An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 29 FIRSt-AID MythS This tac-aide is the first in a series about first-aid, aimed at soldiers on the ground. Before we get into dealing with battlefield injuries, there are a few common myths we need to dispel first. Remember that every day when you take care of a symptom, tend to a small wound, or administer emergency care, you are practicing first-aid. But this tac-aide only contains simple instructions, in cases requiring life- saving health-care techniques please get professional medical advice. The most important first step in first aid is to do no further harm - but the list below briefly outlines some of the more common first-aid myths around: • Don't breathe into a paper bag for hyperventilation. • Don't drink alcohol to warm up when cold, it will only lead to hypothermia in cold weather. • Don't drink alcohol for a toothache or any other pain. • Don't put butter, vegetable shortening (Stork/Frytex), or any other type of grease on a burn; grease can trap heat and lead to infection and scarring. • Don't put a raw steak on a black eye or any other injury; the bacteria on the meat may contaminate the wound or the eye. • Never apply a tourniquet to a person with a venomous bite or try to suck out the poison. A tourniquet will cut off blood supply to the area and sucking may introduce more bacteria and spread the venom. • Don't use hydrogen peroxide to clean wounds, it may kill the body's defensive cells that are rushing to the wound to take care of invading bacteria. • People don't swallow their tongues during seizures, so don't try to hold the tongue or put anything in the mouth. Don't restrain the person either. • Don't squeeze the stinger on a bee sting or try to pull it out with tweezers - this will squeeze venom into the wound; use a credit card to scrape it away. • Don't throw your head back during a nosebleed - it will cause blood to run down your throat and you may vomit. Instead, lean forward slightly and pinch your nose for ten full minutes. • If you have something embedded in your skin, you should not pull it out if there is a chance the object is sealing a wound and preventing bleeding. Get medical help if you are not sure. • Don't continue to run with shin splints; running while injured will increase your injury. • Don't put vinegar on a sunburn; instead, apply cool compresses. • You can't stop motion sickness by staring at a point on the horizon. • Poison ivy is not contagious, but the oil is. If the oil is on you, it can be spread to others. • Don't use rubbing alcohol to cool down a fever - it will absorb into the skin and may cause further illness. This tac-aide should not be used to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries or to develop a treatment plan for any health problem without consulting your doctor or other qualified medical practitioner. Source: 'Everything First Aid Book' by Nadine Saubers, published by Adams Media (March 1, 2008), ISBN: 978-1598695052.

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