Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace

Signs and Symptoms Minor Reaction • Sting site very painful. • Minor bleeding, swelling. • Blue, then red tissue color. Severe Reaction • Whole body effects. • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. • Headache/nausea/vomiting. • Anxiety/weakness/fainting. • Chest pain/palpitations. • Muscle cramps, pain, paralysis. • Seizure. Signs and Symptoms Minor Reaction • Bite site redness, itching, burning. Severe Reaction • Whole body effect (days to weeks after.) • Fever/headache. • Confusion. • Anxiety/weakness. • Fainting. • Difficulty breathing. • Chest pain/palpitations. First Aid This training guide is provided online for individual use only. Reprinting for classroom distribution is prohibited. • Nausea/vomiting. First Aid Minor Reaction • If bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or an absorbent pad. • Remove any jewelry and constrictive clothing. • Placing the injured area in water as hot as the victim can tolerate for 30-90 minutes can dramatically relieve pain.27 • Seek medical attention. Severe Reaction • Assess, Alert, and Attend to the ABCs. To Remove a Tick • Grasp it close to the skin with tweezers (or use a commercially available tick removal tool.) • If tweezers or a tool is not available, use your fingers protected by gloves. Pull straight up with a steady, slow motion.28,29 • If bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or an absorbent pad. • Wash with clean, running tap water for about 5 minutes or until there appears to be no foreign matter in the wound. • Apply triple antibiotic lotion or cream. • Cover the area with an adhesive bandage or a gauze pad. • Change the dressing frequently. • If portions of the tick remain embedded in the skin, or symptoms of severe reaction develop, seek medical attention. • Do not use fingernail polish, petroleum jelly, a glowing hot match, or alcohol to remove a tick. • Do not jerk, crush, squeeze, or puncture the tick. These are of no proven value and may cause additional injury. Ticks Tick Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that are typically found in tall grass and shrubs where they can attach to a passing host by direct contact. A big concern with tick bites is the exposure to infectious disease. Bleeding, Shock, and Soft Tissue Injuries Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace 21

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace

Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace Contents Basic First Aid Emergency Action Steps Severe Bleeding and Shock Major Wounds Minor Wounds Burns Bites and Stings Dental Injuries Eye and Nose Injuries Injuries to Limbs Injuries to the Spine Head Injury Sudden Illness Specific Conditions Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Endnotes About This Program

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