First Aid (TS)

TRITHIYA SOPAN FIRST AID

FRACTURE

A fracture is a broken bone. It requires medical attention. If the broken bone is the result of major trauma or injury, call your local emergency number. Also call for emergency help if:

The person is unresponsive, isn’t breathing or isn’t moving. Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if there’s no respiration or heartbeat.
There is heavy bleeding.
Even gentle pressure or movement causes pain.
The limb or joint appears deformed.
The bone has pierced the skin.
The extremity of the injured arm or leg, such as a toe or finger, is numb or bluish at the tip.
You suspect a bone is broken in the neck, head or back.
You suspect a bone is broken in the hip, pelvis or upper leg (for example, the leg and foot turn outward abnormally).

Don’t move the person except if necessary to avoid further injury. Take these actions immediately while waiting for medical help:

Stop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth or a clean piece of clothing.
Immobilize the injured area. Don’t try to realign the bone or push a bone that’s sticking out back in. If you’ve been trained in how to splint and professional help isn’t readily available, apply a splint to the area above and below the fracture sites. Padding the splints can help reduce discomfort.
Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain until emergency personnel arrive. Don’t apply ice directly to the skin — wrap the ice in a towel, piece of cloth or some other material.
Treat for shock. If the person feels faint or is breathing in short, rapid breaths, lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk and, if possible, elevate the legs.

Fractures
A fracture is a complete or partial breakage of a bone. Fractures may be:

Simple, where the broken ends of the bone do not cut open the skin
Compound, where the broken end of the bone may be in contact with the external air
Complicated, where in addition to the fracture an important internal organ may also be injured. A complicated fracture may also be simple or compound.

Signs and Symptoms of a Fracture

Pain at or around the site of the fracture.
Tenderness (pain on gentle pressure) over the area. Do not press hard.
Swelling over the area with discoloration.
Loss of normal movements of the affected part.
Deformity of the limb may be caused. The limb may lose its normal shape and there may be apparent shortening of the limb.
If, as in the leg bone, the break is just under the skin, the irregular outline of the bone can be felt easily.
When one end of the broken bone moves against the other, a crackling sound may be heard. This is called crepitus (grating). This should never be elicited by the person giving First Aid.
Unnatural movements may be felt at the site of the fracture. This too should never be elicited by the First-Aid provider.

In addition the victim may himself say that he heard the snap of the bone. It is important to compare the injured limb with the normal limb while making an assessment.
Management of Fractures
The aims of First Aid here are:

To prevent further damage
To reduce pain
To make the patient feel comfortable
To get medical aid as soon as possible

Fractures often occur along with other injuries. So the rescuer must assess for other injuries and decide which of them requires care on priority. Heavy bleeding is more urgent and requires higher priority care over a fracture.
If there is no danger to life then temporary attention to the fracture is often sufficient.
Handle the patient very gently. Avoid all unnecessary movement.
Treat for shock if present.
If the broken ends of the bones show out, do not wash the wound or apply antiseptics to the end of the bone.
Do not handle the fracture unnecessarily.
Never attempt to reduce the fracture or to bring the bones to the normal position.
Stabilise and support the injured part so that no movement is possible. This stops further injury and helps to control the bleeding.
Immobilise the fracture area and the joints on both sides of the fracture site (above and below) by using bandages or by using splints wherever available. It is essential that the rescuer be familiar with the use of bandages and splints.

A: Using Bandages
Usually it is enough to use the other (uninjured) limb or the body of the victim as the splint. The upper limb can be supported by the body, and the lower limb by the other limb provided that also is not fractured. Most fractures except those of the forearm can be immobilised in this manner:

Do not apply bandage over the area of the fracture.
The bandaging should be firm so that there is no movement of the fractured ends but should not be too tight as blood circulation to the affected area could be reduced. If there is further swelling of the injured area, the bandage may be too tight and therefore may need to be loosened.
Always place padding material between the ankles, knees and other hollows if they have to be tied together so that when the limbs are bound together they are comfortable and steady.
If the patient is lying down, the bandage should be passed through the natural hollows like the neck, the lower part of the trunk, knees, just above the ankles etc., so that the patient’s body is not jarred.
Always tie the knots on the sound side.

B: Using Splints
Splints are used only when necessary expertise is there.

