuries are common, specially if, for what ever cause – sport activity, recreation, work – a person’s knees tend to be subject to common falls, knocks or clumsy movements.

Tendon, cartilage material as well as tendon tears are generally common and will need prompt first aid, health care diagnosis, treatment and follow-up to be able to optimise recovery.

The urgent First Aid solution to a joint injury is “RICE”.

+ Rest. Halt your exercise and rest the joint.

+ Ice. Put on ice-cubes or an instant cold pack that will lessen inflammation, pain, and internal bleeding.

+ Compress. Bandage the joint area.

+ Elevate. Preserve the leg at a elevated angle.

Taking into account a person’s systems and the causes of the issue, a doctor may perhaps advise an X-ray, ultrasound examination or a MRI. A lot of leg injuries recover naturally, nonetheless others require anything from aspirating liquid from a joint to physical rehabilitation or even surgical procedures.

The ABCs regarding AEDs

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:35:28 +0000

Specialists say that when a man or woman goes into cardiac arrest, usual heart function may be recovered up to 60 per cent of the time when the sufferer is treated without delay with an automated external defibrillator (AED). AEDs really are computerized electronic products that can check out a person’s heart tempo, recognise a rhythm that needs a shock, and instruct emergency responders anytime a shock is needed. AEDs use voice prompts, signals, plus text messages to be able to advise rescuers.

For what reason are AEDs becoming widely used in the workplace?

OSHA says that approximately 890 deaths due to heart disease take place outside the medical facility or emergency room every day. Many of these fatalities result from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). And many of these types of SCA-related fatalities take place in businesses. This is exactly why a lot of places of work are buying AEDs to provide one more essential first-aid piece of equipment to protect their workforce on-site. Although price varies, quite a few versions are available for between $1,500 and $2,000.

Just how do AEDs help save people’s lives?

SCA results when ventricular fibrillation (VF) takes place or whenever the heart stops beating completely. Factors include things like: Cardiac Arrest, Electrocution, and Asphyxiation. Most often cardiac arrest is due to VF, which is described as the uncoordinated beating of the heart. Regular beats may be restored if treated quickly with electric shock. The quicker defibrillation begins, the much more likely the person will survive. Chances of survival as a result of sudden cardiac arrest diminish by 7-10 per cent for every minute without urgent CPR or defibrillation. Ideal time for defibrillation is 3 to 5 minutes following onset of cardiac arrest. Simply because it could take longer than that for the ambulance to arrive, having an AED on-site can sometimes be a life saver. Needless to say, despite the presence of an AED readily available, an immediate call needs to be placed in to 911 any time a staff member goes into cardiac arrest on the job. Follow-up health care at a specialized medical facility is likely to be necessary.

What about training courses?

Staff selected to use AEDs need to be well educated in the most effective use of the defibrillator. They need to be also certified in CPR. Soon after an AED delivers a shock, it often asks the operator to continue CPR as the instrument continues to analyze and monitor the victim.Reasons why this is important.Coronary disease is the leading cause of dying in the country and is a serious factor for disability.The commonest heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often presents itself as a heart attack. In 2010, it is estimated that 785,000 American citizens had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 endured a recurrent attack.Roughly each 24 seconds, an American has a coronary incident, and about one every minute will pass away from one. OSHA states that as many as 60 percent of fatalities could be avoided if automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are easily accessible and also used properly.