Do you know what to do when an emergency strikes? At some point in our lives we are all faced with an unexpected medical crisis, or sometimes it could just be normal accidents or mishaps in and around your home. The time to learn how to cope with such emergencies is BEFORE THEY HAPPEN! Knowing what to do in a medical crisis can be critical to its successful outcome.

If you have children in the house, its important that you know a few first aid skills - they're easy to learn and its likely that those nearest to you, your family and friends, will benefit the most.

In the time it takes to read this page you could learn enough first aid to potentially save a life. For example, it takes only three to four minutes for a blocked airway to kill someone and a simple procedure like opening an airway can save someones life while you are waiting for professional help to arrive. Moreover, its equally important to be aware of misconceptions such as a well-stated belief that the best way to treat bleeding is to put the wound under tap. As logical as this sounds, it is in fact wrong. If you put a bleeding wound under a tap, youll wash away the clotting agents and make it bleed more.

Take a few minutes to read some of these basic first aid skills.

Black eye
Using gentle pressure, apply ice or a cold pack to the area around the eye for 10 to 15 minutes. Take care not to press on the eye itself. Apply cold as soon as possible after the injury to reduce swelling. Be sure there's no blood in the white and colored parts of the eye.

Seek medical care immediately if you experience vision problems (double vision, blurring), severe pain, or bleeding in the eye or from the nose.

Blisters
Wash your hands and the blister with warm water and soap. Swab the blister with rubbing alcohol. Sterilize a clean, sharp needle by wiping it with rubbing alcohol. Use the needle to puncture the blister. Aim for several spots near the blister's edge. Let the fluid drain, but leave the overlying skin in place. Apply an antibiotic ointment to the blister and cover with a bandage. Use tweezers and scissors sterilized with rubbing alcohol to cut away all the dead skin after several days. Apply more ointment. Call your doctor if you see signs of infection around a blister pus, redness, increasing pain or warm skin.

Burns
For minor burns: Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cold running water for 15 minutes. If this is impractical, immerse the burn in cold water or cool it with cold compresses. Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin. Don't put ice on the burn. Consider a lotion. Once a burn is completely cooled, applying an aloe vera lotion, a triple antibiotic ointment or a moisturizer prevents drying and makes you feel more comfortable. Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Don't use fluffy cotton, which may irritate the skin. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the area, reduces pain and protects blistered skin. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. These include aspirins, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Minor burns usually heal in about one to two weeks without further treatment. They may heal with pigment changes, meaning the healed area may be a different color from the surrounding skin. Watch for signs of infection such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid re-injuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area.

For major burns,
seek immediate medical assistance. Until help arrives however, follow these steps: Don't remove burnt clothing. However, do make sure the victim is no longer in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat. Make sure the burn victim is breathing. If breathing has stopped or you suspect the person's airway is blocked, try to clear the airway and, if necessary, do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist sterile bandage or clean cloth.

Choking
Panic accompanies choking. The choking victim's face often assumes an expression of fear or terror. At first the victim may begin to pale, the eyes may bulge, and he or she may wheeze or gasp. If the person can cough freely, has normal skin color and can speak, he or she is not choking. If some food "goes down the wrong pipe," the coughing reflex often will resolve the problem. If the cough is more like a gasp and the person is turning blue, he or she is probably choking. If in doubt, ask the choking person if he or she can talk. If the person can speak, then the windpipe is not completely blocked and oxygen is reaching the lungs. If choking is occurring, begin to perform the Heimlich maneuver. To prepare yourself for such situations, learn the Heimlich maneuver in a certified first-aid training course

Fainting
If you feel faint, lie down or sit down. If you sit down, place your head between your knees. If someone else faints, position the person on his or her back. Make sure the legs are elevated above the heart level. Watch the airway carefully. People who lose consciousness may vomit. Check for breathing. Position your ear over the person's mouth to listen for breathing sounds. If breathing has stopped, the problem is more serious than a fainting spell. Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Get emergency medical care. If the person is breathing, restore blood flow to the brain by raising the person's legs above the level of the head. Loosen belts, collars or other constrictive clothing. The person should revive quickly. If the person doesn't regain consciousness in 1 to 2 minutes, call for medical assistance

