First Aid

When an injury has occurred you may need to take necessary steps to help the injured person until they are able to receive professional medical attention. In some cases, a splint will need to be...

While they seem somewhat superfluous, you never really notice how much you use your toes in walking, until you injure one of them. Injuring a toe is very easy to do: stubbing against something...

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...

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,...

Knowing what to do immediately in the event of eye injuries or irritations can prevent vision loss and help ensure that damage is kept to a minimum. While severe eye injuries will require...

Summer's here! The warmer weather gives us a chance to get outside for some much needed exercise and physical activity. Unfortunately, it also provides many of us the opportunity to injure...

Summer fun often leads to cuts, scratches and scrapes. Knowing how to treat skin injuries properly reduces the risk of infection, results in faster healing times, and gets you back to the fun...

Don't you just hate it when you bump your hand on something, or hit your knee as you make the corner around the kitchen table? Avoiding these sorts of accidents can sometimes seem impossible;...

Bleeding injuries, caused by accidental trauma to the body, may happen in any number of ways and can range from minor scrapes or scratches to devastating and life threatening injuries. Knowing how...

Treat a sprain during first aid by exposing the skin surface, evaluating the injury for discoloration and swelling, and by applying a cold compress to the affected area. Reduce blood flow by...

When treating a sprained ankle, lift the injury above the heart to temporarily reduce blood flow to the area and apply a cold compress for 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap an elastic bandage around the...

For patients that may have a spinal injury, use the logroll first-aid technique to move them. Find out how to administer first aid to a patient with a spinal cord injury in this free first-aid...

To be able to manage any acute, meaning not severe, injury use the R.I.C.E. method. Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Jammed finger is an injury of a finger joint due to excessive pressure on the joint. This joint is often referred to as the proximal interphalangeal joint. Jammed finger is fairly common in...

Sprains are related to trauma that stretches or tears ligaments. Strains, or "pulled muscles," are related to overuse injuries that cause muscles to stretch or tear. Both are...

Have you been in a car accident, fallen off a ladder or been the victim of an assault and suffered a blow to the head? It's important to know what to do after sustaining a closed head injury,...

Learn how to make & apply a sling to a minor arm injury in this free online video clip on basic first aid & emergency medical treatment.

In this free video clip, learn how to apply a sling to a minor arm injury. Basic first aid tips.

Learn how to reduce swelling in the knee injury in this free online video clip on basic first aid & emergency medical treatment.

Knowing how to identify a head wound can make the difference between life and death in an emergency. Head wounds can be open, with apparent bleeding, or closed, with no physical signs at the site...

When a person sustains a head injury, swelling of the brain can result. If the injury is severe enough, a person could experience contusions (brusing) or even a blood clot otherwise called a...

Neck injuries are one of the most serious types of injury that can occur, as they can result in paralysis, physical and mental disability and even death. If you are present at the scene of an...

Use an Ace bandage when you are injured and want to put compression on a body part, such as knee, elbow, wrist, leg, arm or stomach. Compression helps relieve the swelling, which eases pain. The...

A sprained ankle is a common problem. What are you supposed to do to treat it?

When you see an injury victim bleeding, the first impulse is to control the bleeding. But, if possible, you should follow several steps before trying to stop the flowing blood.

Strains are overstretched muscles or tendons. The simplest of wilderness activities, such as hoisting a backpack or hotdogging it with a Hacky Sack, can cause strains to the lower back.

A lung injury can occur any time a person receives a severe blow to the chest. This is a serious traumatic injury and requires immediate treatment and evacuation to a hospital.

After you perform a primary and secondary survey of an injured person (see Related eHows), it is important to determine whether a spinal injury is involved. If you can rule out a spinal injury,...

If a person is hurt and you suspect a spinal cord injury (see "How to Rule out a Spinal Cord Injury"), take the following steps to ensure the person's safety.

The spinal cord is what connects the neural pathways from the brain to the rest of the body. Examine the neck, spine and back of an injured person carefully to assess whether injuries have been...

If someone is injured and needs to be moved fast, and if you don't suspect a spinal injury (see "How to Rule out a Spinal Cord Injury"), use the following technique to carry the injured person.

Head injury is one of the most common reasons for death in the wilderness. By asking some important questions and conducting a careful examination, a rescuer may be able to assess whether an...