A Slice of Orange - April 2013 - First response

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 4 • APRIL 2013

YE A

RS

7

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A SLICE OF ORANGE Refreshing Your Health

FIRST RESPONSE • Allergies • Burns • Choking • Cuts and scrapes • Unconsciousness • First aid kit must-haves

First response BE A “DOCTOR” WHEREVER YOU ARE BY KNOWING WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY.

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E

mergencies can happen, even at work. Unfortunately, a doctor may not always be present when these problems happen. Be a first responder, and know the first aid for the most common medical emergencies that can happen at work or at home.

A SLICE OF ORANGE

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 4 • APRIL 2013

First aid kit must-haves Allergies

Choking

Allergies to insect bites,

If you are choking, find

food, or other allergens

people who can help

can lead to anaphylaxis,

you, and make the univer-

a severe and potentially

sal sign for choking: your

fatal reaction that can lead to a sudden drop

The required contents of a first aid kit for the workplace depends on the risks present. However, for a regular office workplace, the contents may be similar to those found in a home first aid kit. These include:

hands clutching your throat.

in blood pressure and difficulty of breathing.

Treat allergies immediately with an antihista-

Other signs of choking include inability to

mine, such as diphenhydramine (warning: di-

talk; difficulty of breathing or noisy breath-

phenhydramine can cause drowziness).

ing; inability to cough forcefully; skin, lips and nails turning blue or dusky; and loss of con-

If a person with allergies has signs of ana-

sciousness.

phylaxis, such as dizziness, facial swelling, or difficulty of breathing, do not wait for the

The Red Cross recommends the “five-and-

antihistamine to work, since this is usually in-

five” first aid approach during choking.

sufficient to treat anaphylaxis. Have the per-

• Give 5 back blows between the

son lie still on his or her back. Loosen tight

person’s shoulder blades with the heel

clothing and cover the person with a blanket.

of your hand.

Don’t give the person anything to drink. Then

• Give 5 abdominal thrusts of the

• Elastic bandages

immediately bring the victim to the emergency

• Flashlight

room, because he or she needs to receive

• Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts

injectible medications.

Medical supplies: • Disposable gloves • Adhesive bandages • Sterile gauze pads • Tweezers

Heimlich maneuver. until the blockage is dislodged.

• Alcohol 70% • Thermometer • Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff)*

Burns

This is how to perform the Heimlich maneu-

• Stethoscope*

You can get burned by

ver on someone else:

Medications:

flame,

• Stand behind the victim. Wrap your

• Aspirin 80 mg tablets (take two tab-

electricity. However, in

arms around the waist. Tip the person

lets when a heart attack is

an office environment,

forward slightly.

suspected; should not be used for

chemicals,

or

the most common cause of burns is hot drinks

• Make a fist with one hand. Position it

or water.

slightly above the person’s navel.

• Grasp your fist with the other hand.

those allergic to aspirin or those with ulcers) • Paracetamol for pain and fever • Anti-inflammatory painkillers such

In the event of minor flame burns or scalds,

Press hard into the abdomen with a

soak the burn in cool water for 5 minutes.

quick, upward thrust, as if trying to lift

• Anti-diarrhea tablets such as

Minor burns can then be treated with an an-

the person up.

loperamide

tibiotic cream or aloe vera. Large burns or

• If the person becomes unconscious,

burns to the face and neck need to be treated

in the emergency room.

(CPR).

perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation

as ibuprofen or naproxen

• Oral rehydration salts • Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine

*Optional

Do not put butter or oil on burns. Also, do not

Cuts and scrapes

put ice or ice water directly on the burn. If

Wounds should first be

severity of the wound, as these chemicals

blisters form over the burn, do not break them.

washed with clean run-

may irritate the wound.

ning water. Use tweezers Victims of electrical burns need to be brought

to remove any dirt that

To stop bleeding, apply firm but gentle pres-

to the hospital because electrical burns may

remains in the wound after washing. Before

sure on the wound with a clean cloth or piece

cause internal injury even though the skin

using soap, hydrogen peroxide, or povidone

of gauze. If the blood soaks through the

shows no injury.

iodine on wounds, have a doctor assess the

gauze you’re holding over the wound, just put

A SLICE OF ORANGE

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 4 • APRIL 2013

more gauze on top of what you already have

if you have been properly trained. The Philip-

Maintain this position until medical help ar-

in place and apply more pressure for 20 to

pine Heart Association (www.philheart.org)

rives. Do not try to wake up an unconscious

30 minutes. If the wound is on the arm or leg,

and the Philippine Red Cross (www.redcross.

person by throwing water at him.

raise the extremity above the heart.

org.ph) conduct regular BLS trainings.

Visit your doctor if the wound is deep; if the

If the victim is breathing and his heart is

bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes of

beating, and you do not think he or she suf-

pressure; if you can’t get the edges to stay

fered from a spinal injury, put him or her in

together; or if the edges are jagged.

the recovery position: 1. Kneel to one side of the person.

Unconsciousness

2. Place the person’s arm that is nearest you

What do you do when

at a right angle to their body, so it is

you find someone un-

bent at the elbow with the hand pointing

conscious and unsure of

upwards.

the reason why? First, try

3. Place the other hand next to their

to determine any reason for unconsciousness.

For example, is he or she wearing a medical

4. Pull the person’s knee that is furthest

alert tag or bracelet?

from you, so that their leg is bent and

their foot is flat on the floor. Gently roll

the victim’s body towards you so that

Next, call for medical help.

opposite cheek.

the furthest knee rests on the floor near

While waiting for help to arrive, check the

you. The victim’s face should rest on

person’s airway, breathing, and circulation.

the opposite hand.

If any of these are not intact, perform Basic

5. Gently raise the chin to tilt their head

Life Support (BLS). However, since incorrectly

back slightly. Check that nothing is

performed BLS can cause harm, do this only

blocking their airway.

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The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care.

Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2013 ActiveLink

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RECOVERY POSITION

A Slice of Orange

is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.

Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Ivan Olegario, MD