Bug Off! How to get Relief from Bug Bites
Posted on July 28, 2008
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Bugs come in all shapes and sizes. The effects of bug bites and stings depend largely on the bug that has bitten or stung you and the intensity of the allergic reaction you have from those bug bites. People have allergic reactions to bug bites and stings because of the venom these insect inject into the skin of their victims. This venom or saliva aids in their digestive processes. In the case of certain spiders, the venom paralyzes their prey so feeding can occur.
Most bug bites are annoying but harmless causing a lot of itching, a bit of swelling, and some redness around the affected area. Many bug bites can be quite painful as well. Spiders and scorpions are bugs to watch out for because of the pain factor.
Most severe reactions to bug bites cause a condition called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis symptoms are more dangerous than the common allergy reaction to bug bites. Some of the anaphylaxis symptoms include: trouble breathing, wheezing, dry mouth, sore throat, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chills, coma and death.
Treatment for bug bites
The most logical first step is get away from the assaulting colony of bees or which ever insect is the culprit.
If you have been stung by a bee you must remove the stinger immediately, the more time spend in the skin the more possibility of venom entering the wound site. Remove the stinger with tweezers.
A word of caution, if you have not successfully removed the stinger you will need to get medical attention. Thoroughly wash the affected area with soap and water.
Apply an ice pack to sting bites to help prevent inflammation.
For tick bites remove the tick with tweezers, or adhesive tap.
If the bug bite site is very itchy, you can take an antihistamine such as Benadryl; one or two tablets every six hours.
You can also use a topical cream containing hydrocortisone.
For anaphylaxis symptoms you must get a prescription for epinephrine or adrenaline depending up the area of the world that you live in. Follow the directions to the tee and carry the prescription around with you at all times.
Having the proper medication on hand when an anaphylaxis reaction occurs can be the difference between life and death.
If you do not have a prescription, call 911 or find the way to get yourself to the hospital immediately for medical care.
It is always wise to keep a first aid kit handy, not buried under piles of junk in the attic or garage. Find a place such as a kitchen or bathroom cabinet in your home to store the bug bites kit. Have a kit tucked in the glove compartment of your car and take it on outings and trips with you. The items you will need the most often are tweezers, pain relievers, ice packs, topical ointments with hydrocortisone, adhesive tape, bandages, scissors, alcohol and or alcohol pads, band-aids, sterile gauzes, peroxide, anti bacterial cleaning swaps, and even though not included in your kit, make sure you have a cell phone that you can use if you are in an out of the reach place such as a remote camping area
Hup Two Three Four….Military First Aid Kit Cadence
Posted on July 21, 2008
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A military first aid kit can be as important as any other piece of field equipment. In fact, it can be the most important equipment item when minor trauma occurs in the field. The military first aid kit is designed to be used outdoors or in field tents and contains specialized items related to typical military or other outdoor related injuries.
In a household first aid kit, there’s normally no need for a blood clotting packs. But that’s just the kind of first aid item you’ll find in a military first aid kit. Other items include the following.
• Elastic bandages
• Sponges
• Blood stopping solution or granules
• Compression bandages
• Wipes
• Gloves
• Tweezers
• Burn gel
• Ammonia inhalants
• Flashlight
• Tourniquet
• Eye Pads
The purpose of the military first aid kit is to carry important items in a single transportable pack. Unlike the home and office first aid kits, the military first aid supplies are in a pack that can be hung on a belt or backpack. The supplies are in a soft pack almost like a mini-backpack or duffel. There are storage compartments for various supplies you might like to add to your safety arsenal.
The military first aid kit isn’t just for military personnel either. It’s designed to be useful for anybody who is active outdoors or performs similar functions as a member of the military. For example, hunters should carry a military first aid kit in the unfortunate event there are injuries sustained. The packs are camouflaged and made from sturdy nylon or canvas material.
Other people that could benefit from carrying the specially designed military first aid kit include campers, hikers, skiers and anyone else that spends a lot of time outdoors enjoying active sports. You never like to think in terms of someone getting hurt while enjoying a sport or hobby, but it’s better to be prepared.
The military first aid kit is made for all military groups also. There are packs designed for medical field personnel, infantry, weekend National Guard activities, parachuters and so on. The kits are made in a variety of sizes from those carried on the belt to packs in mini-suitcases on wheels.
The military first aid kit is a handy pack that contains all the important medical supplies for unexpected field injuries. These include gunshot and knife wounds, cuts and abrasions, accidental eye injury, and injuries due to falling. The medical military first aid kit will even include items like sutures, irrigation syringes and cast plaster.
