Chapter 28 Lesson 3

Responding to Common Emergencies

You’ll learn to…

• Analyze strategies for responding to muscle, joint, and bone injuries.

• Analyze strategies for responding to unconsciousness.

• Analyze strategies for responding to animal bites

• Analyze strategies for responding to nosebleeds and to foreign objects in the eye.

Injury to Muscles, Bones & Joints• When too much

stress is put on an area of the body, an injury may occur.

• These injuries vary in severity and can affect the bones, muscles, tendons, or ligaments.

Injuries

• Injuries to muscles, bones & joints happen often

• Happen to people of all ages

• Happen at home, at work, and at play

Muscle Cramps

• A muscle cramp is the sudden & painful tightening of a muscle.

• Muscle cramps can occur when you’re physically active or at rest.

• Some medications can also cause them.

Muscle Cramps continued…

• If a muscle cramp occurs:

• Stretch out the affected muscle

• Massage the cramped muscle

• Apply moist heat• Get medical help, if it

persists

Strains

• Stretching and tearing of muscles & tendons

• Usually resulting from overuse, caused by lifting something heavy or working muscle too hard

• Symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, and loss of movement.

Sprain

• Usually result from a sudden twisting force. Tearing ligaments at a joint

• Mild sprains may swell, but usually heal quickly

• Severe sprain can involve a fracture/dislocation

• Joints easily injured-(ankle, knee, wrist, finger)

Sprains & Strains

• General care (R.I.C.E.)

• Rest

• Ice- 20 minutes on, 20 off

• Compression- elastic wrap or bandage

• Elevate- above the level of the heart

• Cold then heat-reduces swelling and pain

Four Basic Types of Injuries

• Fractures• Dislocations• Strains• Sprains

Fractures

• Complete break, chip or crack

• Closed

• Fractures can be life-threatening if they involve breaks in large bones, sever an artery, affects breathing

Fractures

• Open (compound)-bone breaks through the skin

Dislocations

• Is the movement of a bone at a joint from its normal position

• Usually more obvious than a fracture

• Usually tears ligament away from bone

• Forms a bump, ridge or hallow

Splinting

• Splint only when victim must be moved

• Only if you can do it without causing more pain

• Splint the injury in the position you find it

• Check circulation

Types of Splints

• Soft splints

• Anatomic splints

• Slings

• Rigid splints

Unconsciousness

• Is a condition in which a person is not alert and aware of his or her surroundings.

• There are different levels of unconsciousness ranging from drowsiness to coma.

• The primary goal when providing first aid to an unconscious victim is to prevent choking.

• Place victim in the recovery position until professional medical help arrives.

Recovery Position

Fainting

• Occurs when the blood supply to the brain is temporarily inadequate.

• Loss of consciousness is usually brief.

• Treat fainting as a medical emergency until the symptoms are relieved and the cause is known.

Fainting continued…

• If you feel faint, lie/sit down and place your head between your knees.

• If someone else faints, position the person on his/her back with legs elevated 8-12” above the heart, unless you suspect a head, neck or back injury.

• If the victim vomits, roll him/her into the recovery position.

Concussion • Is a jarring injury to the

brain that affects normal brain function.

• If you suspect a person has a concussion:

• Have victim lie down• Use first aid for any

bleeding• If unconscious and you

do not suspect a head, neck or back injury, place him/her into the recovery position and call 911.

Animal Bites• One of the most

serious consequences of an animal bite is rabies, a viral disease of the nervous system that causes paralysis and death if not treated.

• There is no cure for rabies after symptoms appear.

• Animal bites also carry the risk for infection, including tetanus (often a fatal disease)

• Tetanus can be treated, the treatment is long, difficult, and often unsuccessful.

• It can be prevented by keeping immunizations up to date.

Animal Bites

First Aid for Animal Bites

• Wash the bite area with mild soap & warm water for five minutes to remove saliva & any other foreign matter.

• Use direct pressure to control bleeding.

• If the wound is swollen, apply ice wrapped in a towel for 10 minutes

• Cover the wound with a clean dressing or bandage

Nosebleeds

• Often occur if the nose is struck or if the mucous membranes dry out

• Seek medical attention if they occur often.• Treatment:• Tell person to breath through his/her mouth• Have person sit and lean forward• Do not tilt the head back-this may cause choking

if blood runs down the back of the throat.• Use a protective barrier and press on the

bleeding nostril

Object in the Eye• Foreign objects (dirt, sand, slivers of wood or

metal) that enter the eye are irritating & can cause damage.

• Encourage the person not to rub the eye, but to blink several times.

• If blinking does not work, try and find it in the eye.

• First wash your hands and gently pull the lower eyelid down while the person looks up.

• If you do not see anything , hold the upper eyelid & examine while the person looks down.

Object in the Eye continued…• If you see the object on the surface of the eye,

lightly touch it with a moist cotton swab.• You can also flush the eye with sterile saline

solution or tap water.• Tilt the person’s head to the side so that the

affected eye is lower than the unaffected eye.• Hold the eye open and pour a steady stream of

cool water into the eye.• Seek professional help if the object is not

removed.

Chapter 28 Lesson 3 Review Questions

1. What is a fracture?

2. What is the primary goal when providing first aid?

3. What are two common causes of nosebleeds?

4. What does R.I.C.E stand for? And what is it used for?