Everyone is susceptible to minor injuries in our day-to-day lives. Most minor injuries don’t need medical intervention, but some need it. How do you find out which injury needs medical care? Read this article to understand the first aid for minor injuries, and when you should seek a doctor’s help for minor injuries. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.
First aid at home for minor injuries
Minor injuries are generally treated at home with a first aid kit. It should contain all the essentials to help you deal with minor injuries.
To treat cuts and scrapes with first aid, you should follow these steps:
- Before you treat cuts or scraps, wash your hands first. You can also use hand sanitizer to clean your hands.
- Apply pressure on the cut with a clean cloth or piece of gauze to stop the bleeding. Cuts to the face or head used to bleed more than other areas. This also means they look worse than they are.
- Once the bleeding has stopped, clean the wound with saline solution or running water. However, don’t use soap because it irritates you.
- If any dirt or debris is left in the cut, you can use tweezers to remove them. For scrapes with a lot of dirt, cleanse them gently.
- If you’re worried about the cut getting dirty or infected, then wear a bandage to protect it and ensure you change it regularly. Getting air to the cut helps the wound heal quicker.
- Don’t use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide because it can slow healing.
To treat nosebleeds with first aid, you should follow these steps:
- Lean your head forward to stop blood from running down to the back of your throat and press nostrils for 5 minutes. Hold a tissue or cloth under your nose to stop your nosebleed from making a mess.
- After 5 minutes, check whether or not the bleeding has stopped, if it hasn’t, continue to squeeze your nose for 10 more minutes.
To treat sprains with first aid, you should follow these steps:
- You should not move the sprained area to prevent it from worsening.
- Place ice on the sprained area for less than 20 minutes. You can do it every 3 hours to relieve some swelling and pain.
- Bandage the sprained area to support and immobilize it. However, don’t wrap it too tightly which may affect blood circulation.
- Raise the sprained area, when possible, to improve blood circulation and reduce swelling. For example, use a pillow to support your ankle or leg when sleeping or use another chair when sitting down.
To treat insect bites with first aid, you should follow these steps:
- Firstly, you should remove the stinger if it’s left on your skin. Try to scrape it out with a blunt edge of a knife rather than using tweezers. Hold a cool press on the sting and apply some calamine lotion.
- Always try to avoid itching/scratching stings because it can lead to infections. If you have been stung or bitten by a poisonous insect or have an allergic reaction, then you should seek ER.
To treat minor burns with first aid, you should follow these steps:
- First, remove any items and accessories near the site of burns like watches or jewelry. However, don’t remove it if the item is stuck to the skin because it makes the situation worse.
- Place the scalded area under running tap water for 10 to 20 minutes. However, don’t use ice cubes or ice water because sudden temperature changes may worsen the situation. Additionally, the ice in the freezer next to uncooked food may contain bacteria.
- Dry the wet areas around the injury with a clean cloth. However, avoid using fibrous items like tissue, which may stick to the scalded area.
- If a blister occurs, don’t pop it, as intact skin serves as protection from the open wound getting infected.
- Don’t apply any ointment, cream, or home remedies that are not prescribed by a doctor. Incorrect medication only slows the release of heat from the scalded area and prolongs injury.
- Cover the scalded area with loosely non-sticky dressing or clean plastic cling wrap.
- Consult with your doctor if redness or pain continues for more than a few hours.
Seeking medical care for minor injuries is only necessary when you can’t treat your wounds at home. Then, medical care is the best option to treat your wounds and prevent severe complications.
Need help with your wounds, visit our urgent care specialists in Brooklyn clinic for professional medical intervention. Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.