A splint is a rigid piece of wood or plastic material or metal applied to a fractured limb to prevent movement of the broken bone.
Reasonably wide splints are better than narrow ones.
Splints should be long enough so that the joints above and below the fractured bones can be made immobile.
The splints should be well padded with cotton or cloth so as to fit snugly and softly on the injured limb.
Splints are best applied over the clothing.
In an emergency, splints can be improvised using a walking stick, an umbrella, a piece of wood, a book or even a firmly folded newspaper.
Use of splints becomes obligatory only when both legs or both thigh bones are broken.

Fractures involving the back (vertebral column) require special care. In such cases, the victim should not be allowed to get up. Further, movement must be avoided as much as possible and emergency medical help must be sought.

ARM AND COLLARBONE FRACTURE

Open and Closed Fractures and How to Treat Them
There are two classifications of fractures, closed fractures and open fractures. Closed fractures include any fracture where the bone does not penetrate the skin (the skin stays closed). In such instances, proper treatment includes immobilizing the fracture and seeking medical help.
Open fractures occur when a bone or bone fragment breaks through the skin or the skin and bone are broken in a traumatic, crushing injury. Proper treatment for open fractures must also include concern for possible infection.
Recognizing Fractures:
An open fracture will typically be self evident due to the exposed bone. The following clues suggest you are dealing with a probable closed fracture:

The victim felt a bone break or heard a “snap”.
The victim feels a grating sensation when he/she moves a limb. (This condition is known as crepitus.)
One limb appears to be a different length, shape or size than the other, or is improperly angulated.
Reddening of the skin around a fracture may appear shortly after the fall.
The patient may not be able to move a limb or part of a limb (e.g., the arm, but not the fingers), or to do so produces intense pain.
Loss of a pulse at the end of the extremity.
Loss of sensation at the end of the extremity.
Numbness or tingling sensations.
Involuntary muscle spasms.
Other unusual pain, such as intense pain in the rib cage when a victim takes a deep breath or coughs.

If you discover any of these symptoms and cannot attribute them to any other obvious cause, assume them to be a fracture.
Initial Care for Fractures
In treating fractures, an unhurried and careful approach is best. Few fractures are life threatening unless mishandled. Check the patient for any more serious injuries. Make sure someone is going for help, or call 911. Ensure your patient is breathing and that excessive bleeding is controlled and that all open wounds are protected as best you can from contamination. After these elements are satisfied you can deal with stabilization of the fracture.
If you can, carefully cut away all clothing near the fracture site. You need to make sure the fracture hasn’t broken the skin and you may be able to use the cut away material to aid in splinting. If you find an open fracture, protect the wound from contamination as you would any other.
No matter how soon you expect to get medical help, you should immobilize all fractures to prevent additional injuries due to accidental movement or muscle spasms. Immobilization can be achieved many ways; the key points being not to worsen the situation while immobilizing and making sure to also immobilize the joints above and below any limb fracture.
DO NOT try to straighten angulations of a bent wrist, ankle or shoulder or attempt to straighten any dislocated joint!
When splinting using sticks or other “found” objects, try to make padding between the injured limb and splint using a jacket, shirt filled with grass, anything which can be reasonably secured and can help fill in the gaps between the limb and the splint material. Don’t get carried away with this concept, but if you can handily make something up without delaying the splinting process, it will be more comfortable to the patient.
It is not always possible to tell with the naked eye if a bone has been fractured. In case of doubt, it is best to assume the victim has received a fracture and treat it accordingly.
First Aid to Arm, and Collarbone Fractures
Collarbone Fractures:
A collarbone fracture is commonly caused by indirect force resulting from a fall on an outstretched hand or the point of the shoulder.
Collarbone fracture due to a direct force are rare.

Symptoms and Signs:
General symptoms and signs of fracture.
Casualty may support the arm on the injured side at the elbow and may keep the head inclined towards the injured side to relieve pain.

Treatment:

Gently place the limb on the injured side across the casualty’s chest with the fingertips almost resting on the opposite shoulder.
Place padding between the limb and chest on the affected side.
Support the limb and padding in an elevation sling.
For additional support, secure the limb to the chest by applying aboard bandage over the sling, tie the knot in front on the uninjured side.
Remove to hospital.

Arm Fractures:
Fractures can occur anywhere along the length of the upper-arm bone or the two forearm bones, and may involve the elbow and upper arm bone.
Treatment:

Place a pad in the person’s armpit.
Use a padded splint.
Support the lower arm with a narrow pad around the neck and wrist.
Use a wide bandage to bind the upper arm to the chest.

