Life is very unpredictable, so often we witness different situations. When it comes to health, quick response and basic knowledge can save a human life. Based on this, everyone needs to have experience in such a noble cause as providing first aid in emergency conditions.
What is an emergency?
Emergency conditions in medicine are a number of symptoms in which it is necessary to provide first aid. In other words, a pathological condition that is characterized by rapid changes in health for the worse. Emergency conditions are characterized by the likelihood of death.
Emergency health conditions can be classified according to the process of occurrence:
- External - arise under the influence of an environmental factor that directly affects human health.
- Internal - pathological processes in the human body.
This separation helps to understand the root cause of a person’s condition and, thus, provide quick assistance. Some pathological processes in the body arise on the basis of external factors that provoke them. Due to stress, a spasm of the heart vessels is very likely to occur, as a result of which myocardial infarction often develops.
If the problem is a chronic disease, for example, disorientation in space, then quite realistically this condition can provoke an urgent situation. Contact with an external factor will likely result in serious injury.
Emergency medical care - what is it?
The provision of emergency medical care in emergency conditions is a set of actions that must be performed in case of sudden illnesses that pose a threat to human life. Such assistance is provided immediately, because every minute counts.
Emergency conditions and emergency medical care - these two concepts are very closely related. After all, often depends on high-quality first aid health, and maybe human life. Decisive action can greatly help the victim before the ambulance arrives.
How can one help a person in a difficult situation?
To provide the right and qualified help, you need to have basic knowledge. Often, about how to behave, children are taught at school. It is unfortunate that not everyone listens attentively. If such a person is near someone who is in a life-threatening situation, he will not be able to provide the necessary assistance.
There are times when the score is minutes. If nothing is done, the person will die, so it is very important to have basic knowledge.
Classification and diagnosis of emergency conditions
There are a huge number of difficult situations. The most common ones are:
- stroke;
- heart attack;
- poisoning;
- epilepsy;
- bleeding.
Emergency First Aid
Each emergency situation in itself is life-threatening. The ambulance carriage provides medical assistance; accordingly, the actions of a nurse in emergency conditions should be thought out.
There are situations that the reaction should be immediate. Sometimes there is no way to call an ambulance at home, and a person’s life is in danger. In such cases, you need to know how to behave, that is, emergency medical care should not be based on spontaneous chaotic actions, but should be carried out in a certain sequence.
Stroke as an acute cerebrovascular accident
A disease characterized by a problem with the vessels of the brain and poor blood coagulation. One of the main causes of stroke is hypertension, that is, high blood pressure.
A stroke is a serious disease that strikes people for a long time precisely because of its suddenness. Doctors say that the highest quality medical care is possible only in the first hours after a hypertensive crisis.
One symptom is severe headache and nausea. Dizziness and loss of consciousness, palpitations and fever. Often the pain is so strong that it seems: the head will not stand. The reason is vascular blockage and blood obstruction to all parts of the brain.
Emergency medical care: Provide the patient peace of mind, unfasten clothing, provide air access. The head should be slightly higher than the body. If there are prerequisites for vomiting, it is necessary to lay the patient on one side. Give a chew tablet of aspirin and immediately call an ambulance.
Heart attack - coronary heart disease
A heart attack is a manifestation of coronary heart disease, as a result of which irreversible processes occur. The heart muscle refuses to work smoothly, as the blood flow through the coronary veins is disturbed.
Myocardial infarction can cause a prolonged ischemic disease, such as angina pectoris. The main symptom of the disease is severe pain in the area of the heart, which does not go away after taking nitroglycerin. The pain is so paralyzing that a person is not able to move. Sensations spread to the entire left side, pain can occur both in the shoulder, arm, and in the jaw. There is a fear of imminent death.
Frequent breathing and irregular heartbeat combined with pain confirm a heart attack. Pale face, weakness and cold sweat are also symptoms of a heart attack.
