When someone experiences a medical emergency, it is easy to stay back and let someone else step up to provide medical assistance to the affected person. However, whenever a medical emergency occurs, every single second counts. The longer you wait to provide first-aid, the lower the chances the person in distress has of survival. It is especially the case for people living off the grid, where medical responders and emergency personnel can sometimes take more than just a few minutes to arrive.
Fortunately, you can learn to treat the most common medical emergencies on your own. Yes, we know that the thought of dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency might sound intimating and terrifying to most people. However, like everything in life, once you educate yourself and practice enough, these medical emergencies will become a little less terrifying and as simple as following a straightforward procedure. Prepare yourself now, so you can apply your skills later and save a life whenever necessary.
Of course, you should not consider these skills as a substitute for a proper medical certification or hands-on training. No matter what happens, the first step should always be to call emergency services. That said, listed below are a few lifesaving medical skills that every person should know.
CPR
When talking about lifesaving medical skills, the first thing that will come to anybody’s mind is CPR. It is a technique that makes all the difference for someone experiencing a cardiac arrest. It is always wise to take classes to know how to perform CPR correctly, so you know the procedure beforehand. But, even with little experience, you can save a human life if no one else around you has better CPR experience than you. That said, looking for emergency department solutions should be your first option.
The Heimlich Maneuver
When someone around you is choking, you only get around five minutes to clear whatever is blocking their airways before they suffer damage to the brain. Helping somebody through the Heimlich maneuver is a lifesaving skill that every adult should learn.
A simple search on the internet or a YouTube instructional video will equip you with the correct technique to perform the Heimlich maneuver. However, the Heimlich maneuver for children is far different than adults and requires a different, more subtle approach.
Giving Stitches and Sutures
Fun fact: students practice their suturing skills on bananas. It is because a banana’s skin has the same thickness as a human’s. You can learn various stitching and suture styles, with every type being appropriate for different wound types.
Besides learning how to give stitches and sutures, having the proper stitching and suturing medical tools is also necessary to avoid any chances of infections afterward.
Setting A Splint
For a broken bone to heal, the orthopedic surgeon must set it into place. A bone needs to come back to its original position or fuse properly in simpler words. Using a makeshift splint such as one made from wood or aluminum, along with an ace bandage, will be enough to set a splint. You can perform a search online to learn how to make a splint in a few seconds.
It is easy and doesn’t require much practice at all. In fact, once you know the procedure behind making a splint, you can also innovate and make splints out of household items in case of emergencies.
Treating First Degree Burns
A first-degree burn only damages our skin’s top-most layer. You can treat first-degree burn-related painful symptoms such as mild swelling and tenderness by running the burned part of the skin under cold water or popping a painkiller. You can also apply topical treatments like an antibiotic ointment, followed by wrapping the affected area with medical gauze.
Spotting And controlling A Concussion
Often concussions can go unnoticed and can end up being deadly if not treated timely. After someone suffers a hard blow to their head, you must know what symptoms to look for. These include headaches, increased or decreased pupil dilation, dizziness, or slurred speech.
Most of these symptoms go away in a day or two. If they don’t, popping a Tylenol or an aspirin pill will do the trick. However, if symptoms persist or worsen over time, call a doctor.
Supporting A Sprain
Overexertion can sometimes take a toll on our bodies. Even people who consider themselves as strong as an ox can experience an occasional twisted knee or sprained ankle. Simply wrapping a sprained ankle or knee with a bandage will ease any discomfort when there is no other option.
There might be times when a sprain can result in something much more severe such as a broken bone. Check for redness, sharp pain, and any visible signs of a broken bone. If that’s the case, there will be no option other than visiting the doctor and getting an X-ray.
Soothing A Heart Attack
Some heart attacks are deadly, while some only cause minor damage if you are lucky! Suppose someone far away from a hospital experiences a heart attack. In that case, all you can do is administer aspirin and follow a few heart attack emergency dos and don’ts. Doing such a thing will improve your chances of keeping the affected person conscious until emergency services arrive.
Conclusion
Remember that the key to survival is a strong presence of mind and familiarity with a few basic survival skills. In the end, survival is not only about stockpiling your basement with canned food. It is also about having the necessary medical know-how for emergencies. Utilize the internet as it contains tons of first aid tutorial videos. What might only take a few minutes to learn can end equipping you to save someone’s life!