LOWER LEG FRACTURE

MOUTH TO MOUTH RESUSCITATION

Mouth to mouth resuscitation is a vital skill that can save a person’s life. It is a great skill to learn, but only those that know the steps should attempt it.
Instructions
Things You’ll Need:

Watch
Cloth

Tap the person on the shoulder to see if he is conscious. Loudly ask, “Are you okay?”. Ask this several times while tapping them. If he doesn’t respond, begin mouth to mouth.Tilt the person’s head back by placing your hand on his forehead and lifting his chin with the first two fingers of your other hand.Look, listen, and feel for air coming out of the victim’s mouth by bending your own ear down to his mouth. Tilt your head towards the victims feet, so you can also look to see if his chest is rising and falling. Continue to tilt the head back with both hands as you look, listen and feel for air.See if there is an obstruction. If you do not feel any air, look for anything that may be obstructing the victim’s airway. Perform a sweep of the person’s mouth using your two fingers while tilting the head back to see if anything is caught in the air passageway.Take a deep breath, pinch the victim’s nose closed with the hand that is holding the forehead, seal your lips around the victim’s mouth and give them several deep breaths. Pause in between each one to inhale shortly.Look, listen and feel for breathing from your victim. Continue to give him mouth-to-mouth at steady, regular intervals, pausing only to breathe yourself. Always look to see if the chest is rising and falling, to ensure your breaths are getting through.

FIRST AID FOR ELECTRIC SHOCK

Electric Shock

Electric shock occurs when an electric current flows through the body. The human body is made up of 60% to 70% water. This makes it a good conductor of electricity. Burns, damage to internal organs, heart rhythm problems, and death can result from electric shock.
Signs & Symptoms

Shocking sensations. Numbness or tingling. A change in vision, speech, or in any sensation.
Burns or open wounds. These occur where the electricity enters and exits the body.
Muscle spasms or contractions.
Sudden immobility or fractures. A body part may looked deformed.
Interrupted breathing. Irregular heartbeats or chest pain.
Seizures.
Unconsciousness.

A small child who bites or sucks on an electric cord can have a facial injury or distinct burn around the rim of the mouth.
Electric Shock can cause tissue damage under the skin’s surface.
Causes

Touching a high-voltage (more than 1,000 volts) source, such as high-tension wires that fall during a storm. Touching someone who is still touching a live current. Touching a low-voltage (less than 1,000 volts) current source, such as an electric socket or worn cord.
Mixing water and electricity.
Being struck by lightning. A bolt of lightning carries as many as 30 million volts.

Treatment
Contact with electricity from a high-voltage wire or being struck by lightning needs emergency medical care. Contact with electricity from a low-voltage current needs emergency medical care if any signs or symptoms listed above are present. A person who does not have any symptoms should still see a doctor to check for possible internal injuries.
To Avoid Being Harmed by Lightning

Heed weather warnings.
Take shelter in a building, if you can.
Stay in your car (if it is not a convertible) rather than out in the open.
If you are caught outside, avoid tall trees, open water, metal objects, and high ground. Crawl into a low-lying place or curl up on the ground, head to knees with your head touching the ground.

First Aid For Electric Shock
Children, especially toddlers, love sticking their little fingers anywhere and everywhere, especially into plug points and sockets. The human body is a good conductor of electricity, and contact with a live power source can cause significant burns, or may interfere with the heart’s electrical system.
Everyone has received minor electric shocks sometime or the other, which are no cause for concern. But once in a while, a lose wire or a faulty household appliance can shock the life out of you – literally. Most of the
fatal electric shocks happen at home.

Here’s what you can do if it happens in your home.

The victim usually gets stuck to the source of the electricity, and it is important that you first separate him from the electrical source.
Turn off the power supply switch and disconnect the plug. It’s best to simply turn off the main power supply or pull out the fuse. Often, simply turning off the switch may not stop the flow of electricity.
In certain circumstances it may be quicker to simply pull the victim away from the electrical source.
Do NOT touch the victim with your bare hands, or the electric current will pass through you as well.
If you are barefoot, stand of some clothes or any hand non-conductive material like wood or paper. Make sure you are not standing on anything that is wet.
Throw a blanket over the victim and try to separate him from the source. Maje sure you don’t touch him though. You could also use dry, nonconductive material such as a wooden broom handle or a chair to separate the victim from the live current. whatever is handy.
Once the victim has been separated, check to see if he is breathing. If breathing has stopped or seems slow, administer CPR immediately.
Let his head be slightly lower than the rest of the body, and raise his legs.
Cover the victim with a blanket.
Move the victim as little as possible. He may have suffered injuries to his spine and neck.
If the victim has a burn, remove the clothing from the burned area (unless it’s stuck to the skin) and rinse it in cool, running water. Cover the burn with a dressing.
Don’t apply ice or any other ointment or cotton dressing to the burn.
Call for emergency medical attention as soon as possible.

