First Aid
Learn about first aid
Accidents happen every day. An accident can be as simple as a fall that scrapes your elbow or sprains your ankle. Our first aid topics can help you deal with these common injuries. They can also teach you how to help someone else who has had an accident or injury. You'll learn the proper treatments that help prevent infection and further injury so you can be safe in all of your everyday activities.
Explore the following first aid topics to learn more:
Health Topics
- Acid Burns
- Alkali Burns
- Allergies: Rush Immunotherapy
- Allergy Kit
- Animal and Human Bites
- Animal and Human Bites: When Stitches Are Needed
- Antihistamines
- Antihistamines for Severe Allergic Reactions
- Arm Injuries
- Bedbugs and Kissing Bugs
- Black Widow Spider Bite
- Blister Care
- Blisters
- Blood and Body Fluid Precautions
- Body Piercing Problems
- Breathing Smoke or Fumes
- Broken Blisters: Home Treatment
- Broken Toe
- Broken Tooth or Dental Appliance: First Aid
- Brown Recluse Spider Bite
- Bruises and Blood Spots Under the Skin
- Burns
- Burns to the Eye
- Care for a Skin Wound
- Care of an Insect Sting
- Cast and Splint Care Tips
- Chemical Burn
- Chemical in the Eye
- Chest Problems
- Chili Pepper Burns
- Choking Rescue for Babies
- Choking Rescue Procedure (Heimlich Maneuver)
- Cold Exposure: Emergency Equipment
- Cold Packs for Eye Injuries
- Cold Temperature Exposure
- Copperhead
- Coral Snake
- Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin)
- CPR Basics
- Cut That Removes All Layers of Skin
- Cuts
- Cuts: When Stitches Are Needed
- Dealing With Emergencies
- Dehydration
- Dehydration: Drinking Enough Fluids
- Dehydration: Drinking Extra Fluids
- Diabetes in Children: Care Plan for School or Day Care
- Diabetes: How to Give Glucagon
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
- Diaper Rash
- Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger
- Diarrhea, Age 12 and Older
- Disc Battery in the Nose
- Ear Canal Problems (Swimmer's Ear)
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older
- Earwax
- Elbow Injuries
- Electrical Shock or Burn
- Emergency Care for an Accidental Amputation
- Emergency First Aid for Heatstroke
- Estimating the Size of a Burn
- Eye Flushing
- Eye Injuries
- Eye Injury: First Aid for a Black Eye
- Eye Injury: First Aid for Chemical Burns
- Eye Injury: First Aid for Heat Burns
- Eye Injury: First Aid for Minor Cuts
- Eye Problems, Noninjury
- Facial Injuries
- Facial Problems, Noninjury
- Female Genital Problems
- Fever Seizures
- Fever, Age 11 and Younger
- Fever, Age 12 and Older
- Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries
- Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Noninjury
- Fire Ant Stings
- First Aid for a Fishhook Stuck in an Eye
- First Aid for a Spinal Injury
- First Aid for Chemical Burns
- First Aid for Electrical Burns
- First Aid for Head Wounds in Children
- First Aid for Low Back Pain
- First Aid for Tar or Plastic Burns
- First Aid Kit for Travelers
- Fishhook Injuries
- Fly Bites
- Food Poisoning: Toxoplasmosis
- Fractured Rib
- Groin Problems and Injuries
- Hay Fever and Other Seasonal Allergies
- Head Injury, Age 3 and Younger
- Head Injury, Age 4 and Older
- Headaches
- Heat After an Injury
- Heat Rash
- Heat-Related Illnesses
- Heatstroke Prevention: Acclimating to the Heat
- Heatstroke: Emergency Symptoms
- Heimlich Maneuver for Adults and Children Older Than 1 Year
- Helping a Person During a Seizure
- Hiccups
- High-Pressure Injection Wounds
- Hives: Home Treatment
- Home Remedies for Bites and Stings
- Home Treatment for Second-Degree Burns
- How a Scrape Heals
