First Aid

Most minor burns can be treated at home successfully; however, depending on the type of burn---chemical, electrical or thermal---treatment may differ slightly. When in doubt, it is best to seek...

Assembling an emergency surgical first aid kit could one day save someone's life. Always check your first aid kit often to make sure the supplies are up to date, and don't forget to replace...

Cuts and scrapes are little misfortunes that happen to all of us. So knowing how to treat the scrape in a way that will encourage the fastest healing time is very important. The best thing to...

Oxycodone is a drug used to relieve severe pain for people who have had surgery or are recovering from a disease like cancer. It is a very powerful drug which can have severe side effects for...

A complete and well-prepared first-aid kit comes up big in an emergency. Whether you're patching up scrapes and bruises or stopping the bleeding from a deep cut, having everything you need at hand...

A viral email that contained pictures of children with burned skin was circulated in 2006 that claimed the burns were made with a Magic Eraser. This is untrue. While there were injuries associated...

The carotid artery is the main artery supplying blood to the head and neck. It is one of the two areas used for taking a pulse, and the last place a person loses a pulse. It is therefore the most...

An eye wash is performed by using a liquid such as sterile water or saline solution to wash out your eyes. An eye wash is usually done to flush chemicals or foreign objects out of the eye. It is...

Some of the most dangerous workplace or laboratory injuries are those that occur to the eyes. This is why emergency eye wash stations, which can either be stand-alone units or part of a building's...

Sun poisoning is the most severe form of sunburn. Most individuals have experienced a sunburn during there lifetimes, often during recreational activities. Caused by overexposure to ultraviolet...

Making a sling is a part of basic first aid everyone should know how to do. An accident can happen anytime, and being prepared can make all the difference. Placing a sling is a simple process.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors, chances are you may be no stranger to common outdoor ailments like poison ivy. While it can be overwhelming dealing with the rashes and blisters that come...

Third-degree burns can be serious, severe, even life-threatening injuries. They can lead to shock, a drop in blood pressure, fainting and a lack of oxygen to body tissues. Burns affecting the...

In any industrial or laboratory setting, first aid equipment is an important part of the setting. Knowing how to use that equipment is usually a requirement of being able to work in the space. For...

Treating a wound is the best way to prevent infection. When an injury occurs, cleaning it and bandaging it are necessary to help the wound heal with little or no scarring. Instead of spending...

Accidents happen, and perhaps you have had the misfortune of receiving the extreme burning effects of pepper spray if it has ever misfired, or traveled along a breeze back in your direction. This...

Injuries happen every day. The best course of action with a wound is to dress it and, if it's serious enough, take the person to the hospital for treatment. However, a dressing is important even...

Solid ice doesn’t conform to joints and curves in the body making most homemade ice packs difficult. Make these flexible ice packs ahead of time for strains and injuries, especially if you have...

Hearing impairments come in many degrees and can be congenital or the result of an incident later in life. A hearing impaired person may still have full or partial hearing in one of their ears,...

First aid and CPR have a long history that developed over time out of necessity. Organizations and physicians experimented through the centuries and worked to establish proper procedures by which...

There are no uniform rules or criteria for changing wound dressings. Factors such as dressing types and wound drainage have to be assessed on an individual basis. According to Liza Ovington,...

A first-aid kit is the first line of defense in case of an emergency. While you wait for an ambulance, a first-aid kit can help prevent the worst-case scenario from happening.

Suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States for 2006. High-risk populations include teenagers, substance abusers, people who are mentally ill, and those with little education,...

Wrapping an ace bandage around an injured body part is all about restricting movement so it can heal, but not wrapping it so tightly that circulation is cut off. Apply like a pro with advice from...

When treating hot water burns, it's important to immediately cool the burn off, leave the area that caused the injury and know whether a trip to an emergency room is warranted. Keep safe with...

The best way to treat sunburn is to prevent getting burnt in the first place by wearing protection when being exposed to sun light for long periods of time. If burns still happen, follow the...

Treating bad burns and scalds can be done by quickly rinsing cold water over the affected area and then applying antibiotic ointments. Take proper action with advice from a paramedic in this free...

When treating a skin flap or abrasion, it's important to be sure the area is clean before applying any antibiotics to prevent infection. Help heal minor wounds with advice from a paramedic in this...

Treating a heat stroke properly can be done by getting the victim out of the heat, giving them water and cooling the person off as quickly as possible. Avoid serious heat exhaustion with advice...

Treating a blister from a burn requires carefully cooling down the wound, applying some antibiotic cream and covering the blister so it can heal. Prevent infection with advice from a paramedic in...

Finger cots are basically the same concept as a rubber glove except they cover only one finger rather than the entire hand.

The best time to use a cold compress is just after the injury happens. A bag of frozen peas or an ice pack with cloth on top will work as a compress; it is not really necessary to buy one,...

First aid courses are available throughout the world. A basic course in CPR and first aid requires a very small time commitment of around three hours. In America agencies such as the Red Cross,...

When an emergency situation occurs, it is best to be prepared. Learning simple first aid and CPR techniques will decrease chaos at the incident scene and will aid the injured person, many times...

First aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, can prevent injury and death during disasters and everyday medical emergencies. Teaching these techniques multiplies their success, thus...

There is little that can ruin a pleasant outdoor activity like an emergency situation that results in someone getting injured. While you should always be prepared with a first aid kit if you are...

Every family should have a first aid kit of some kind in their home and in their cars. It should include medication for the simple problems (head ache, papercuts) to more serious injuries...

Many of us may know how to treat a burn—but what about the blister that so often follows a burn? Because it’s important to treat the burn before the blister, this article will show you how to...

The neck is a part of the body that people often take for granted until it sustains some kind of injury. After an emergency--such as a fall (the leading cause of neck injury) or a car...

Proof of the germ theory of disease in the late 1800s set off a search for "the magic bullet" that would kill pathogenic microorganisms without harming the patient. That anti-bacterial...

Some hobbies are inherently more dangerous than others, and any hobby that includes power tools with sharp saw blades certainly should be in that category. Many times a woodworking shop is in a...

The cold has been around so long that it is even named the "common cold." However, it can hold dangers, so take it seriously when you or someone you know catches one.

Nosebleeds can be a pretty common mishap, and they're fairly to care for and stop.

When an individual chokes, a foreign object can become lodged in their windpipe or throat. This blocks the flow or air and can cut off oxygen to their brain or kill them. So it's important to act...

The kitchen is full of ways to burn yourself. Touch a hot stove, drop the coffee pot, or stand too close to a saucepan about to boil over, and you could get a serious burn. Some kitchen burns are...

Tearing a contact lens is a terrible feeling. It distorts your vision, interrupts whatever you were doing and causes pain and sometimes even panic. Torn lenses are useless, and removing them...

According to UAB Medicine, a medical journal, there are more than 10 million sports-related injuries each year. About 95 percent of these injuries are minor, consisting of sprains, scrapes, cuts,...

You've got the sore, tender feeling and the great story about fending off a dozen ninjas, but your bruise just doesn't look impressive enough. Everyone knows a bruise can make you look tough -...

Lifeguards are responsible to oversee the waters, whether that's the ocean or a swimming pool. It is their duty to recognize an emergency as quickly as possible and when noticed, they need to know...

A first-aid kit is one of the most simple, yet essential, tools for the car, workplace and home. You can buy a first-aid kit, especially if the kit is approved by a body like the Red Cross, or you...