Unexpected accidents and injuries can occur anywhere—at home, at work, while playing sports, or during other activities. Understanding the basics of first aid can be very helpful in reducing the severity of an injury – it can also save someone's life in such circumstances. It is important to be equipped with the knowledge and abilities to administer basic care before trained medical assistance can aid in limiting future damage and accelerating recovery. 

This article contains some fundamental first-aid principles that will help you manage emergencies. For same-day injury care, visit the walk-in clinic at AFC Urgent Care Cortez. The center is open seven days a week– just stop by today!

What is First Aid?

First aid is the prompt treatment provided to someone who has been hurt or becomes unwell without warning. Before the arrival of trained medical personnel, it is typically administered by a non-medical professional, such as a bystander, family, or friend.

The goal of first aid is to stabilize the sick or injured individual and prevent more harm before the arrival of medical assistance. Common first aid skills include cleaning and dressing a wound, exerting pressure to stop bleeding, conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and giving medication for certain illnesses like anaphylaxis and headaches.

Why Do I Need First Aid?

If appropriate first aid measures are not employed to stabilize them, accidental injuries may develop into something worse. Irrespective of age or gender, everyone is advised to have two or more first aid skills. Basic first aid training has a lot of benefits, such as:

• It reduces pain and agony
• It prevents the issue from getting worse
• First aid provides instructions on how to compile information about the patient's condition. This is essential when professional medical assistance arrives
• It encourages individuals to understand basic health skills
• It encourages a healthy and secure life

The Fundamentals of First Aid

Here are necessary first aid training, everyone must know:

CPR

CPR is arguably the most well-known and crucial first aid skill, yet a lot of people don't know how to administer it. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, preserves a person's breathing, blood circulation, and brain function by providing artificial ventilation or applying pressure on the chest/rib cages.

The Heimlich Maneuver

The Heimlich maneuver can be used to free someone who is choking and potentially save their life or avoid brain damage. It requires you to bend over a choking person to remove whatever object that is obstructing the flow of air.

Setting a Splint

In certain situations, you will need to place a splint if someone in your group has fractured a bone, especially when you are far from help. If you're out on the trails or in the mountains, a stick and some clothing can be used to set a split for the meantime.

Stop Blood Loss

It's critical to stop the bleeding if you find yourself or someone is bleeding profusely. If the injured person is bleeding from a major artery or vein, applying pressure may stop bleeding in 10 to 15 minutes.

Treat a Burn

There are three levels of burn injuries, and each level requires a unique approach to treatment. For first-degree burns, which are often serious, you only need topical medications and loose gauze.

Recognize a concussion

A concussion can have long-term repercussions on the brain if it is not treated. You should look for signs like vertigo, dilated pupils, coherence, etc. after a head injury.

Sprain Support

Sprains are a common injury that needs to be elevated and wrapped in an ace bandage. Administer R.I.C.E. - rest, ice, compression, and elevation to any sprain as it can help in healing the damaged tissue or cartilage.

Get Same-Day Care at AFC Urgent Care Cortez

We advise you to call an urgent care facility for accidents and ailments for immediate response. Additionally, walk-in clinics are available at urgent care facilities, making it quicker and easier to visit without an appointment. AFC Urgent Care Cortez is a top-notch urgent care facility that provides injury diagnosis and treatment – all on a walk-in basis. Our board-certified medical providers are here for you seven days a week. Just walk-in or call us today!