The basics of medicine: how to provide first aid in different situations

Not everyone needs to know medicine, but everyone can find themselves in a situation where a neighbor needs urgent help, when there is a question of life and death. Therefore, every self-respecting person should be savvy in how first aid is provided, which will help the victim wait for the ambulance to arrive. In this article, we will look at the main situations that anyone can face.

First aid for bleeding

Bleeding is of a different nature and of varying severity. Considering these factors, it is necessary to make a decision about which type of assistance should be provided to the victim.

Blood loss of more than one liter can be fatal to humans. For example, if a large artery is damaged, this amount of vital fluid will leave the body in just a few minutes. This makes it clear how important the speed and urgency of assistance is.

To begin with, you need to lift the damaged part of the body up, and press the place of injury as much as possible with a handkerchief or a clean piece of cloth. If the wound is in the area below the knee or elbow, you can bend the limb in this place, thereby reducing blood flow to the wound.

If the blood comes out at a pulsating rate and is colored in a bright red, burgundy hue, this indicates damage to the artery and indicates severe bleeding. In this case, it is necessary to strongly transmit the artery itself with a tourniquet. The human body has only four places where such an operation can be successfully performed. Even if the injury was on the hand or foot, the upper part of the arm or leg, respectively, is pulled with a tourniquet. A regular belt, rope or twisted piece of fabric can act as a tourniquet. In order not to pinch the victim's skin and cause more discomfort, a cloth or towel is placed under the tourniquet. Half an hour after the application of the tourniquet for a while, it must be loosened in order to prevent nerve atrophy. As soon as the tourniquet is removed, the bleeding will immediately continue, so it is very important to apply a pressure bandage over this gap over the wound.

To make such a bandage, you need:

1. Put a gauze napkin on the wound.
2. Put a hard object on top of a gauze napkin: mobile, a roll of bandage, etc.
3. Bandage over the object in the direction from the injury to the heart. This will leave less blood in the wound and reduce pain significantly.

If there is no bandage at hand, you can bandage the wound with the available means: a piece of cloth or even toilet paper, and secure it with a pin or plaster.

If there is a foreign object in the wound, do not remove it under any circumstances, this can aggravate the situation, increase bleeding and damage soft tissues. The object should be fixed as tightly as possible. Make a "donut" of gauze and cotton wool, surround the protruding object with it and fix it in one position.

There are other forms of bleeding that are not related to external damage. What then? Consider:

• Nosebleeds: to provide the patient with comfort and calmness, tilt the head slightly forward and tell the patient to hold it with his hands. Apply rags and cold to the nose. If after a quarter of an hour the bleeding has not stopped, call an ambulance. In no case should you throw your head back, this can cause bloody vomiting.
• In case of internal bleeding, apply cold and urgently call an ambulance. Internal bleeding can be recognized by the following signs: weakness (pain may be absent), pallor, chills and cold sweat, dizziness and the appearance of "flies" before the eyes, barely noticeable breathing, the stomach becomes swollen, hard, and when pressing on it, the patient experiences pain, a bruise on the abdomen may appear. Do not try to drink, feed or give painkillers.

First aid for burns

Burns there are several types:

• Thermal: appear on contact with something hot, open fire, hot liquid.
• Electrical: occurs when the skin comes into contact with electricity.
• Chemical: when chemicals come into contact with the skin or mucous membranes, they are more often acids or alkalis.
• Radiation: damage by radiation, this also includes sunburn and radiation.

There are also different degrees of burns:

• First: burns, in which the skin becomes reddened.
• Second: bubbles with liquid appear at the site of the burn.
• Third (grade A): blisters with bloody contents.
• Third (grade B): all layers of the skin are affected.
• Fourth: situations in which the destruction of all soft tissues that are under the skin occurs.

