The Natural First Aid Handbook
Page 6
Follow-Up Care for Eyes — Heat and Chemical Burns
The homeopathic remedy euphrasia may also help heal any inflammation — take 4 pellets, dissolved under the tongue, 4 times daily for 2 to 3 days.
Fainting
Seek immediate medical attention if the individual:
Does not regain consciousness within 5 minutes
Is known to have a serious health condition
Is elderly
While you wait for medical attention:
1.Place the person who fainted in the recovery position.
2.Periodically check the individual’s breathing and heart rate. Should either stop, begin CPR.
At-Home First Aid for Fainting
When someone faints but does not need immediate medical care, here’s what to do:
Elevation. Raise the individual’s feet 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm). Turn his head to one side and position it lower than the heart.
Comfort. Loosen tight clothes. Apply cold, moist towels to the neck and face. Do not slap or shake the victim — and don’t throw water at him.
Fresh air. When well-meaning people crowd around, ask them to move back so the person who fainted can get fresh air.
Aromatherapy. To bring someone out of a faint, sprinkle a few drops of either lavender, peppermint, or rosemary essential oil on a clean cloth, hold it under the victim’s nose, and tell him to sniff. Or wave a freshly cut onion under his nose.
Homeopathic remedy. A few drops of Rescue Remedy, the Bach flower remedy for shock and trauma, can be placed behind the victim’s ears or on the lips or wrists. If he is conscious, a few drops of Rescue Remedy can be taken in water or directly under the tongue.
Prevention of Fainting
If someone complains of feeling faint, have the person lie down (preferably) or sit and bend over with head between the knees. Pinch the fleshy skin between the upper lip and nose using a slightly upward pressure (it’s an acupressure point that awakens the heart).
If the individual is fainting from heat, try rubbing an ice cube on the wrists. Have the person lie down in a cool place and drink cool liquids.
Fever
Seek immediate medical attention if:
A child has a fever over 103°F (39°C) that lasts for more than 12 hours
A child or adult has a fever of 105°F (41°C)
A pregnant woman has a fever over 102°F (39°C)
While you wait for medical attention:
Place the individual in a cool (96°F/36°C) bath.
At-Home First Aid for Fever
Fever is actually an ally. It heats the body until it fries invading bacteria. So don’t try to lower a fever unless it’s higher than 103°F (39°C), because the body is simply doing its job to destroy viruses and bacteria.
Caution: Do not give aspirin to someone who has the flu or chicken pox. It can increase susceptibility to Reye’s syndrome (a condition affecting mostly children that causes abnormal liver and brain function). When you do need to lower fever, here are some nonaspirin natural alternatives.
Household Remedies
Fluids. Keep the person hydrated with plenty of cool water. If you like, add a few slices of fresh lemon, as its crisp, clean scent always makes people feel better, and it has a cooling effect. If the person has been sweating or had diarrhea, give an electrolyte-rich beverage or oatstraw tea.
Soaks. Soak the individual’s feet in cool water.
Herbal Remedies
Compresses. Prepare cool compresses and add 5 drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil. Apply them to the groin area, wrists, and neck, and then use them to sponge the individual’s hot body.
Teas. Offer teas of elder flower, ginger, peppermint, and yarrow, all of which are diaphoretic (they help increase perspiration), which will help the body cool down.
Food Poisoning
Seek immediate medical attention if:
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea persists for longer than 3 days
There is blood in the stool
Dehydration becomes severe (symptoms include lack of urination, sticky saliva, rapid pulse, and sunken eyes)
While you wait for medical attention:
1.Keep the individual warm.
2.Offer fluids.
At-Home First Aid for Food Poisoning
If food poisoning is not an emergency, any one of the remedies below will help alleviate the symptoms of nausea and diarrhea:
Household Remedies
Vinegar and honey. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) each of apple cider vinegar and honey into 1 cup (240 ml) of warm water and drink. Repeat every 2 to 3 hours.
Charcoal. Take two 500-mg activated charcoal capsules mixed with 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Repeat every 2 to 3 hours. (This treatment may make the stool look black.)
Green clay. Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of green clay in a cup of water and drink. Repeat every 2 to 3 hours.
Umeboshi plum paste. Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) in a cup of water and drink. Repeat every 2 to 3 hours.
Herbal Remedies
Ginger or peppermint tea will help calm the stomach.
Follow-Up Care for Food Poisoning
When the individual feels like eating again, offer him or her small amounts of easily digested foods such as miso soup, broth, applesauce, or yogurt.