Emergency medical care: The surest solution in this situation is to immediately call the ambulance team. Here time goes by minutes, since the patient’s life depends on how correctly and timely medical care is provided. It is important to learn how to recognize a heart attack. Age does not matter here, because more and more young people are faced with this problem.
The problem is that many simply ignore the dangerous condition and do not even suspect how fatal the consequences can be. Emergency conditions and emergency medical care are very related. One of these conditions is myocardial infarction. If the first symptoms of the disease appear, immediately put a tablet of aspirin or nitroglycerin under the tongue (lowers blood pressure). It is worth remembering that the mortality from the disease is very high, so do not joke with your health.
Poisoning as a reaction of the body to an allergen
Poisoning is a malfunction of internal organs after a toxic substance enters the body. Poisoning is different: food, ethyl alcohol or nicotine, medications.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, fever. All these symptoms indicate problems within the body. General weakness results from dehydration.
Emergency medical care: It is important to immediately flush the stomach with a large amount of water. The use of activated carbon is recommended to neutralize the allergen that caused the poisoning. It is necessary to take care of a plentiful drink, since the body is completely depleted. It is better to refuse to eat during the day. If symptoms persist, seek medical attention.
Epilepsy as a dysfunction of the brain
Epilepsy is a chronic disease characterized by persistent seizures. Attacks appear in the form of severe convulsions, up to a complete loss of consciousness. In this state, the patient does not feel anything, the memory is completely turned off. The opportunity to speak is lost. This condition is due to the inability of the brain to cope with its functions.
The main symptom of epilepsy remains convulsions. The attack begins with a piercing scream, then the patient does not feel anything. Some types of epilepsy can go away without obvious symptoms. Most often this happens in children. Helping children in emergency situations is no different from helping adults, the main thing is to know the sequence of actions.
Emergency medical care: More damage to a person with epilepsy can bring a blow when falling than the seizure itself. When seizures occur, it is necessary to lay the patient on a flat, preferably solid surface. Make sure that the head is turned to one side, so that a person does not suffocate with his saliva, such an arrangement of the body prevents the tongue from falling.
Do not try to hold back the cramps, just hold the patient so that he does not hit sharp objects. The attack lasts up to five minutes, and carries no danger. If the cramps do not go away or the seizure has happened to a pregnant woman, you need to call an ambulance team.
To be safe, it will be useful to seek emergency help. In patients with epilepsy, this happens from time to time, so those who are nearby need to know how to provide first aid.
Bleeding: what to do with large blood loss?
Bleeding is the expiration of a large amount of blood from blood vessels due to trauma. Bleeding can be internal and external. The condition is classified according to the vessels from which the blood flows. The most dangerous is arterial.
If this is external bleeding, then it can be determined if blood flows from an open wound. With a large loss of vital fluid observed: dizziness, frequent heart rate, sweating, weakness. With internal - abdominal pain, bloating and traces of blood in the feces, urine and vomit.
Emergency medical care: With a slight loss of blood, it is enough to treat the wound with an antiseptic and close the affected area with a band-aid or gauze bandage. If the wound is deep, it falls into the category of "emergency conditions", and emergency medical care is simply necessary. What can be done at home? Close the affected area with clean cloth and, as far as possible, raise the site of blood loss above the patient’s heart level. In this case, immediate hospitalization is simply necessary.
After arriving at a medical facility, the actions of a nurse in emergency situations are as follows:
- clean the wound;
- apply a bandage or stitches.
In case of serious bleeding, the help of a qualified doctor is necessary. Remember: you must not allow the victim to lose too much blood, immediately bring him to the hospital.
Why be able to provide medical care?
Emergency conditions and emergency medical care are closely related to each other. Thanks to the correct and quick action, it is possible to maintain human health until the arrival of the ambulance. Often, human life depends on our actions. Everyone needs to be able to provide medical care, because life is unpredictable.