HowToDoThings.com First Aid

How To Care For a Snakebite

jomormerod — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:22:05 -0500

How To Prevent a Skin Reaction from Poison Ivy

steve — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:52:52 -0500

The rash that develops on your skin after coming in contact with poison ivy is caused by your skin’s reaction to a toxic chemical in the plant: an oil called urushiol. Urushiol is released when the leaves, stem or other parts of the poison ivy plant are touched, bruised, or otherwise stimulated. The oil can get on your clothing or on a pet and then be transferred to your skin up to several hours later. If you are one of those allergic to urushiol, a rash will develop on your skin 2-7 days after the contact.

How To Get Rid of Poison Ivy Rash

Shellystefbyrne — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:59:13 -0500

How To Treat a Jellyfish Sting

3100 Caldera Blvd — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:27:25 -0500

How To Remove Leeches

3100 Caldera Blvd — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:14:37 -0600

Removing leeches isn't hard to do, but should be done in a way that is safest. It isn't advisable to use salt, heat or flame, or other products on the leech (which are very common methods) because they will usually vomit into the wound and then detatch. This can cause an infection and make the wound worse, as well as increasing the chance of disease.

How To Treat Burns

bronwyn — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:12:48 -0600

Whether you burn yourself on a hot curling iron, or your child reaches for a hot stove, burns are painful and often scary. There are many misconceptions and old wives' tales about how to treat burns, but follow these steps and you should make a full recovery.

Immediately run the burn under cool water. If you burn your finger or your wrist, this is easy to do in the sink. If, however, the burn is on a less convenient part of your body, immerse that part of your body in a cool bath or wrap it in wet towels. With children who are in pain and scared, it is often easier to pick them up and put them in a cool bath, clothes and all, than it is to try to convince them to go to the sink and stand still.

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How To Remove Objects in the Eye

bronwyn — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:21:11 -0600

Getting something in your eye can be extremely painful – whether it is a small piece of dirt or a corrosive liquid. Eyes need to be treated very carefully, so follow these steps to remove objects from your eye.

Blink. For small particles – a grain of sand or an eyelash – the eye's natural lubrication can often take care of the situation. Blink several times in a row to see if the object in the eye becomes dislodged.
Do not rub. Rubbing your eyes while there is something in them can cause an infection and scratch the cornea, which will leave you in pain for a lot longer!
Try to remove contact lenses. If you are able, take out your contacts.

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How To Stop Nosebleeds

bronwyn — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:30:58 -0600

We've all heard conflicting advice about bloody noses. Are you supposed to tilt your head forward or backwards? Use ice or pinch your nose? And is it normal for your nose to just keep bleeding? Many things can cause nosebleeds, such as dry air, altitude, and injury. Follow these simple steps whenever you (or your child) has a nosebleed!

How To Treat a Sprained Ankle

bronwyn — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:05:33 -0600

Although we've all heard the phrase, "It's only a sprain," the truth is that a bad sprain can be more painful and take longer to heal than a broken bone. Sprained ankles happen when the ankle twists or rolls and the surrounding ligaments are pulled past their normal range. Sprained ankles might appear bruised and swollen, and are certainly painful! Follow these steps for the quickest healing of a sprained ankle.

How To Recognize the Signs of a Stroke

The2 — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:17:00 -0600

Note: Always call 911 as soon as you suspect that a medical emergency has occurred.

The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, warns that a stroke is the third leading cause of death in American adults. Unfortunately strokes occur often, so it's important to know how to recognize one.

The most important thing to remember when you encounter someone who you suspect has had a stroke is time matters. If a stroke victim gets to the hospital within 2 hours of the onset of symptoms, doctors may be able to administer a drug that could counteract some of the effects of the stroke and help lead to a more meaningful recovery.