First aid for thermal burns

1. Remove the source that caused the burn.
2. Free the victim from smoldering clothing, if necessary, use scissors. Be careful - if clothes or other objects stick to the skin - do not try to tear them off, leave them as they are.
3. Cool the affected area with clean running water, or apply snow folded in a plastic bag (as appropriate). The cooling procedure should last about 10-15 minutes, during which time you can call an ambulance. If there is no way to artificially cool the wound, leave it in the fresh air, without covering anything.
4. Bandage with sterile materials soaked in an antiseptic (but not iodine-based!). In case of a burn of the hand, using gauze separators, you need to separate your fingers. If you don't have an antiseptic on hand, just bandage it, it's still better than leaving the wound open for infection.
5. Next, you need to start anesthesia. Analgin, Ketorol, Baralgin will do - any powerful pain reliever.
6. Fluid needs to be replenished. If the patient does not have nausea and vomiting, he can be given liquid: 0.5-1 liter. You need to drink even if you don't feel like it.

In case of chemical burns, the best option would be to rinse the wound with running water and call a doctor.

First aid for fractures

The main and paramount task in case of a fracture is to leave the limb in the state in which it is and not allow it to move. It should be understood that a fracture can lead to shock and loss of consciousness, which can be the reason for other injuries. If, after an injury, a person complains of pain that increases with movement - do not guess about the presence of a fracture - in any case, immobilize the site or limb.

It is better if the splint is applied by doctors, as they know how to do it correctly. However, if the front is open (bleeding and bone sticking out), the damage must be disinfected and urgently organize a pressure bandage, without waiting for the arrival of paramedics.

Do not under any circumstances try adjust limb and give it the correct position, and even more so, put pressure on the protruding bone. It is possible to alleviate the fate of the victim if you apply cold to the problem area and give Analgin or another strong pain reliever to drink. Then be sure to call an ambulance.

First aid for poisoning

Objectives of the events:

• Stop the intake of toxic substances into the patient's body.
• Immediately remove the poison that has already been injected, if possible.
• Create a safe environment for the patient.
• If necessary, bring the patient to his senses: arrange artificial ventilation of the lungs, heart massage, etc.
• Take away the victim in honey.institution.

It is also important to know "in person" the signs that indicate the presence of poisoning:

• cold sweat coming out;
• a sharp onset of lethargy;
• the appearance of chills and drowsiness;
• diarrhea;
• dizziness and migraine;
• breathing problems;
• convulsions;
• drooling or watery eyes;
• burns in the mouth, on the skin, or around the mouth;
• the appearance of strange behavior.

Help in such cases depends on how the poison entered the body.

In case of poisoning with alkali or acid

In cases where poisonous substances get inside through the respiratory system, first aid is to take the victim out into clean air, place him in a comfortable position (better to put) and free him from embarrassing clothing. It is necessary to grind the body, then wrap it up and put heating pads at the feet. If a person has lost consciousness, you need to give him a sniff of cotton wool dipped in ammonia. If you are conscious, you need to rinse your throat with a soda solution. In the absence of breathing, artificial ventilation of the lungs must be done. Even if the damage seems minor, it is better to seek medical help to make sure that the danger has passed.

With the penetration of poisonous substances through the mouth

This concerns alcohol poisoning, low-quality food, mushrooms, etc. If the victim is conscious, he should be properly given water. After that, you need to press on the root of the tongue with your fingers to induce a gag reflex. This method is applicable to people over 6 years old. Continue until clear water comes out.

Then you need to take activated charcoal, at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kilograms of weight. The patient must be laid on his side so that he does not choke on his own vomit. Warm your legs with heating pads. Provide abundant tea intake. Next, you need to urgently call an ambulance. Be sure to tell your doctor what caused the poisoning. If it is not known exactly, then tell me what the patient has been using in the last 24 hours.

Remember, if the poisoning occurred with acids (for example, vinegar) or alkalis, then in no case should you wash your stomach.

Penetration of toxic substances through the skin

First of all, remove the object that caused the poisoning with a cotton swab or cloth. Wash the damaged area with room water with a weak soda or soap solution, then treat the skin with a 5% solution of ammonia. The next step is to rinse the stomach with a soda solution: a teaspoon in a glass of water. Drink strong brewed tea and call an ambulance.

First aid for frostbite

Frostbite can be determined by the following points:

• loss of sensitivity in the affected areas;
• tingling and tingling sensation;
• lightening of the affected areas (speaks of the first degree of damage);
• the appearance of blisters (reports of the second degree of damage);
• death of soft tissues and darkening (symbolizes the third degree).