FAINTING

About Fainting
   Common Causes
   Symptoms
   Treatment
   Prevention
About Fainting

Fainting occurs due to decreased blood supply to brain
A fainting spell is usually very brief
It may or may not have medical significance

Common Causes

Anxiety
Emotional upset
Stress
Severe pain
Skipping meals
Standing up too fast
Standing for a long time in a crowd
Some medications
Diabetes
Blood Pressure

Symptoms
Before fainting, a person may experience the following:

Nausea
Giddiness
Excessive sweating
Dim vision
Rapid heart beat or palpitations

Treatment

Fainting is a medical emergency, till proven otherwise
When a person feels faint-
Make them sit down or lie down
If sitting, position head between knees
When a person faints, position him on his back
Check to see if airways are clear
Restore blood flow by
Loosening clothing/belts/collars
Elevate feet above head level
Patient should become normal within a minute
If not, seek medical help
Check if breathing/pulse is normal
If not, do Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Prevention

When symptoms appear, lie down
Try do avoid stress and anxiety
Take care of underlying medical conditions
Carefully evaluate your medications

CHOKING

First Aid for Choking

Here are some tips your must know.
Children choke on pieces of food, toys, and household objects. Babies and toddlers are at greatest risk because they have a natural tendency to put things in their mouths, they cannot chew well, and their small upper airways can easily become obstructed. Fortunately, choking deaths are preventable. Here’s how to keep your child safe.
In an Emergency :
When a child gags on a drink or a piece of food, she will often cough forcefully enough to clear her airway. Don’t slap her back or reach into her mouth with your fingers while she’s coughing; it could push the object farther down her windpipe. If your child can no longer speak, cough, or cry, and her face starts turning blue, you must intervene immediately. Have someone call for help while you begin first aid.
HOW TO SAVE AN OLDER CHILD ( MORE THAN ONE YEAR)

Perform the Heimlich maneuver: Stand or kneel behind your child with your arms around her waist. (If she is unconscious, lay her on her back and kneel at her feet.)
Make a fist and hold it with your other hand against your child’s abdomen, just above the navel and below the rib cage. (If your child is lying down, place the heel of your hand in the middle of her stomach just above the belly button and below the rip cage, resting your other hand on the top of the first.) Pressing firmly but gently on her abdomen, give upwards thrusts in sets of five until the object is expelled.
If the object isn’t cleared and your child loses consciousness, lay her on her back and open her mouth. If you see the obstruction, carefully sweep you index finger across the back or her throat to remove it.
Perform rescue breathing: Open the airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin up.
Keeping the airway open, pinch your child’s nose shut with your fingers, seat your mouth over hers, and give two slow breaths. Continue mouth-to-mouth respiration until she resumes normal breathing or medical help arrives. Note: If your child’s chest doesn’t begin to rise, the object is still blocking her airway. Repeat steps 1 to 5 until the object is coughed up or help arrives.
Even if your child seems fine after a choking incident that requires intervention, take her to the doctor to make sure that the blockage has been completely removed and that there is no lasting damage.

To Lower Your Childs Risk
Keep your child away from garbage, especially any kitchen trash that he can swallow, such as eggshells or pop tabs from soda cans.
Mash, puree, or blend your baby’s food thoroughly before serving it. For toddlers, cut all food into smaller-than-bite-size pieces.
Choose age-appropriate toys that do not contain small parts. If you have older children, keep their toys, which may contain choking hazards, out of your toddler’s reach.
never let your child chew on a balloon, which he could inhale.
Make sure that your child is sitting down while he eats, and never leave him unattended during meals.
Do not allow your child to play games with his food – filling his cheeks like a chipmunk or catching popcorn in his mouth, for example. Teach him to chew and swallow before talking and laughing.
Too Tiny for Tots
Once your baby starts to crawl, be sure to keep potential choking hazards – any object OR toy small enough to fit through a toilet paper tube – out of kids’ reach. Here’s are some common culprits:
Coins
Un-inflated rubber balloons and pieces of broken balloon
Button Batteries
Toys with small detachable parts
Marbles
Safety pins
Tacks
Jewelry
Buttons
Crayons
Pen Caps
Nails
Screws
Food Hazards
Most choking emergencies are caused by food. Do not give a child under 4 anything to eat that is round, hard, small, thick and sticky, smooth, or slippery. Some foods to avoid: