Priorities in Emergencies
Emergency
Checklist
Basic
First Aid Kit
Amputation
Asphyxia
Bites
& stings
Bleeding
Blisters
Breathing
Burns
& scalds
Chemical
burns
Chemicals,
inhaled
Chest
injuries
Choking
Circulation
Crush
injuries
Cyanocrylate
glues
Dental
operations
Diabetic
coma
Dislocations
Drowning
Ear
injuries
Electrocution
& electrical injuries
Epilepsy
Eye
injuries
Fainting
Fish
hooks
Fits
& convulsions
Fractures
Frost
bite
Head
injuries
Heart
attack
Heatstroke
& heat exhaustion
Hypothermia
Internal
bleeding
Nosebleeds
Panic
Poisoning
Shock
Slipped
disc
Spinal
injury
Splinters
Sprains
& strains
Stroke
Surgical operations
Unconsciousness
Wounds
Bleeding
Extracts from
site: http://www.drlockie.com/
Occurs
when blood vessels are damaged. External bleeding often looks more
dramatic than Internal bleeding,
but the latter can be more serious.
In a
minor graze or bruise only the smallest blood vessels, the capillaries,
are broken; blood seeps slowly into the surrounding tissues but soon
clots, resealing the capillaries and stopping further leakage. If a vein
is broken, dark red blood flows steadily from the wound; if the vein is
large, blood loss must be stopped as it will not seal itself. If an artery
is broken, bright red blood spurts from the wound in time with the pulse;
arterial blood is under pressure because it is being pumped directly from
the heart. Loss of blood from an artery must be stopped, or it will
quickly lead to excessive blood loss and Shock.
Bleeding
often looks more alarming than it is. A very small amount of blood goes a
long way. Most adults can lose up to I litre (2 pints} of blood without
danger to life. However, this amount can easily be lost into the tissues
especially from a fracture of a large bone, so the blood loss that one can
see is not always the true picture.
Treatment
of bleeding
Only
treat bleeding if you have established that the injured person has a pulse
and is breathing. Check for, and remove, any foreign bodies in the wound
and apply pressure directly over the site of bleeding using the thumb or
squeezing the edges of the wound together. Cover with a clean dressing,
and secure firmly with bandages.
If
bleeding from a limb will not stop, apply pressure to either the brachial
artery or the femoral artery. N.B. This procedure drastically cuts blood
flow to distal tissues and can damage them if it is continued for more
than 15 minutes at a time. Rest the patient and keep him or her still –
this aids the body’s natural clotting mechanism. Raise the legs to
maintain blood flow to the heart and brain if you estimate that more than
1 litre (2 pints) of blood has been lost.
Emergency
bandages can be made from sheets, towels, pillowcases, scarves, cotton
clothes, clean blankets, paper hankies, and many other items. If blood
seeps through them, do not take them off – keep adding more layers. Check
the person’s pulse every 5 minutes and jot it down. If the pulse rate is
increasing check for other sites of external bleeding. If external
bleeding has been controlled, increased pulse indicates internal bleeding.
Specific
remedies to be given every 10-15 minutes for up to 10 doses once bleeding
has been brought under control
Bleeding follows
injury, with extensive or serious bruising Arnica 30c
Person restless,
anxious, chilly, and exhausted Arsenicum 30c
Bright red blood,
pulse full and laboured, face red and hot Belladonna 30c
Person collapsed,
hungry for air (yawning), wanting cool air to be fanned across the face
Carbo veg. 30c
Bright red blood,
person nauseous, cold and sweaty, gasping for air Ipecac 30c
Casualty can’t stand warmth or tight clothing around neck or waist
Lachesis 30c
Bleeding difficult
to stop, blood bright red and flows in fits and starts, casualty thirsty
for ice-cold drinks Phosphorus 30c.