- How To Remove A Tick
- How to Stop Bleeding From a Head Wound
- Hyperventilation
- Hypothermia and Cold Temperature Exposure
- Incision Care After Surgery
- Insect Bites and Stings and Spider Bites
- Insect Repellents
- Insect Stings: How to Remove the Stinger
- Itching Relief
- Knee Problems and Injuries
- Knocked-Out Tooth: First Aid
- Laxatives
- Leg Injuries
- Leg Problems, Noninjury
- Low Blood Sugar: Emergency Care
- Marine Stings and Scrapes
- Mouth Wounds: How to Stop Bleeding
- Nail Problems and Injuries
- Nausea and Vomiting, Age 11 and Younger
- Nausea and Vomiting, Age 12 and Older
- Nonpoisonous Spider Bites
- Nose Injuries
- Nosebleeds
- Object in the Eye: First Aid
- Objects in the Ear
- Objects in the Eye
- Objects in the Nose
- Other Home Treatment Measures for a First-Degree Burn or Sunburn
- Pinkeye
- Poisoning
- Poisonous Lizards
- Preparing for the Emergency Room
- Preventing Bedbugs and Kissing Bugs
- Preventing Poisoning in Young Children
- Puncture Wounds
- Puncture Wounds: Stitches, Staples, and Skin Adhesives
- Puss Caterpillar Stings
- Rash, Age 11 and Younger
- Rash, Age 12 and Older
- Rattlesnake
- Rectal Problems
- Removing a Fishhook
- Removing an Object From a Wound
- Removing Splinters
- Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger
- Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older
- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE)
- Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus)
- Rubber Bulbs
- Scalp Problems
- Scorpion Stings
- Scrapes
- Seabather's Eruption
- Seizures
- Shock
- Shoulder Problems and Injuries
- Sick-Day Guidelines for People With Diabetes
- Skin Adhesives (Liquid Stitches)
- Skin Cyst: Home Treatment
- Skin Rashes: Home Treatment
- Snake and Lizard Bites
- Snake Antivenom
- Snakebite: Symptoms of a Pit Viper Bite
- Sore Throat
- Splinting
- Sponge Bath for a Child's Fever
- Sports-Related Dehydration
- Stopping a Nosebleed
- Stopping Facial Bleeding
- Sunburn
- Swallowed or Inhaled Objects
- Swelling
- Swelling or Bruising After a Skin Injury
- Swollen Glands and Other Lumps Under the Skin
- Taking Care of Your Stitches or Staples
- Tick Bites
- Tick Bites: Flu-Like Symptoms
- Tips for Reducing Pesticide Exposure in Your Home
- Toe, Foot, and Ankle Injuries
- Toe, Foot, and Ankle Problems, Noninjury
- Toxic Reaction to Insect or Spider Venom
- Treating a Hangnail
- Treating a Nail Infection
- Treating a Severe Allergic Reaction
- Treating a Sore Throat Caused by Postnasal Drip
- Treating Personal Contamination
- Type 1 Diabetes: Emergency Care for Low Blood Sugar
- Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older
- Use Heat or Ice to Relieve Low Back Pain
- Using Eye Ointment
- Using Ice and Cold Packs
- Warm Compresses for Eye Problems
- Your Home Health Center
Take Action
- Allergies in Children: Giving an Epinephrine Shot to a Child
- Allergies: Giving Yourself an Epinephrine Shot
- Asthma in Children: Helping a Child Use a Metered-Dose Inhaler and Mask Spacer
- Atopic Dermatitis: Taking Care of Your Skin
- Bipolar Disorder: Preventing Manic Episodes
- Croup: Managing a Croup Attack
- Diabetes in Children: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar
- Diabetes in Children: Preventing High Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Insulin
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Medicines
- Diabetes: Preventing High Blood Sugar Emergencies
- Pregnancy: Dealing With Morning Sickness
- Sprained Ankle: Using a Compression Wrap
Last Revised: August 24, 2011
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
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