First aid for frostbite includes:

1. Rubbing in the cold will not bring any results and can even harm, so the first step is to go to a warm place.
2. Apply a body-insulating bandage to the problematic part, for example, it is suitable: a layer of gauze, a layer of cotton wool on it, then again gauze and then an oilcloth or woolen cloth.
3. Frostbite limbs can be warmed up in the bathroom, gradually raising the temperature of the water from 20 ° C to 40 ° C and gently massaging the affected skin.
4. Drink a hot drink.

It is important to monitor and control the patient's condition during the first day. If signs of the second and third stages of frostbite began to appear, an urgent need to contact a specialist.

First aid for electric shock

First of all, you need to free a person from contact with electric current. Ideally, if it is possible to turn off the switch, fuse. Otherwise, you need to knock the wire out of the victim's hands with an object that does not conduct current: a dry wooden stick, a board, a rope. You can pull a person off by dry clothes. If the voltage is over 1000 W, then rubber gloves will be required.

Then you need to assess the condition of the victim. Pay attention to:

• consciousness: is it inhibited or normal, or absent at all;
• breathing: it may also be absent, disturbed, hoarse, or normal;
• pulse: feel in the area of ​​the carotid artery, whether it is normal, impaired or absent.

If the victim is unconscious, you need to monitor his breathing. The latter can be violated when the tongue falls, in this case it is necessary to pull the lower jaw forward. It is possible to restore consciousness to a person by bringing a cotton swab dipped in ammonia to the nose, or by sprinkling the face with ice water.

If, in addition to the lack of consciousness, a person's pulse is poorly felt, breathing is difficult or absent, an urgent need to do artificial ventilation and heart massage. Artificial respiration should be done through a clean handkerchief or napkin.

Resuscitation should be continued until an ambulance arrives. Even if a person does not show signs of life, one cannot consider him dead and stop saving actions.

First aid for dislocation

The presence of a dislocation can be determined by the following signs:

• specific cotton that occurs at the time of injury;
• swelling in the area of ​​the affected joint;
• the appearance of pain;
• the occurrence of bruising;
• feeling of numbness and tingling;
• decreased sensitivity due to damage to nerve endings;
• pallor of the skin;
• limited movement;
• deformation visible to the eye.

As in the situation with fractures, the main goal in a dislocation is to immobilize the affected joint, while under no circumstances change the position. In the film, spectacular pictures are often shown, when dislocations are repaired easily and naturally by the first comer. In fact, in no case should dislocations be corrected if you do not have the appropriate education.

It is necessary to give the victim an anesthetic, for example, Analgin, then apply cold to the problem joint, call an ambulance and wait for her arrival.

First aid for bites

Help with bites depends on who gave the bite. Let's consider each case.

If bitten by a cat or dog

This happens much more often. The danger of such a bite is the risk of contracting rabies and other ailments.

First of all, you need to rinse the wound with running water and remove the remnants of the saliva of the bitten animal. Next, treat the area near the wound (not the wound itself!) With an antiseptic, then apply a sterile bandage and take human to a specialist. Further, the specialist is likely to prescribe a course of vaccination against diseases transmitted through such bites.

If bitten by a snake

Snake bites can carry a mortal danger, therefore it is very important to provide the victim with high-quality assistance in a timely manner, after which the bitten one must definitely consult a doctor.

During the first minutes after the bite, the patient may not feel any pain at all, but after a quarter of an hour it will begin to become stronger, acquiring a burning character. In all honesty, first aid is not easy in this case.

• In order to prevent the spread of poison throughout the body, the victim must be laid down and not allowed to move. The main thing is not to allow panic, since in this case the blood flow increases and the risks of the spread of infection increase significantly.
• Wash the bite site with warm water and soap and apply a sterile dressing.
• Strong bandaging of the area above the bite or splint is highly discouraged. Otherwise, the risk of gangrene is increased. Also, cauterization and incisions cannot be done, this will be extra blood loss and the risk of infection in the wound. It is permissible to suck out the poison only if the victim is a child, and a large poisonous snake has made a bite. At the same time, the one who will suck out the poison should in no case be lying, near the mouth and on the lips of any wounds.
• If the victim's condition worsens, but there is still no ambulance, it is permissible to induce vomiting and apply cold to the affected area.

