Basic First Aid tips:

In every home there are occasions when a minor illness or mishap needs treatment that you know does not really require the services of your doctor. By following these few guidelines you can ensure quick relief of symptoms and fast recovery.

Cuts
Bleeding can usually be stopped by applying pressure to the cut for two or three minutes. The cut can then be carefully inspected. If it has bled freely, any germs will normally have been washed away by the blood. Apply a plaster dressing firmly, bringing the edges of the cut together so that it knits quickly. Keep dry for one or two days. A tetanus injection may be needed. If you have not had one in the last 10 years, consult your doctor.

If the cut is deep and the edges cannot be pulled together with a dressing, you should attend the Accident and Emergency Department at Cheltenham Hospital.

Grazes
Dirt will often enter a graze caused by falling on a hard or rough surface. It must be cleaned out carefully with an antiseptic solution. After cleaning, leave the graze uncovered. Exposure to the air will cause a scab to form. This will gradually dry and fall off. It is not a good idea to apply a dressing. This may stick to the graze or make it soggy and infected.

Sore Throat
Most sore throats are caused by viral infection which antibiotics cannot cure, but with simple treatment the patient normally gets better in four or five days.

Treatment for adults:
Aspirin or paracetamol to relieve the pain of swallowing and to keep the temperature down. Use soluble aspirin dissolved in water so that the patient can gargle before swallowing. Repeat the treatment every four hours. If aspirin causes discomfort, use paracetamol.
Drink: Encourage the patient to drink plenty.

Treatment for children:
Young children who may not be able to gargle should be given paracetamol every four hours in the right dose for their age. Paracetamol is widely available under different names (eg Calpol, Disprol). There is no advantage in buying other than the cheapest available paracetamol elixir.
Do Not Give Aspirin To Children.

When to see the doctor:
- If the sore throat is still getting worse after two days.
- If the patient complains of earache.
- If the temperature rises above 39.5c or 103f.
- If the patient or parent is unduly worried.

Bruises:
Severe bruising can be treated by:
Rest for 24-48 hours. In the case of a badly bruised leg, the limb should be raised. Lying in bed is the easiest way to do this. A cold compress may ease a bad bruise if applied at once. This is made by soaking some material in water and applying it to the bruise.

Bruises on the head may give cause for concern. If the patient was not “knocked out” and can remember the accident it is unlikely that serious injury has resulted, but if the patient was knocked unconscious and cannot remember what happened, he or she should be taken to the A & E Department at Cheltenham Hospital without delay.

Bruises are very common in children. They normally get better in seven to ten days. Parents sometimes worry that a bone may be broken. Children’s bones are rubbery and rarely break, but if in doubt consult the doctor.
If a child gets up at once after a fall and moves about normally, it is unlikely that a bone has been broken, but the child may be stiff the next day because of the bruising which has occurred.

Burns And Scalds
Minor burns and scalds cause redness of the skin. Immediate treatment is to pour cold water over a burn or scald for at least five minutes. If burns or scalds cause severe blistering or break the skin, the doctor should be consulted.

Sunburn should, if possible, be prevented by avoiding long exposure, covering exposed areas adequately and the use of an appropriate screening cream. It may be treated by calamine lotion and paracetamol to relieve the pain.

Coughs
A cough is the most common symptom presented to the doctor.
If dust or food enters the air passage in the throat, coughing acts as a protector. In the same way during a cold it also prevents mucus from entering the air passages and causing infection. To suppress this reflex action with cough mixtures can cause more harm than good. The best treatment is steam inhalations. Removing the patient's pillows at night may also help prevent mucus running into the air passages.

When to see the doctor:
- If coughing continues for more than a week after a common cold has cleared up.
- If coughing produces yellow or green phlegm which may mean that the lower air passages are infected.
- If breathing is accompanied by a pain in the chest or shortness of breath.
- If coughing produces blood.

Diarrhoea And Vomiting
Diarrhoea is unpleasant but rarely dangerous. Its most usual cause is a sudden change of diet. It may also follow over-eating, over-drinking or travel to a foreign country. Most attacks are caused by viral infections - common in summer when flies spread infection onto uncovered food.

Treatment:
Food: Miss the next meal or two.
Drink: Take plenty of clear fluids only - water or water flavoured with fruit juice or commercially available rehydration mixtures (eg Dioralyte, Rehidrat).

Anti-diarrhoeal medicines are rarely of any great benefit. Symptoms usually settle within a few days. If concerned consult your doctor.

Vomiting may be caused by a viral infection of the stomach, by eating too much and by drinking too much. It usually stops within 24 hours, but in some cases may be followed by diarrhoea. Some children vomit when they have a temperature which may be caused by tonsillitis or an ear infection.
Treatment:
- Eat nothing.
- Drink small quantities (eg 20 ml) of water frequently (eg every half hour).
- As the stomach settles take semi-solid food (such as dry biscuits, bread or breakfast cereals) before gradually  returning to a normal diet.

When to see the doctor:
- If vomiting is accompanied by a continuous stomach pain.
- If vomiting lasts for more than 24 hours.
- If a vomiting child has a temperature of more than 38OC or 100OF.
- If the patient or parent is unduly anxious.