Health is one of the fundamental prerequisites for a happy life; only with health can one possess everything. Some unexpected injuries and illnesses often strike without warning. If handled improperly, minor injuries or ailments can escalate into serious injuries or major illnesses. Understanding basic first aid and care knowledge enables one to respond calmly and act swiftly to provide treatment and care when accidents occur to those around them.This not only alleviates the patient's suffering but also reduces the risk of complications and prevents unforeseen outcomes. So, what are the essential first aid methods for emergencies in daily life?
1. Medication Overdose
Symptoms: Ingesting the wrong type of medication can cause various symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, cyanosis of the lips, or a pale complexion. Severe cases may lead to shock or even death.
First Aid: Rapidly expelling the poison from the stomach is critical. Induce vomiting by stimulating the throat with fingers or a wooden stick. For better results, first administer a large amount of water before inducing vomiting to expel the poison along with the water.To minimize toxin absorption, administer 500 ml of milk orally. Soy milk, egg white water (one egg white in a cup of water), or a thin lotus root starch paste also offer some detoxifying effects. For large doses of sleeping pills, induce vomiting promptly. However, do not induce vomiting if corrosive substances like Lysol or carbolic acid are ingested; instead, quickly administer milk, soy milk, or egg white water to mitigate toxicity.
2. Burns and Scalds
Symptoms: Burns and scalds cause localized skin and muscle damage, redness, swelling, blisters, and necrosis. Severe cases may lead to secondary infections, shock, and other systemic changes.
First Aid: Immediately rinse the affected area with cool water for at least 10 minutes or apply a cool compress. Prevent further injury to the affected area and avoid contamination of the wound. Calm the patient, provide pain relief, ensure the airway remains clear, and seek prompt medical attention for active treatment.
3. Acute Diarrhea
Symptoms: Abdominal discomfort, pain, nausea, and vomiting precede diarrhea, occurring 3-5 times daily or even dozens of times daily. Stools are typically watery, deep yellow or greenish, foul-smelling, and may be accompanied by abdominal cramps, fever, and generalized body aches.Severe cases may lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, or shock.
First Aid: The patient should rest in bed. For mild cases, berberine or other antidiarrheal medications may be taken. If accompanied by frequent vomiting, fasting is recommended. Otherwise, provide clear liquids and rehydration, preferably boiled water or soups.If diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting or is severe, seek immediate medical attention. For bloody or rice-water-like stools, after hospital admission, boil and disinfect all used utensils and clothing.
4. Motion Sickness
Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, pallor, profuse sweating.
First Aid: Have the patient rest quietly in a supine position. Apply a cold, damp towel to the forehead. Administer appropriate anti-vertigo and antiemetic medications.
5. Frostbite
Symptoms: Early stage—rapid heartbeat and breathing, pale and cold skin, shivering, stiff joints and muscles. Late stage—decreased body temperature, slow heartbeat and breathing, dulled senses, sluggish reactions, and reduced physiological functions.
First Aid: Immediately move the patient to a warm, sheltered location. Handle gently to avoid muscle injury or fractures. Remove wet, cold clothing and wrap the body in blankets for warmth. Apply a hot water bottle to the chest area. Warm beverages can be administered via nasogastric tube to raise core body temperature.For severe frostbite, administer a warm water bath, gradually increasing the temperature to 40–42°C (104–105°F) for 10–20 minutes. If heartbeat or breathing stops, perform CPR immediately. Transport the patient to a hospital for further treatment once stabilized.6. Foreign Bodies in the External Ear Canal Symptoms: Dizziness, tinnitus, ear pain, and hearing impairment. First Aid: For mobile objects like insects, instill alcohol or oil into the ear canal to immobilize them, then use instruments or water irrigation to dislodge them.For non-expanded plant-based foreign bodies, use a cerumen hook or foreign body retriever to extract it. Avoid forceps to prevent pushing the object deeper. If the plant material has expanded, instill 95% alcohol to dehydrate it before removal. Seek prompt medical attention if extraction proves difficult.
7. Dog Bites
Symptoms: If rabies develops after a dog bite, early symptoms include low-grade fever, fear and agitation, along with abnormal sensations like numbness, itching, or pain around the wound. This may be accompanied by painful convulsions throughout the body. Later stages show gradual calmness, cessation of spasms, paralysis, and eventual death from respiratory and circulatory failure.
First Aid: Immediately and thoroughly rinse the wound at the scene—this is critical for successful treatment. Dog bites often appear shallow but are deep internally. When rinsing, widen the wound by firmly squeezing the surrounding soft tissue to flush out as much contaminated saliva as possible. Then promptly transport the victim to a designated medical facility for further wound irrigation and rabies vaccination.
Essential Home First Aid Kit: A household first aid kit typically contains common medications and emergency supplies such as aspirin, antibiotic ointment, disinfectant wipes, cortisone cream, hand sanitizer, gauze and bandages in various sizes, instant cold packs, emergency blankets, thermometers, tweezers, scissors, gloves, and first aid manuals.Outdoor first-aid kits additionally include vacuum suction devices, snake antivenom, eye drops, cooling balm, and wind-relieving oil.
Does having a first-aid kit mean you can rest easy? The answer is no. Medications left unused for extended periods may expire, lose efficacy, or even become toxic.Therefore, inspect your first aid kit at least every three months. Replenish used items and medications promptly, replace expired or soon-to-expire items, and discard any that show signs of deterioration—such as moisture damage or discoloration. Using a sealable first aid kit is recommended to protect contents from moisture and contamination.