It’s comforting to know that emergency medical supplies are always near when you carry a military first aid kit. The kit can be literally life-saving providing temporary emergency service until the person can make it to a doctor or hospital. If you are an outdoorsman, then you need to march quickly to the nearest military first aid kit!
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Dangerous Snake Bites
Posted on July 14, 2008
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Each year thousands of people who live in areas with a large concentration of snakes, visit camp sites, wilderness areas, picnic areas, or hike are bitten by snakes. Snake bites even those from a seemingly harmless non venomous snake can cause allergies and infection, so imagine the danger associated with poisonous snake bites.
Four types of snakes in the USA are considered to be dangerous because of their venom: copper head, rattle snake, coral snake, and cottonmouth water snake.
People are individual, there will some variation in the effects of venomous snake bites from person to person. However, the signs you should look for if you suspect that you have been the victim of poisonous snake bites are:
• Fang marks in the wound
• A fluid mixed with blood seeping out from it
• A burning sensation and pain emanating from the affected area
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Rapid heat beat
• Being excessively thirsty
• Diarrhea
• Profuse sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Numbness
• Tingling Sensation
• Fainting
• Fever
• Impaired motor ability
• Convulsions
You must get treatment immediately if you have been bitten by a venomous snake. Time is of the essence, the longer you wait the more serious the snake bites become.
There are still things that can and should be done while you are waiting for the ambulance to come.
Stay calm and immobile
Make sure the site of the wound is never raised above the heart, in other words to not raise your arms if the bite was on the arm etc.
You will need to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water.
You will need to apply a salve or cool compress to sooth the snake bites, and keep down swelling.
Cover the area
Keep a close eye on vital signs.
Sometimes victims of snake bites are so far away from help, they cannot be medically treated within a half hour of the snake bites. If this is the situation, the American Red Cross recommends that the following actions be taken:
To slow the continually release of venom within the wound site, it is important that you apply a loosely fitting bandage (loose enough to slip a finger through) about four inches above the site. In turn the bandages will not be too tight, resulting in the interruption of blood flow.
You should have a snake bite kit that is sold in retail or wilderness stores. Within that kit is a device to suck up the venom from the bite. Never, cut the skin around the bite wound as it could cause even more infection.
Once seen by a doctor, the most common treatment is an anti venom product derived from the blood serum of a horse.
A few simply steps will minimize your chances of being bitten by a poisonous snake. First of all, stay away from the areas they inhabit wherever possible. Wear high boots to avoid stepping on them. Do not pick up rocks or other things from the ground without vigilantly checking the area first. Stay away from tall grass or areas where it would be difficult to see the snakes. Never, provoke a snake or try to kill it by hitting it with sticks you will be increasing your chances of getting bit.
Broken Bones in Feet – Postponing the Dance
Posted on June 25, 2008
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The presence of broken bones in feet can certainly slow down your dancing! It’s quite possible you might not be able to even put on your dancing shoes, because of swelling, bruising and pain. Fortunately, bones in the feet will heal with proper care so you can start twirling around the dance floor once again.
The foot is a complex structure composed of bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Like an architectural bridge, everything is carefully aligned and balanced in order to handle body weight and movement. Bridges are built so they sway slightly in the wind which prevents cracking from rigidity. The foot operates under the same principles. The bones work together and move in a way that keeps the foot flexible.
When there are broken bones in feet, it means one or more of 26 bones are injured. Broken feet bones can impact much more than just the feet though. The feet are connected to ankles which are connected to leg bones and up it goes. When the feet are not working properly, or you have to change how you walk in order to accommodate broken feet bones, the consequences can include other parts of your body.
Many feet fractures occur in children and athletes. This is due to the frequent stress placed on the feet bones due to repetitive activity and frequent blunt force impacts. Broken bones in feet are fractures in bones of the heel, midfoot or toes. Each section of the foot is made up of several bones so fractures can happen anywhere in the foot.
There are different kinds of fractures which can happen in feet bones. Broken bones in feet can happen due to too much bone stress, ankle twisting, crushing and force. First aid for broken feet bones starts with elevating the feet to prevent swelling. Foot injuries are seldom life-threatening, though proper first aid can reduce the possibility of infection later on. Immobilizing the feet by placing them under a pillow tied to the leg can be helpful until help arrives. Often people have someone drive them to the emergency center, because most broken bones in feet can be accommodated by using a support which takes the weight off the bones.