Foreign object in the ear
An object stuck in your ear can cause pain and hearing loss. Usually you know if something is stuck in your ear, but small children may not be aware of it. Don't probe the ear with a tool (Don't attempt to remove the foreign object by probing with a cotton swab or matchstick). To do so is to risk pushing the object farther into the ear and damaging the fragile structures of the middle ear. Remove the object if possible. If the object is clearly visible, is pliable and can be grasped easily with tweezers, gently remove it. Try using gravity. Tilt the head to the affected side. Don't strike the person's head, but shake it gently in the direction of the ground to try to dislodge the object. Don't use oil to remove any object other than an insect. Do not use this method if there is any suspicion of a perforation in the eardrum, pain, bleeding or discharge from the ear. If these methods fail or the person continues to experience pain in the ear, reduced hearing or a sensation of something lodged in the ear, seek medical assistance.

Head pain
Most headaches are minor, and you can treat them with a pain reliever or natural alternative remeides. Some headaches, however, signal a dangerous or serious medical problem. Don't ignore an unexplained headache or one that steadily worsens.

Head trauma
(In case of severe head injury.) Until medical help arrives, keep the person who sustained the injury lying down and quiet in a darkened room, with the head and shoulders slightly elevated. Avoid moving the person's neck. Stop any bleeding with gauze or a clean cloth. Observe the person for as long as necessary to be sure the level of consciousness doesn't change. If the person stops breathing, do mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing.

Heart attack
If you suspect a heart attack, even if it feels like indigestion, act immediately: Call for emergency medical assistance. Begin CPR (if you are trained). Decide on the fastest method of transportation (if you are having the heart attack, don't drive yourself!) Go to the nearest emergency cardiac care facility. Chew aspirin. Aspirin inhibits blood clotting, which helps maintain blood flow through a narrowed artery. If you think you're having a heart attack, take one regular-strength aspirin and chew it to speed absorption. Avoid aspirin if you are allergic to it or if you have bleeding problems. Don't delay calling for emergency help just because you've taken aspirin. Aspirin alone isnt and ideal method of treatment.

Heat exhaustion
Get the person out of the sun and into a shady or air-conditioned location. Lay the person down and elevate the feet slightly. Loosen or remove the person's clothing. Have the person drink cool water, not iced, or a sports drink containing electrolytes. Cool the person by spraying him or her with cool water and fanning. Monitor the person carefully. Heat exhaustion can quickly become heatstroke. If fever - especially greater than 104 F, fainting, confusion or seizures occur, call for emergency medical assistance.

Nosebleeds
Sit upright. By remaining upright, you reduce blood pressure in the veins of your nose. This discourages further bleeding. Pinch your nose. Use your thumb and index finger and breathe through your mouth. Continue the pinch for 5 or 10 minutes. This maneuver sends pressure to the bleeding point on the nasal septum and often stops the flow of blood. To prevent re-bleeding after bleeding has stopped, don't pick or blow your nose and don't bend down until several hours after the bleeding episode. Keep your head higher than the level of your heart. If re-bleeding occurs, sniff in forcefully to clear your nose of blood clots, spray both sides of your nose with a decongestant nasal spray containing oxymetazoline. Pinch your nose again.

Sunburn
Take a cool bath or shower. Baking soda in the water may help relive the pain (small children may easily become chilled, so keep the water tepid). Apply a soothing lotion like aloe vera, several times a day and keep the following points in mind:

• Do not apply petroleum jelly, ointment or butter to the sunburn. They make the symptoms worse and do not allow air to assist in healing.
• Do not wash burned skin with harsh soap.

Please note that this information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training. Don't use this information to diagnose or develop a treatment plan for a health problem or disease without consulting a qualified health care provider. If you're in a life-threatening or emergency medical situation, seek medical assistance immediately.

If you feel faint, lie down or sit down. If you sit down, place your head between your knees. If someone else faints, position the person on his or her back. Make sure the legs are elevated above the heart level. Watch the airway carefully. People who lose consciousness may vomit. Check for breathing. Position your ear over the person's mouth to listen for breathing sounds. If breathing has stopped, the problem is more serious than a fainting spell. Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Get emergency medical care. If the person is breathing, restore blood flow to the brain by raising the person's legs above the level of the head. Loosen belts, collars or other constrictive clothing. The person should revive quickly. If the person doesn't regain consciousness in 1 to 2 minutes, call for medical assistance