Don’t panic

The right aid in a medical emergency can save precious minutes and speed up recovery. Health emergencies don't give warnings before they strike. While calling in for the ambulance and consulting your doctor are the obvious things to do, every moment before the treatment begins counts. The right aid can lessen the damage and increase chances of a speedy recovery. Here are the most common health emergencies and how you can deal with them. Heart attack Warning signs • Most heart attacks are characterised by pain at the centre of the chest. The pain can be increasingly excruciating. • There can also be pain in the neck, shoulders, back and surrounding area. • Perspiration. • Sudden weakness. • Shortness of breath. • Dryness of mouth due to fall in blood pressure. First Aid • Do not allow the person to stand up or walk. • Loosen the clothing and get them to lie down. Reassure the patient as you call medical help. Reassurance goes a long way. • Don't ignore the symptoms thinking they will go away. • Even if the pain is mild, do not to run, climb stairs or indulge in any such strenuous activity as it will cause further damage. • If the person has suffered heart attack before, he/she is likely to have medication (nitrates) handy. These are to be administered by keeping them under the tongue. Nitrates cause dilation of arteries and help relieve pain. • Do not feed the person anything except the medication. High Blood Pressure Warning signs • Severe headache • Giddiness • Restlessness • Sweating • Stiffening of body • Sudden weakness • Nose bleeds First Aid • Take deep breaths and practice meditation. • Generally, high blood pressure is triggered from a stressful situation. Move away from it as soon as possible. • Nose bleeds are the body's way of relieving in-built pressure. Put ice cold water in the nose and on the person's head to stop it. • Give the victim fruit juices (with no salt). These are high in potassium which will help bring the pressure down, albeit to a small extent. Low Blood Pressure Warning signs • Sudden weakness • Giddiness • Blurred vision • Unconsciousness • Feeling faint • Dryness of mouth and tongue. First Aid • Make the person lie down. Unconsciousness is the body's way of combating the situation. When you lie on the ground, the gravity acting on your body is comparatively less. • Do not make the person get up suddenly; the BP will plummet further. • Give the patient plain electrolyte solution or a nimbu-pani with salt. Asthma Warning signs • Rapid breathing • Difficulty in exhaling • Audible sound from the lungs when breathing • Difficulty in talking • A sweaty face First Aid • Ensure the person is immediately removed from the trigger. It can be pollens, perfume, dust etc. • Calm the person and make him/her sit comfortably. • Make them inhale steam. This moistens the wind pipe and provides relief. Do not add any menthol or balm to the waterl; it will worsen the condition. • If an inhaler is handy, assist him/her to use the same. Hypoglycaemia (Low sugar) Warning signs • Weakness • Feeling overly exhausted • Feeling irritable and angry • Sweating and palpitation (especially in case of diabetics. In non-diabetics, the symptoms often construed as mere mood swings). First Aid • Eat raw sugar, rasgullas, chocolates, or even glucose biscuits. • Refrain from alcohol and soft drinks until you get your glucose level tested as these dehydrate the body and might worsen the condition. • Follow a diet rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Fits There are as many as 10 different types of fits known. The classic fits, as understood, have the following signs: • Body spasms • Jerking limbs • Rolling up of eyes • Bladder and bowel incontinence First Aid • It is important to protect the person from injury. Make him/her lie down on the flat surface, away from sharp objects. • Loosen the clothing. • Do not try to restrain the person thinking the fits will stop. The spasms will stop eventually. • Do not feed them anything — not even water — until the fits have completely subsided. The food/drink might slip into the windpipe and cause him/her to choke. • After the fits subside, feed the person glucose syrup or any high-energy liquid, as fits drain out energy.