Often, people don’t realize they have broken bones in feet until the swelling or bruising continues to get worse. There can also be a range of pain from almost none to extreme pain depending upon the kind of fracture involved. The important point is to see a doctor as soon as possible if you think there’s even a slight chance you have any feet broken bones.
Sometimes surgery is necessary to realign the bones in the feet. The thin bones might have to be reconnected using pins. But in many cases, the only treatment is either a cast or a brace. In the case of broken toes, first aid is simply a splint.
Broken Hand Bones – I Just Tried to Stop My Fall
Posted on June 25, 2008
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Broken hand bones are often the result of either accidents or attempts to stop a fall. Hand bones include the bones in the hands and wrist. Like the foot bone structure, the hand bones are a wonderful construction of many small bones that work together almost flawlessly. There are actually 27 bones in the hand and wrist and their functioning enables human beings to do things no other animal can do.
Most broken hand bones are the end product of work place or home accidents. Participation in athletic activities is also a common cause of broken hand and wrist bones. It’s simply human nature to put stiff arms out when you think you’re falling. In fact, when you think about the times you have fallen backwards, even then you probably tried to use hand and wrist support to prevent falling all the way to the floor and hitting your head. Most of the time, there’s no thought process involved. It’s just instinctive.
Broken hand bones can be very life disruptive. We use our hands for almost everything we do. When the bones are broken and functioning ceases, it can be very handicapping for a while. There are many names for the different kinds of breaks that can occur. For example, Colles’ Fractures occur in the bones in the wrist. Common hand fractures are often in a thumb or finger tip because of accidents.
Most broken hand bones are very painful. If you think about breaking a bone when you catch a finger in a car door, then you have an idea of the pain level. The broken hand or wrist bones can cause swelling and make movement difficult. In some cases, the broken bone can be detected because it creates an obvious hump or bump.
Home first aid treatment for broken hand bones includes immobilizing the hand, applying ice to prevent excessive swelling and stopping any bleeding. The person should be taken to the doctor immediately for treatment. There are different kinds of treatments used for broken hand bones.
• Splints
• Casts
• Screws
• Plates
• Pins
Splints, casts and pinning broken hand bones together are temporary treatments. The casts and pins are only used until the bones are healed and then removed. The screws and plates are used where damage is so severe the bones need reinforcement. They are left in the hand from that point forward.
Broken wrist bones can be a sign of osteoporosis, especially if a light fall causes the breakage. Broken hand and wrist bones will be x-rayed to determine the extent of the damage. But if you are a woman over 50 that breaks your hand or wrist, the doctor will probably want to do further tests to make sure you are not developing osteoporosis.
Broken hand bones are not that common among adults except as a result of accidents. The broken bones can usually be successfully treated with no permanent damage resulting.
Free First Aid Kit – What a Deal
Posted on June 24, 2008
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Anyone would consider a free first aid kit a bargain under any circumstance. It might seem too good to be true, but there are plenty of opportunities to obtain a free kit . Companies selling first aid kits often offer a free kit as an enticement to purchase additional supplies. You can get the first kit free and then add other first aid and safety supplies to customize your kit.
You can take advantage of the offer of a free first aid kit in one of several ways.
• Obtain free first aid kit when ordering any first aid related item from the site
• Obtain free first aid kit when trying a new product
• Obtain free first aid kit when re-ordering from the company
• Obtain free first aid kit as an enticement to register with a company
A free first aid kit can take many shapes. It might be a compartmentalized empty plastic case that you can fill with first aid items of your choice purchased online. The free kit could be a small travel case that contains the most basic first aid items. The size of the free first aid kit usually depends on the amount of money being spent on the order. The more you spend, the larger the free first aid kit you are eligible to receive.
A major reason any company offers a free first aid kit is to attract new customers. Another important reason is to encourage consumers to try new products. Research and development departments are constantly creating new products such as easy-to-use CPR devices. The best way to get people to try the new products is by offering something free.
If you need a first aid kit, taking advantage of free offers is a great way to obtain the basic kit. The basic kit can be stored where space is a premium, such as a car. Or the free first aid kit can be expanded to include the other first aid items you purchase when ordering the free kit.
Keeping a first aid kit on hand at all times is essential for every household. If you’re not sure how to order the right kit, or want to experiment with a basic kit first, the free first aid kit offers are a great opportunity. You can take advantage of the free offer, get your kit, use it for a while and then decide what other items are needed to create a customized kit.
