FIRST AID |
 |
Anything on this site is not intended in any way to be a replacement for, or as a substitute to, qualified medical advice. If you think you are suffering from a medical condition, consult your doctor or other appropriately qualified person or service.
Please read our Disclaimer. ASTHMA To avoid asthma being irritated by the mites in
pillows, put pillow in tumble dryer on hot setting for 20 minutes, this will kill off the
mites. STINGS Bees leave
their stings in, so first priority is to carefully remove the sting. Then soothe the skin
with a solution of bicarbonate soda and water. REMEMBER – B
is for bicarbonate
Wasp
stings should be bathed with vinegar. REMEMBER – VW –
Vinegar for wasp stings. If the sting is in the mouth, sucking an ice
cube will ease the discomfort but medical help should be sought. As some people are allergic to stings
MEDICAL
HELP SHOULD BE SOUGHT IMMEDIATELY at the first sign of excessive swelling or
difficulty in breathing.
I have received a tip from Anita Jones saying if you
seem to be experiencing an allergic reaction, such as something which makes your tongue
swell, break open 2 Benedryl capsules and immediately put the contents under your tongue
with a drink of water. Proceed immediately to hospital. I would like to stress I have no
medical knowledge and, with all medication, other considerations come into play such as,
medical history, other medication being taken, age, state of health etc. etc. I am also
told that if you are prone to allergic reactions carrying an EPI-PEN
(adrenaline pen) is a good idea. Also, drugs can be different in
various countries. Thanks to Anita for sending
this in.
MENINGITIS/SEPTICAEMIA As the early symptoms of meningitis/Septicaemia
can be similar to a cold or flu I think it is worth reiterating things to be aware of
regarding this illness. Symptoms in babies under two CAN
include the following but it must be stressed this is not always the case, nor does
it mean that a baby showing any of these symptoms definitely has meningitis – this is just
meant as a guide, obviously, if you are at all worried professional advice should be
sought. The infant my seem irritable and object to being
handled.
Their body may be floppy or perhaps stiff and jerky.
Their cry may be high pitched and different to normal.
They may seem reluctant to wake up.
They may be frequently sick (not just after feeds)
The skin may appear blotchy or pale.
The soft spot on the baby’s head may be tight or bulging.
If there is a red/purple rash, gently push a glass tumbler over the spots and if they do
not fade with the pressure, seek medical help immediately.
Symptoms of older children can be different,
these can include:- Headache
High temperature, feet and colds could be cold.
Rapid breathing.
Pains in joints and/or muscles.
Sickness and/or diarrhoea.
Drowsiness and/or confusion
Sensitivity to light.
Sore/stiff neck – moving their chin to their chest will cause discomfort.
Stomach pains.
A red/purple rash or blotches which do not disappear when pressed.
A recent report by The Meningitis Research Foundation has found that
early symptoms of blood poisoning (which is often associated with
meningitis) can appear a long time before some of the more widely known
e.g. light sensitivity and rashes. These early warning signs in
children under 17 years old often include:
- cold hands and feet,
- leg pains, and
- abnormal skin colour.
If in any doubt seek professional medical advice as
quickly as possible.
STROKE IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Early diagnosis and treatment after
a stroke can make a considerable difference; professional treatment
received within three hours of the stroke can sometimes mean the effects can
be totally reversed.
It
is, therefore, imperative for us all to be aware of how to recognise when
someone has, in fact, suffered a stroke as the symptoms are often mistaken
as a dizzy spell, too much alcohol, or a trip.
There
are 3 easy steps; please take a minute to learn them as it could
make all the difference!
If
there is any likelihood that someone may have suffered a stroke, as them
the following questions:- Ask the individual to SMILE. Ask
them to RAISE BOTH ARMS Ask
them to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (coherently)
If they have trouble
with any of these tasks call emergency immediately and describe the
symptoms. Sent in my
Angela Davey The latest information
being given by the Stroke Association is to remember FAST
Facial
weakness – can the person smile? Has
their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm
weakness – can the person raise both
arms?
Speech
problems – can the person speak clearly
and understand what you say?
Time to
call 999
(or your local emergency service)
If you would like more
comprehensive information please
go to the
Act Fast
section of their website
Useful Tips
Two
months ago I suffered a stroke and luckily got to the hospital before it did
all that much damage. In my wallet I had a list of all medicines I take, the
dosage and when I take them. I also had a business card in my wallet from
each doctor I see and on the back the meds each doctor prescribed. Within
minutes of arriving at the hospital, the treating doctors were notified and
the delay was cut very short. I recovered quickly and back to the daily life
as before…..just something to pass on……Joe
Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE:
Another ‘sign’ of a stroke is this: Ask
the person to ‘stick’ out his tongue..
If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the other,
that is also an indication of a stroke.
COLDS/FLU As antibiotics do not help either a cold or flu,
the best thing to do is to bring the temperature down by taking a simple pain killer such
as paracetamol. Children should be given something suitable for their age, such as
Calpol. Increase fluid intake – water based drinks are
best NOT ALCOHOL. There are many “old wives tales” about
cold remedies the latest I have heard is – boil up some lemonade in a saucepan and drink
it as hot as possible, this is supposed to help ease the cold symptoms – I suppose
anything is worth a try!
HEADACHE Take a lime, cut it in half and rub on your
forehead. Throbbing will go away. MOSQUITO BITES To get rid of the itch try applying soap on
the area and you will experience immediate relief. I am told haemorrhoid cream also does the
trick. SPLINTERS Before using tweezers or needles try putting
adhesive tape over the splinter and then pulling it off. This often removes the
splinter painlessly and easily. An anonymous contributor sent these in –
thank you Get some MAGNESIUM SULPHATE which if you put this on it does
pull the splinter out. You put a blob on and cover with a plaster it will work itself out in a day or so, this does work.
I have also been told that a ‘bread poultice’ made with bread and hot water
also works. Michele Clark WARTS A remedy my family and I have used a few times
to remove warts is putting saliva on your wart first thing in the morning. It only works first thing.
A chemical build up in your mouth overnight. It takes a week or two depending on how good you are at remembering to do it. This does work. Michele Clark Warts are
apparently a virus and they will, in fact, disappear of their own accord
over time. TICKS A simple way to remove ticks has
been sent in by Linda Hagar – Apply a glob of liquid
soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the
soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will
come out on it’s own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked
every time I’ve used it (and that was frequently), and it’s much less
traumatic for the patient and easier for me. Unless someone is
allergic to soap, I can’t see that this would be damaging in any way. I
even had my doctor’s wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to
her back and she couldn’t reach it with tweezers. She used this method and
immediately called me back to say, “It worked!”.
Disclaimer
| 
