EMERGENCY FIRST AID

SYMPTOMS
Itching, rash, hives, runny nose, wheezing, paleness, cold sweats, low blood pressure, coma, cardiac arrest.
TREATMENT
IF VICTIM IS UNCONSCIOUS, NOT BREATHING:
1. Yell for help. Don't leave the victim.
2. Begin mouth-to-mouth breathing immediately.
3. If there is no heartbeat, give external cardiac massage.
4. Have someone call 0 (Operator) or 911 (emergency) for an ambulance or medical help.
5. Don't stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until help arrives.
IF VICTIM IS UNCONSCIOUS AND BREATHING:
1. Dial 0 (Operator) or 911 (emergency) for an ambulance or emergency medical help.
2. If you can't get help immediately, take patient to nearest emergency facility.

BLEEDING
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SYMPTOMS
Bright-red blood pumping from an injured artery, or darker blood if a large vein has been injured. Bleeding caused by any serious injury should be treated in an emergency facility.
TREATMENT
Call for ambulance or take victim to emergency facility. In the meantime, render the following first aid:
1. Cover entire injured area with a cloth, or bare hands if no cloth is available.
2. Apply strong pressure directly on injured area for 10 minutes while awaiting ambulance or while transporting victim to emergency facility.
3. If direct pressure doesn't control brisk bleeding, use a tourniquet. Make a tourniquet from a length of cloth or similar material. Wrap and tie the tourniquet around the extremity above the wound. Place a stick or other rigid object between the cloth and the extremity. Twist the rigid object several times until tight pressure has been applied and bleeding stops. Note how long the tourniquet is in place so emergency medical personnel can take appropriate action.

CONVULSIONS
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SYMPTOMS
Unconsciousness; jerking or twitching of the arms, legs or face; loss of bowel or bladder control (sometimes).
TREATMENT
1. When the victim begins to fall, soften the fall by catching his body, laying it down gently and turning the head to one side.
2. Don't restrain the person. Clear the area of any objects so the victim won't be injured.
3. Don't try to separate the teeth or insert objects to keep the patient from biting his tongue. Doing so can cause injury.
4. Don't throw ice water on the patient.
5. Don't attempt to force water or any fluid until the patient is fully conscious and asks for fluids.
6. Call for medical help and stay with any patient who has a convulsion immediately after the first convulsion. Stay also with any pregnant woman who has a convulsion.

FRACTURES, DISLOCATIONS OR SEVERE SPRAINS

SYMPTOMS
Extreme pain and tenderness in the injured area; change in appearance of injured part, such as swelling, protruding bone or blood under skin. Extremity, such as finger, arm or leg, may be bent out of normal alignment.
TREATMENT
1. Control any bleeding (see BLEEDING).
2. Immobilize the injured area and keep movement to a minimum. To do so for obvious fractures of the finger, wrist, arm, leg, ankle or foot, improvise a splint from stiff rolled-up paper, scrap wood or metal.
3. Attach the splint firmly to injured extremity with strips of cloth, twine or similar material.
4. Prevent swelling by applying ice and elevating the splinted part, compressing it with a snug elastic bandage whenever possible.
5. If leg, back or neck is severely injured and possibly fractured or dislocated, keep patient warm and immobilized until the ambulance arrives. Don't move the victim.
6. Watch for signs of shock (see SHOCK).

HEAD, NECK OR BACK INJURY
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SYMPTOMS
HEAD INJURY: Drowsiness or confusion; vomiting and nausea; blurred vision; pupils of different size; loss of consciousness -- either temporarily or for long periods; amnesia or memory lapses; irritability; headache; bleeding of the scalp, if the skin is broken.
NECK OR BACK INJURY: Pain in the neck or back; paralysis or difficulty in moving.
TREATMENT
1. Assume that all injuries to the head (including face), neck or back--whether the patient is conscious or unconscious--may also involve damage to the spinal cord.
2. Call 0 (Operator) or 911 (emergency) for an ambulance or medical help.
3. Avoid moving the patient, if at all possible.
4. If the injured person is unconscious and lying face-down so he or she cannot breathe, obtain assistance from several people to carefully support and roll the entire body to one side.
5. Give mouth-to-mouth breathing if the victim is not breathing but has a heartbeat.
6. If there is no heartbeat, give external cardiac massage.
7. Don't stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until help arrives.
8. If an ambulance is not available, take the patient to the nearest emergency center. Make sure that the neck and back are carefully supported and moved as little as possible.

HEART ATTACK
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SYMPTOMS
Chest pain that lasts more than 2 minutes and radiates into the jaw or arm; unexplained heavy sweating; weakness; nausea; pale skin; irregular pulse.
TREATMENT
IF VICTIM IS UNCONSCIOUS, NOT BREATHING:
1. Yell for help. Don't leave the victim.
2. Begin mouth-to-mouth breathing immediately.
3. If there is no heartbeat, give external cardiac massage.
4. Have someone call 0 (Operator) or 911 (emergency) for an ambulance or medical help.
5. Don't stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until help arrives.
IF VICTIM IS UNCONSCIOUS AND BREATHING:
1. Dial 0 (Operator) or 911 (emergency) for an ambulance or emergency medical help.
2. If you can't get help immediately, take patient to nearest emergency facility.

SHOCK
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SYMPTOMS
Moist, cold, pale skin; fast weak pulse; rapid breathing; disorientation; anxiety with feelings of impending doom; low blood pressure (sometimes so low that it cannot be read); unconsciousness (sometimes).
TREATMENT