The most important thing to remember is that you should always have easy access to a first aid kit no matter where you are or what you’re doing. Taking advantage of a free first aid kit offer is the ideal way to make sure you have adequate first aid supplies on hand.
Summer Itch and Those Dreaded Mosquito Bites?
Posted on June 24, 2008
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Summer is a wonderful time of year, nice weather, pool parties, picnics, days spent outdoors in nature. However, it is also the time for mosquito bites.
The best treatment for mosquito bites is prevention. When you are outside you need to wear an insect repellant containing deet to keep them away. Be careful though, since repellants contain chemical compounds that may irritate the mouth and eyes make sure you do not apply directly to your children’s hands and never apply more than 10% of the product on your children.
Some people swear by Skin So Soft bath Oil by Avon. Now this product is not designed for mosquito bite protection but seems to work for many people.
Spray permethrin insect repellants onto clothes but never directly on exposed skin. Insects can bite through thin clothing. Also wear long sleeved clothing and have as little skin showing as possible when you are outside in the summer.
Place mosquito netting around baby carriages car beds, and hammocks.
Install screen doors or screens on windows and other openings around your home.
If possible stay in at dawn, dusk, and early evening, this is the time that mosquitoes fly rampant.
Empty all standing water around your house including draining flower pots, dog dishes, barrels buckets, drains, old tires, and swimming pool covers weekly. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water.
First aid for mosquito bites
Mosquito bites are small read bumps “wheals” which are raised in the center. Mosquito Bites will itch for several days annoying everyone concerned.
To treat ordinary mosquito bites you simply cleanse the area with soap and water and apply the long standing tried and true Calamine Lotion. You can also apply an ice pack or cold compress to the sooth the area and reduce inflammation.
Try not to scratch as it only makes the site itchier and causes more swelling and damage to the skin.
Another method some people use to relieve themselves from the itch of mosquito bites is to rub antiperspirant on the area, if still itchy give a second treatment.
You may also use a topical lotion or cream hydrocortisone such as Cortate to stop the itch,
and also an antihistamine such as Benadryl.
However, if the mosquito bites become swollen with pain, and produce a rash you must see a doctor for more professional care.
If you develop flu like symptoms after being bite you must also see your doctor immediately. Depending upon where you live, you might have contracted the West Nile Virus.
The West Nile Virus is transferred to humans by infected mosquitoes. The West Nile Virus symptoms might be mild or could get more severe including: nausea, vomiting, a rash, headaches, fever, stiffness especially in the neck, confusion, paralysis, loss of eye sight, stupor, coma and perhaps even death. These symptoms usually are forthcoming about two weeks after the bites. The severe symptoms may go away or cause permanent damage. The elderly (50 years and over), babies, and people with weak immune systems are the most vulnerable.
Still Swimming in the Waterproof Casts for Broken Bones
Posted on June 24, 2008
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Waterproof casts for broken bones are ideal for those who refuse to give up their summer water activities or showers during the time bones are healing. It’s no secret a bone cast is a real nuisance which can severely limit activity. They also require a lot of tender loving care and precautions, because wet weather can ruin some casts and compromise others.
Bone casts today are made primarily in two ways. The cast many people are familiar with is the plaster of paris cast. A plaster cast is formed around the bone area being to be immobilized. It’s heavy and cannot get wet, because it will disintegrate. This type of cast is used primarily on legs or other large bones that need a lot of support.
The other kind of cast most frequently used is made out of fiberglass. The fiberglass cast is much more lightweight than the plaster of paris cast. It’s more water resistant too, but you still can’t swim or shower in it.
The waterproof casts for broken bones were invented in order to restore the ability of wearers to shower or swim. Adults appreciate not having to take baths or go through a long rigmarole of covering the cast before taking a shower. But children are the most appreciative of waterproof casts for broken bones, because they allow participation in summer events like swimming and pool parties.
In fact, waterproof casts for broken bones can make life much easier while waiting for bones to heal. When wearing traditional casts, you have to be careful about any kind of moisture including splashing or rain. When the cast is waterproof, all those concerns become moot.
Waterproof casts for broken bones usually take the form a waterproof cast liner underneath a fiberglass cast. Normally, fiberglass casts are set on cotton padding which is not waterproof. If the padding gets wet, it has to be replaced. To be able to get the cast wet, the waterproof cast lining is substituted for the padding. The waterproof lining is designed to serve several purposes.
