A survival situation demands a different approach to almost everything and first aid is no exception.
Here are some simple first aid hacks that will make your efforts to treat common illnesses and injury go much easier!
Run a Burn Under Warm Water
It may sound counterintuitive to run a burn under warm water, but it turns out that this is one of the best ways to stop the pain. Even minor burns can be agonizing, but warm water works to relieve the pain and increase circulation to damaged tissue by expanding your blood vessels – as opposed to cold water which restricts them.
Treat a Nosebleed
Severe nosebleeds can lead to a serious amount of blood loss. To treat a nosebleed, most people lean their heads back. But instead, you should start by leaning forward so that the blood doesn’t run down your throat. Next, use a tissue or cloth to gently squeeze your nostrils shut. Continue leaning forward and applying pressure until the bleeding has stopped.
Remove an Insect Stinger with a Credit Card
Some insects such as bees will leave their stinger inside your skin when they sting you. It needs to be removed, but you have to be careful doing so. Squeezing the stinger with tweezers can cause more of the insect’s venom to be injected into your skin. Instead, use the edge of a credit card or a dull knife to gently scrape out the stinger. Just be careful to ensure that you are pushing it in the right direction; you don’t want to be pushing it further into your skin.
Soothe a Sore Throat with Salt Water
Without any kind of medicinal treatment, sore throats can be a real annoyance. One easy, medicine-free method of soothing a sore throat, though, is to gargle salt water. I highly recommend you try this before taking medicine or sore throat lozenges. You’ll be surprised at how well it works.
Use Baking Soda to Stop the Itching from Insect Bites
Bites from mosquitos, chiggers, and other pesky insects often itch so bad it’s almost unbearable. This is especially a problem if the situation requires you to spend a lot more time in the woods than you might have before. In lieu of anti-itch cream, though, you can use a paste made from baking soda and water to stop the itching from insect bites.
Just put one tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl and slowly add a little bit of water while stirring until a paste is formed.
Roll a Seizure Victim onto their Side
One of the dangers of seizures is the risk that the victim will choke to death on their vomit. To prevent this, standard procedure is to always roll a seizure victim onto their side and hold them there for the duration of the seizure.
We all know that survival situations make everyday ailments and health risks acuter; in some cases, the stress and unsanitary conditions make them more likely to happen!
Treating illness or injury quickly, safely and efficiently is the key to making sure the person receiving care has a fighting chance!
To learn more medical and first aid hacks, please visit the Urban Survival Site.
Featured Image via Wiki How