If you travel a lot, then it’s always a good idea to be prepared with first aid kits and to be as proficient in first aid as you possibly can. There are some great first aid training courses available for you to get a handle on it.
We’ve put together a list of popular first aid myths to put you on the right track.
If you have a Nosebleed – Tilt your Head Back
If you have a nosebleed, you shouldn’t tilt your head back. By doing this, blood could flow to your stomach which could result in nausea and sickness. Make sure that you instead tilt your head forward and pinch your nostrils. To ensure that the bleeding has stopped – make sure you hold in place for 10 minutes before checking again. If it does last much longer than that, then you should seek medical attention.
Butter will Help to Sooth a Burn
This one is a bit of an old wives’ tale. Butter in actual fact can be detrimental to a burn. It involves you putting something that isn’t sterile on top of an area that is incredibly sensitive which is never a good idea. Instead if you have a first aid kit handy, you should first run it under cold water for at a minimum 5 minutes, then use antiseptic spray or cream and then put a gauze bandage over it. You should do this loosely so as not to aggravate it.
Cold Meat on a Black Eye
There is always a lot of focus on plopping a steak on a back eye – but in actual fact, it’s important that it’s just something cold. If a steak is completely frozen and sealed it could be helpful – but otherwise not. A bag of frozen peas or a cold towel will help with the swelling.
If Someone Chokes give them the Heimlich Maneuver
If there is a complete blockage of the airway when someone is choking, then they may need the Heimlich maneuver – but you need to make sure that you wait long enough that you are sure that’s the case. This means keeping your composure. If they are unable to speak and are becoming blue – then the Heimlich maneuver is required, and you need emergency medical assistance. If they can talk, this usually means it’s only a partial blockage – so coughing should resolve it.
If there is a Sprained Ankle – put a Hot Compress on it
If you sprain an ankle, the best thing to do is make sure that you put something cold on it to reduce swelling, not something hot. You should have a cold compress on there for at least 10 minutes to reduce inflammation.
There are a lot of first aid myths out there, and hopefully we have put some of them to rest – and given you a better idea as to how to deal with that situation.
