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First Aid
Online
Principles and Practice of First Aid
[ Introduction
]- [ CPR ]- [ Wounds ]- [ Fractures ]- [ Burns ]- [ Poisoning ]- [ Rescue
]
First aid is the
skilled application of accepted principles of treatment, either at the
occurrence of an accident or in a case of sudden illness, using facilities
or materials available at the time, because of the increasing numbers and
serious nature of accidents of all kinds, the responsibility of the first
aider has become greater in recent years. First aid is treatment given to
casualty :
- To sustain life.
- To prevent his condition from becoming
worse.
- To promote his recovery.
Breathing
Respiration, or
breathing, is the process by which passes from the air into the blood
while carbon dioxide, a waste product, is expelled. This respiratory
exchange of gases takes place in the lungs, atmospheric air which we
breathe comprises one fifth oxygen 20%. There is still 16% oxygen in the
air we breath out. This accounts for the effectiveness of the expired-air
method of resuscitation.
REMEMBER
Expired air
still contains 16% oxygen. This is why expired air resuscitation is
effective. The respiratory system includes:
- Nose
- Mouth
- Pharynx
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Lungs
- Diaphragm
Mechanism of
Respiration
Respiration is brought about by the action of
the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs. It consists of three
phases, inspiration, expiration and a pause.
Inspiration
The diaphragm contracts and its
dome-shaped center becomes flattened, thus increasing the capacity of the
muscles attached to them, thus increasing the capacity of the chest from
front to back and from side to side. In inspiration, air is draw into the
lungs by muscular activity as described above.
Expiration
In expiration, air is forced out
through the bronchi and trachea by the relaxation of the diaphragm and the
return of the ribs to their normal position. This is achieved by the
elastic contraction of the lungs. Their is a short puss before inspiration
recommences. This movements are controlled by respiratory centers in the
mid brain which react to variations in the amount of carbon dioxide in the
blood.
Asphyxia
Asphyxia is
condition in which there is commonly a lack of oxygen in the
blood.
Causes:
1.
Obstruction cased by :-
- The tongue falling to the back of the throat
in an unconscious casualty lying on his back or in the case of a
fractured jaw.
- A mass of food stuck in the
throat.
- A foreign body such as teeth, blood,
vomit.
- Swelling of the tissues of the throat due to
injury such as in stings, scoldings, swallowing of corrosives or
following infection.
2.
Suffocation by pillows, plastic bags ect.
3. Compression of the
neck caused by , for example , ties and collars or by hanging,or
throttling.
4. Compression of the chest caused by :-
- Fall of earth or sand.
- Crushing against a wall or
barrier.
- Pressure in a crowd.
- Damage to a lung as a result of a sucking
wound,or a stove in chest, common in motor
accidents.
5. Condition
affecting the nerves which control respiration like electrical injury -
poisoning.
6. Conditions preventing the use of oxygen by the body
:-
- Carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Cyanide
poisoning.
Signs and symptoms
- Breathing , the rate, depth and difficulty
increase at first, attar,it may become noisy with frothing at the mouth,
and it finally stops.
- Congestion of the head,neck and toes may
become blue (Cyanosis).
- Consciousness is gradually lost, and fits my
occur.
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Choking
Conscious adult or child (over one year of
age)
Suspect choking when a person who is eating or a child who
is
playing with small objects.
- Suddenly collapses
- Grasps his throat
- wheezes or
coughs
| First Aid For Choking:
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If the person is not coughing strongly,
ask if he can speak.
- If he can speak, do not give first
aid.
- If he con not speak, give four sharp
back blows or four rapid manual
thrusts ( abdominal or chest
).
- Finger sweeps.
Remember that abdominal thrusts are not
recommended for infants and children.
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 | Mouth to Mouth Ventilation
If the casualty doesn't breath, you will have to begin
resuscitation.
Mouth-to-Mouth
- Open the Victim's airway ( head tilt - neck
lift )
- Look, listen, and feel for
breathing
- Pinch the nostrils shut.
- Take a deep breath and seal your lips around
the mouth (give two inflations).
- Check casualty's pulse (carotid pulse in
neck)
- If pulse is present, continue giving air one
inflation every five seconds for children, give one every four seconds
and for infants give one every three seconds.
The Circulation
system
Blood
vessels:
The circulatory system
consist of the the heart, the arteries, the capillaries, and the veins.
The heart is the muscular organ which acts as a double pump. It lies in
the chest behind the breast bone and rib cartilages, between the two
lungs, and immediately above the diaphragm. The heart is divided into a
right and lift side, separated by a thin wall each side is further divided
into an upper collecting chamber ( Atrium ) and a lower thicker muscular
pumping chamber ( Ventricle ).
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