Most of us have a first aid box at home and at the office and for those of you who don’t, you might want to get one because you never know when one will come in handy. Whenever I have a mild burn or cut/infection, I will open my first aid box which among other things, contains bandages, gauze, aspirin and anti-bacterial cream.
A few days ago, Guardian held a sharing session at their Plaza Arkadia outlet where one of the presenters was Nazlina Bt Ahmad, Store Manager Cum Pharmacist. During the last 17 years, she has worked at 8 different Guardian outlets in the Klang Valley.
Nazlina shared her knowledge about first aid:
- Cut and abrasion
- Wash with water
- Wash or apply antiseptic
- Plaster
2. Bleeding
- Wear gloves
- Compress with gauze
- Elevate
- Bandage
3. Foreign object in a cut
- Don’t remove (irregular shape)
4. Nose bleed (tiny blood vessel rupture caused by sneezing, nose picking)
- Tilt head forward
- Pinch soft part of nose (breathe through mouth)
- Release after 10 min
- Rest
For mild or first-degree burns (affecting top layer of skin), cover with a non-adhesive bandage.
For swelling or inflammation, there are two therapies:
Ice therapy (acute injury, along with swelling and inflammation)
- Minimise swelling around injury
- Useful for open wound
- Numbing effect
- Reduce muscle spasm
- 10 min every 2-3 hours (Rest, Ice, Comfortable, Elevation)
Hot therapy (muscle pain or stiffness)
- Not for new injury
- Expand blood vessel, improve blood circulation and flow or oxygen and nutrients to the affected area
- Increase muscle flexibility