If bitten by a tick

It is advisable for a specialist to remove the tick, but if this is not possible, then take tweezers and alcohol. You need to take the tick as close to its base as possible, then start gently but confidently pulling in the perpendicular direction of the skin surface (in no case pulling!). If, nevertheless, the head of the tick came off - do not panic! Continue the removal as if it were a splinter, then treat the wound with brilliant green or iodine. It is best to save the tick and take it for analysis in order to understand whether it was contagious or not.

If bitten by an insect: bee, bumblebee, wasp or hornet

Insect bites are usually quite painful and accompanied by redness and swelling. The great danger is due to the appearance of allergic reactions.

After the bite, you need to check the site and find out if the sting remains in place. If so, it must be carefully removed with tweezers. After that, the wound should be carefully treated with an antiseptic. Apply cold to the site of the bite, it will help reduce, or even prevent swelling. If the bitten person is prone to allergies, it is better to immediately drink an antihistamine. In any case, the victim needs to be provided with abundant drink in order to avoid the appearance of negative symptoms.

First aid for fainting

There may be several reasons for fainting, but in any case, this is an abnormal reaction of the body. Therefore, it is better to immediately call an ambulance, and while she is going to provide the victim with first aid.

If the victim's airways are free and nothing interferes with breathing, then you need to grope and monitor the pulse. Lay the patient on a flat surface, and raise his legs so that they are slightly above the level of the heart.

Unbutton clothing if it interferes with breathing.

Place a towel dipped in cold water on the patient's forehead. This will narrow blood vessels and improve blood flow to the brain.

If vomiting occurs at the time of fainting, the person's head must be turned to the side so that he does not choke in the secreted masses.

If the patient is unconscious for several minutes, this is most likely not fainting and everything indicates a serious need for qualified help.

As soon as a person regains consciousness, do not rush to raise him immediately and warn such actions on his part. It is advisable to immediately give it hot sweet tea and only then let it rise to sit down.

If, after lifting, a person continues to experience a light-headed state, he needs to ensure a horizontal position until he fully regains his senses, and do not forget to put something under his feet.

First aid for carbon monoxide poisoning

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning have the following characteristics:

• chest pain;
• redness of the skin;
• cough without phlegm;
• lacrimation;
• vomiting and nausea;
• increased heart rate;
• increased blood pressure;
• throbbing in the temples.

The first step is to take the victim out of the place where carbon monoxide is common to fresh air and immediately call an ambulance. In the meantime, you need to free your neck and ensure the flow of oxygen to the respiratory tract. If a person is conscious, you need to give him strong brewed sweet tea to drink. If the poisoning is severe, the victim is unconscious and practically does not show signs of life, an urgent cardiac massage and artificial ventilation of the lungs should be done.

It is very important for the one who saves not to get poisoned. Before entering such a room, you need to take a deep breath and hold your breath for the duration of your stay in such a room. If possible, open all windows and doors.

It is almost impossible to provide quality care to the victim, since this requires an oxygen mask, which is only in the ambulance carriage. After that, injections are carried out for further treatment.

First aid for allergies

Most of allergic reactions manifests itself in the form of itching and redness, tearing of the eyes, runny nose, sneezing, etc., in general, everything that brings discomfort to a person does not pose a threat to life. But there are acute manifestations in which, without outside help, a person can die due to suffocation or laryngeal edema.

If the allergen is known to be known, the first step is to eliminate contact with it. If the allergen was eaten - the victim needs to induce vomiting, with a bee sting - you need to remove the sting, if you are allergic to a cat, take the person out of the room with the animal. In case of dizziness, the victim must be laid down, this will facilitate the flow of blood to the brain. Free the patient's neck, if a collar or other object interferes with him, provide fresh air.

TO the place where there was contact with  allergen cold should be applied, this will slow down the body's reaction. Apply an antihistamine to the affected area, then give the anti-allergy pill by mouth. In case of difficulty breathing through the nose, you need to drip vasoconstrictor drops.

If the measures taken do not work, you should take an anti-inflammatory drug on a hormonal basis, for example, Prednisolone. In case of a severe allergic reaction, an ambulance must be called urgently.