• Prevent excessive moisture build-up underneath the cast due to sweat
• Prevent the development of odors common to wearing a cast
• Drains water from the cast and allows the skin to air dry
There are actual waterproof casts for broken bones that are not liners, but they are not widely used yet. It’s the waterproof liners that have enabled people to continue enjoying activities involving water. Waterproof casts for broken bones are used mostly on arms and hands.
As technology continues to advance, the use of waterproof casts for broken bones will become standard practice. Until then the liners that create waterproof casts for broken bones are the perfect solution. They are especially ideal for children who don’t want to miss out on summer fun.
Caution: Knee Sprains and Athletics
Posted on June 23, 2008
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Knee sprains are typically sports related injuries. They are the injury to one or more of the ligaments in the knee. These injuries can be quite minor, but they can also be quite serious and result in necessary surgical repair. The most common sport for knee sprains is football and rugby due to the tackling. Then the next is basketball due to the twisting that can occur during pivots and other movements. Therefore, the players of these sports should have a heightened awareness about the diagnosis and treatment of knee sprains, so that when they occur they can be recognized and prevented. Ligament injuries of the knee often result in a period of time resting from the sport and if the injury is serious enough that it requires surgery, and then the person cannot return to the game until after the physical therapy occurs after the surgery. It is essential to take care of the injury as best as possible to ensure that you can return to the sport quickly and with confidence.
However, the trouble with sports and knee injuries especially with rugby and football is that often the players will try and play through the injury. It is important to recognize the injury and then rest and treat it, so that it does not get injured further and result in a more serious injury. Football and rugby tend to be very macho sports that the players have a lot of pride about their game, so often injuries are seen as a sign of weakness, or they will sacrifice their own health for the sake of the team and play through the pain in order to obtain a win. It is essential with knee sprains to not do this. Knee sprains can be very serious injuries and therefore should be diagnosed and treated immediately in order to heighten the speed and level of recovery. It is also very important to have physical therapy as part of the recovery of knee sprains because it will help to strength the joint again without re-injury. It will also help to prevent future injuries of the same kind. Preventing injury in the same area again should be taken seriously because ligaments are a joint related injury. Injuries to the same joint over and over again can result in arthritis, and this is a serious condition that can really limit mobility and activity; and reduce mobility are really something that an athlete does not want to occur. Knee sprains should be taken seriously and definitely not just put on the back burner in the hopes that it will just heal itself. There is definitely a treatment plan that should be followed.
Hey! Show Me Pictures of Broken Bones
Posted on June 23, 2008
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So you want to show me pictures of broken bones? Whatever for? Actually there are plenty of reasons why someone would say, “show me pictures of broken bones”. In fact, the internet has many requests for broken bones pictures for a number of reasons.
• Doctors looking for research study patients
• Students interested in looking at x-rays of real broken bones
• Curious people who are just interested in broken bones
• Family and friends who want to know what happened to a loved one
It’s easy to read about a spiral fracture or a transverse bone fracture, but it’s much harder to understand exactly what it looks like. When you need to see the real thing, it’s time to say to the world – show me pictures of broken bones! The internet has opened up whole new opportunities for study and learning, because you’re no longer limited to just pictures in a book.
There are all kinds of bones in the body. They are long, short, round, curved, flat and irregular. All together, most people have 206 bones in their body and any one of them can be broken. You have to be careful when you tell someone to show me pictures of broken bones. Thousands of pictures can be found on the internet showing any one of most of the 206 bones broken.
Broken bones hold a certain fascination for people, because we consider the skeleton to be the sturdiest component in our body. Most of us never actually see a bone either. Bones are just something we know we have and need, and really don’t pay much attention to until something goes wrong. It’s like the old adage says: out of sight…out of mind.
Through research, doctors have learned bones do a whole lot more than giving bodies structure and enabling us to bend and move. Bones contribute important elements to the whole system we call a body. Broken bones are a disruption of the system. When someone says to show me pictures of broken bones, he or she understands injuries to bones is a critical disruption of that system. We can all learn a lot from pictures.
In addition to all the serious reasons for wanting to see pictures of broken bones, there’s one not so serious. Some people say to show me pictures of broken bones out of simple curiosity. There’s nothing wrong with that either. The more you understand how the body works and the types of trauma it can experience, the easier it is to deal with situations when they arise. If you see pictures of bone damage done from stiff-arming an accidental fall, the images just might prevent broken bones during a future fall.
There’s so much to learn about broken bones, and a great place to start is with images. So show me pictures of broken bones!
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