Medical Emergency: Things Paramount To Your First Aid Kit
First Aid Kit is something that should have its place in every house, office, restaurant, shop, and vehicle. You never know when a medical emergency might happen, so it’s always good to be prepared beforehand.
In today’s blog, ILS Hospitals, one of the best multispeciality hospitals in Kolkata and Agartala will enlighten you on First Aid Box essentials. Let’s take a look at things that must be inside your First Aid Kit.
Adhesive bandages
Adhesive bandages or conveniently called “band-aids” must be kept inside your First Aid Kit. Band-aids are commonly applied on common cuts to protect them from infection so that they don’t interfere with the healing process.
Antiseptic liquid
An antiseptic liquid needs to be there as it is used for removing germs from your wounds that might lead to infections if not cleaned properly.
Antiseptic cream/ointment
Keep a good antiseptic cream or ointment inside your First Aid Box so that you can apply one whenever you hurt yourself. Remember to always apply an antiseptic ointment after cleaning your wounds with a disinfectant or antiseptic liquid.
Medical cotton wool
It’s very obvious to keep medical cotton wool as you’ll need them to use on wounds as well as,while applying antiseptic liquid and ointment.
Medicated pain relief spray
Medicated pain relief spray is a must.You never know when you might get a sprain or backache.
Ice Pack
You should keep an Ice pack as it is very useful to minimize swelling post-injury.
Doctor’s approved pain relief medicines
Sometimes, taking medicines is the only option. In that case, always keep pain relief medicines after getting the medical professional’s nod.
Prescription medicines
If you have a specific health condition that requires you to take prescriptive medicines, then you can keep them inside your First Aid Box.
Antacids
Antacids are taken when one suffers from indigestion. Antacids neutralize the stomach acid and can be in any form – tablets or liquids. You can ask a medical professional to prescribe you some good antacids.
Decongestant
Seasonal changes can give you cough and cold. Nobody likes to deal with a runny nose and sore throat. That’s when decongestants come to the rescue. Surely, keep a good one.
Headache Roll-on/Balm
Headaches have become extremely normal in today’s hectic world. A headache roll-on or balm should be a part of your Medical Box. If you have migraine then consult your doctor to prescribe you an effective headache roll-on.
Sanitary napkins
Sometimes you or someone you know might get periods all of a sudden. So, it is crucial to keep sanitary napkins inside a First Aid Kit.
Hand sanitizer
A medical emergency can occur at any given moment and you may not get the chance to wash your hands before treating yourself or someone who needs First-Aid. That’s why you will have to keep an alcohol-infused hand sanitizer.
Thermometer
Keeping a thermometer is a smart choice. Nowadays, digital and no-contact infrared thermometers have come into prevalence.
Ensure there are no expired products inside your First Aid Box. For severe burns and other major injuries, First-Aid is not the ultimate cure. You have to report to the hospital’s ER in case of a serious medical emergency. Visit ILS Hospitals – Kolkata and Agartala for any medical emergency. Our ERs are well-equipped with the latest infrastructure and we provide 24*7 Emergency Care to our emergency patients in Kolkata and Agartala.
A Guide To Types Of Burn And Its Treatment Approach
Burn is one of the common types of injuries in both household and workplace. Burn is the extent of the injury, the skin bears due to the incident. On one hand, a mild skin burn can be effectively treated at home, severe burn injuries are classified as a medical emergency and the patient should be taken to the nearest hospital with adequate measures to handle the situation. Here we present the types of burn along with their treatment approaches.
There are 4 basic types of burn, namely the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-degree burn. As the name indicates, the 1st-degree burn is the least causing injury and 4th-degree is the most severe one. Except for 1st-degree burn rest, all are always a medical emergency. The 1st-degree burn, too, is recommended to seek a doctor’s opinion, if required.
First-degree burns – This is often called the ‘superficial’ burns as it causes damage to only the external skin layer. It is characterized by redness, swelling, inflammation, pain in the local areas. As it cures, the uppermost skin peels off. It usually takes about a week to 10 days to heal with a home remedy by using cold water, aloe vera gel, and some over-the-counter ointments. It requires medical attention only if the affected area is more than 3-5 inches, or if it is in a sensitive area such as spine, shoulder, knee, foot, elbow etc.
Second-degree burn – The second-degree burn causes damage beyond the top skin layers. It leads to skin blisters along with being red and sore and often pops open to release wet, thick tissue. Being moist in nature, these wounds require proper medical attention. It usually takes about 3 to 6 weeks to heal and often leaves scarring as well. In case the affected site is sensitive, such as the face, groin, hands, feet etc. A minor procedure of skin grafting might be needed as well for a complete recovery.
Third-degree burns – This results in severe damage to every layer of the skin. Even though logically, it seems that a third-degree burn must be severely painful, in reality, one might not feel pain at all. It happens in case the burn penetrates through the nerves as well. It gives rise to waxy, leathery textured skin in white to dark brown color. It requires immediate medical attention and there is no certain timeline for healing either. The treatment procedure mostly includes surgeries as well.
Fourth-degree burn – A more severe burn than a third degree is called the fourth-degree burn which has all the symptoms of the previous degree but the damage extends to the bones. It is extremely challenging to treat it and has no certain timeline or assurance on the extent of recovery.
Unless the burn is due to some minor oil spattering or mild sunburn, it is always recommended to treat it as a medical emergency to ensure it doesn’t have any long-term complications associated with it.