We all remember high-school, don’t we? It was fun for the most part. Running around, skipping classes, trying to peek into the girl’s washroom, cat-calling, all the innocent rowdiness. We remember these but tend to forget the times we actually invested in the classroom. Now, we are not here to lecture you on the importance of education and all that. However, we want you to revise your Health and Population class. You remember that class, right? The one where you had to buy a condom for a project when you were in grade 7 or 8? Yeah, that one. Ah, memories.

You’ve probably heard it tons of times, but once more couldn’t hurt: Life is unpredictable. Anything can happen, any place, any time, any where. The world is a dangerous place and if you’re not careful, you might end up with a broken neck. Fingers crossed. That is why we are helping you to revise your chapter on first-aid from HPE class and make you capable of tending to your injuries and mishaps in due time. If you haven’t been through the cases mentioned below, you don’t know what pain is. So keep these in mind and be sure to think twice before you go off to pull of a stunt.

ANKLE SPRAIN (The RICE approach)

Rest: Just lay back and recover. You are in condition to walk. If you must, use crutches. If you chose to otherwise, don’t say we warned you. Ice: For the first 24 to 72 hours or until the swelling goes, apply an ice pack every hour or so. Keep a thin cloth between your skin and the pack and press against the curves of the affected area. Compression: Wrap the area with a bandage for 24 to 36 hours. It will not protect however, so you’ll have to brace yourself if you want to move about. Elevation: When resting, prop your leg on some pillows or just something to hold it up. Your level of your ankle should be higher than your heart. If possible, do this for 2 to 3 hours a day until the pain goes and you’re fully able to walk properly. If it sustains, seek medical aid right away.

BROKEN ARM

Stop the bleeding, if there is any. Bind the area with cloth and apply firm pressure until the bleeding stops. We know it’s tempting, but if there’s bones pushing out, don’t try to push it back in or even touch it. Reduce the swelling by applying an ice pack. Elevate the hand above your heart’s level. Immobilize your arm. Try to tape a ruler, rolled up newspaper of of that sort to your arm to keep it straight. Seek medical attention right away.

BROKEN COLLARBONE

Avoid moving your arm. Immobilize it. Depending on which side the collar is broken, hold the corresponding arm with with your other arm or sling it with some sort of cloth. If bones are sticking out, chances are that you must have been up to some dumb sh*t. So save yourself some dignity by not touching it and don’t even think about pushing it back in. Reduce swelling by applying an ice pack. You may take some over the counter painkillers if the pain is too much to bare. Rush to a medical professional immediately.

BROKEN FOOT

If there’s a wound, apply pressure to stop the bleeding. You must have some serious balls to eve consider pushing in the protruding bones. Dude, no. Control the swelling with an ice pack. Elevate the foot. Rest until help arrives or if you have to go to them, go limping on crutches.

BROKEN NOSE

Tell yourself that you’re never picking a fight with that gorilla of a man or ever attempt to ride a skateboard again. If your nose is not crooked, stop the bleeding and apply ice to prevent swelling. Rest and avoid blowing your nose. If the nose is out of place and/or you can’t stop the bleeding, go to medical help immediately.

CONCUSSION

Sit down and calm down, concussions are minor, most of the times, you can get away with just rubbing the area where it’s hurting. If bumps come up, apply ice pack to make it go down. If there is bleeding, stop it. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, you might have a fractured skull, so seek medical attention. If you feel dizzy and can’t make sense of what’s going on, you need medical attention.

ELECTRIC SHOCK

Shut off the electric source immediately with a non conductive and dry material. If you have any electrical burns, apply an ice pack on it. If the victim is someone else and is unconscious, proceed to perform a CPR. Seek medical attention ASAP.

FAINTING:

Like that of the electric shock, if you faint and no one’s around, it’s not going well for you. Make sure the victim is breathing. Loosen constrictive clothing. Check their airway, like their nose and mouth. If something is blocking it, try to clear it out. Proceed with a CPR. When they regain consciousness, sit them up and bring them a soothing beverage. If the victim does not regain consciousness, bring them to medical attention immediately.

HEAT STROKE:

You can’t attempt first-aid on yourself if you’re unconscious, so let’s assume it’s someone else again. Get the victim away from the sun. A shade, indoors, somewhere air conditioned, just some place cool. Put a wet cloth or an ice pack on their head. You may even spray them with cool water at the face, chest and groin to increasing cooling. Offer them a cool drink. If they are vomiting, do not give them a drink. Turn them to their side to keep the airway open. Breathing is key. If they go into seizure, keep them away from injury. Seek medical help if they do not regain consciousness or their condition worsens.

LABOR:

If you are a man and are experiencing labor yourself, you probably are a biological anomaly. In this case alert the concerned authorities prepare for your month of internet fame and Buzzfeed sensation. If not, you are probably assisting a woman who is going into labor and medical assistance is not immediately available. Prepare yourself. It’s a good idea to sterilize your hands. She may fidget around for a while.

Allow her to do so. She needs to find a comfortable spot. If blood or pink colored mucus appears from her vagina, do not be alarmed. Encourage her to push. When the baby’s head is visible, do not haste to yank it out. It must be pushed out by the mother herself. As soon as the head is out, put two fingers along the top side of the head and feel around the neck area for a loop of the umbilical cord. It will be about the thickness of your little finger. If you can feel it, hook the loop of cord with your two fingers and slide it gently over the baby’s head. Assist the birth by supporting the baby’s head and shoulders. It will be slimy and slippery so be careful. Remember to not pull. If there is a membrane covering the baby’s mouth and nose, wipe it off gently with a cloth. When it is fully out, rush to medical care.

SEIZURE:

Calm down. The victim is not throwing a tantrum or acting hysterical. They are having an actually epileptic fit. Ease them down on the floor and turn them to one side. It’ll help them breathe. Put away things that are hard, sharp, anything that may cause the victim injury. Put something soft, maybe a folded jacket, under their head. Stay with them until the fit ends. Encourage them to calm down with a soft and soothing voice. If the seizure goes on for longer periods, call medical assistance.

SNAKE BITE:

Try to identify the snake. All snakes are not venomous, and those that are, generally have a big and broad head with a thin neck, the snout will be pointy and will have heat sensing pits on either sides, and will have elliptical pupils. If the snake is non-venomous, just clean the wound and wrap it up and it will heal as any other wound. If it is venomous, sit down and remove any constricting clothing. This will prevent swelling. Movement may help the venom to travel faster, so keep movement at a minimum. You may have seen on films about how actors tie a cloth above the bite. Do not attempt this for this will further swelling. You may also have seen them cut the wound and sucking the venom out. Do not attempt this. If the snake is still around, take a picture of it. Do not try to come in close contact with it, Another bite is the last thing you need. If the victim is yourself, call for help. If it’s someone else, carry them to medical attention.