9 First Aid Methods That Increase the Danger Level

You should only help victims when you are sure you can do it.

Almost all of us know some basic first aid principles when it comes to accidents and injuries. However, our knowledge is sometimes inaccurate. Ilya Boyko, an expert in the field of first aid, explains common mistakes that can be dangerous to others. These are:

1. Trying to sweat when you have a fever is a bad idea.

When you are sick, you will feel hot but your limbs are shaking, your body temperature is rising. If you cover yourself with many layers of clothes or wrap yourself in a towel, the temperature will rise even faster. Although the body releases heat as a response to fight infection, if the temperature is higher than 38 degrees Celsius, it will be more harmful to the body than beneficial. Therefore, when you have a high body temperature accompanied by convulsions, you need to be cooled down instead of warmed up.

2. Do not place anything in the mouth of a person who is having a seizure.

You could break someone’s teeth if you try to put something in front of them to stop them biting their tongue. They may bite their tongue a little, but it won’t cause any major damage. The best thing you can do is put a pillow or soft towel under their head, as this will help to prevent concussions to the brain.

3. Do not apply cream immediately to the burn.

When the skin is burned, the heat goes deeper into the tissues. The best thing to do in this situation is to put the burned area in cold water for about 15 minutes. This will help cool the burn. Do not apply cream immediately after the burn, but do this after 20 minutes or so.

4. Do not move an injured person without medical professionals present.

If an accident occurs on the road, you should not move the injured person and certainly do not try to pull him or her out of the car. You will only make things worse. This rule can be ignored in the most extreme situations, for example, if the car is on fire.

The recommended course of action in the event of an accident is:

- Call an ambulance

- If you can, turn off the car's engine and disconnect the battery.

- Hemostasis

- Help the victim calm down

5. If someone is choking, don't pat their back.

What you need to do is calm them down, tell them to take deep, slow breaths. This will help relieve the choking and push the object blocking their airway out of harm's way.

6. Do not attempt to pull out the tongue of an unconscious person who has fallen from a height.

It is dangerous to lay an unconscious person on their back because their tongue can retract and block their airway. To ensure this does not happen, simply have them lie on their side or turn their head and do not try to pull their tongue out.

7. Do not apply a tourniquet to an arterial bleeding wound.

In the arteries, blood is pumped at high speed under great pressure, so the blood flowing out of the wound is not a small stream but a massive fountain. In such a case, you need to immediately place a piece of cloth on the wound and press it firmly to create pressure. Using a tourniquet to stop bleeding is the last method that can be used and should only be used when pressure fails to stop bleeding because it can damage intact cells.

8. Don't rub numb parts of the body

Rubbing the affected area can damage the capillaries and make the condition worse. Soaking in hot water is also not a good way to do this. If you are experiencing numbness, try warming up slowly by placing your hand in cold water and gradually increasing the temperature.

9. Don't put yourself in danger

In an emergency, always consider actions that will not endanger yourself and will help you survive. For example, if you touch a person who has been electrocuted, it will cause two casualties instead of one. In this case, you need to turn off the power or use wood to separate the victim from the source of electricity.

Remember, in an emergency, doing something that endangers both you and the victim is worse than doing nothing. Only help if you are sure you can and always call the emergency services directly.

According to Ngoisao.net