Probiotics can help recolonize the digestive tract with healthy bacteria; take 1 capsule 3 times daily, 30 minutes before meals, for 2 weeks. Garlic can help kill any lingering pathogens acquired from eating the tainted food. Taking a dropperful of echinacea tincture 2 times daily and boosting vitamin C intake for a few days after recovery can help protect against food poisoning in the future.
Fractures
Seek immediate medical attention if:
An area of injury appears swollen, misshapen, or discolored
The injured individual is unable to move or has great pain on moving or touching the area
You or the injured person heard or felt a bone snap
While you wait for medical attention:
1.Immobilize the injured area. Use a splint or sling, if possible. Move the victim as little as possible. Don’t attempt to reset a bone yourself. If a bone is protruding, don’t attempt to push it back into place. Once the limb is splinted, it may be elevated to help control the bleeding.
2.Do not allow the individual to eat or drink. He or she may need surgery. Recently ingested food and liquid can be life-threatening while the individual is under anesthesia. Ask when he or she last ate so that you can relay the information to medical personnel should the victim lose consciousness.
Follow-Up Care for Fractures
Follow-up care is designed to help rebuild bone. Besides eating well-balanced, high-protein meals, you might consider calcium, magnesium, and essential fatty acid supplements. Teas of nettles, oatstraw, horsetail, and raspberry leaf may also help. And you might consider the homeopathic ledum for the first 2 to 3 days, followed by 2 to 3 days of homeopathic symphytum (for each, 4 pellets dissolved under the tongue 4 times daily). To aid in healing, apply comfrey daily, in the form of a poultice or salve, to the injured area; cover with a hot, moist towel and leave on for 30 minutes.
Frostbite
(See also Hypothermia )
Areas farthest from the heart — the feet, hands, nose, ears, and face — are most at risk for developing frostbite. The early stage, called frostnip, manifests as numbness and tingling. As the skin freezes further, it may become white, grayish, glossy and pale, or bluish. Blisters can appear. Pain may be felt early on but later subside. Consider extreme frostbite a medical emergency.
Seek immediate medical attention if:
The skin becomes white, grayish, glossy and pale, or bluish
Blisters appear
The person with frostbite cannot walk
Frostbitten areas cannot be protected from further cold exposure
A frostbitten area does not improve with a half hour of indoor treatment
While you wait for medical attention:
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bsp; 1.Cover any frozen part.
2.Get the victim indoors. Remove jewelry, watches, and any constrictive clothing. (Caution: If the frostbitten area is in danger of freezing again before medical attention is available, do not attempt to thaw it out.)
3.Let your skin warm theirs. If the individual’s fingers or toes are frostbitten, place these appendages in a warm place such as in your armpit or between your thighs. Do not use radiant or dry heat, such as from a lamp, because it can warm the affected area too quickly. Do not rub or massage frostbitten areas, as doing so may cause tissue damage.
4.If frostbite is in the mild (incipient) stage, the affected member can be rewarmed by placing the frozen part in water that is 105 to 110°F (41 to 43°C). Use the milder temperature for children. Offer the homeopathic remedy apis for burning and stinging pain as the area is being warmed. If warm water is inaccessible, gently wrap the affected area in a warm blanket or sheet.
5.After warmth has returned to the area, cover the area with a cloth, and then with a blanket or sleeping bag.
6.Offer something warm to drink (avoid alcohol or caffeinated beverages). Ginger tea is ideal.
7.Once circulation has been reestablished, the area may become itchy, red, and painful. Stop warming at this point. Swelling is likely to develop after thawing, and further warming will only make the swelling worse.
8.After the frostbitten body part has been rewarmed, flex or exercise it if possible.
9.Do not break any blisters that form.
Follow-Up Care for Frostbite
After medical assistance has been rendered, here’s how to help the affected area heal:
Household Remedies
Chile pepper. Crush 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of chile peppers into 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of sesame oil and apply to the skin to improve circulation to the area. Avoid mucous membranes.
Niacin. Ask your doctor about taking 100 mg of niacin. It will dilate capillaries and veins, thus improving circulation to the affected skin.
Supplements. Vitamin C (1,000 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), coenzyme Q10 (50 mg), zinc (25 to 50 mg), and bromelain (500 mg), each taken 2 times daily, can reduce inflammation, speed healing, increase circulation, and prevent infection.
Herbal Remedies
Essential oils. Mix 5 drops geranium, ginger, or eucalyptus essential oil in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil and gently apply to the skin.
Ginger. The day after the frostbite crisis, take a ginger tea bath. To prepare, simmer, covered, 8 teaspoons (40 ml) dried or 1 pound (454 g) fresh ginger in 2 gallons (7.6 l) of water for 20 minutes. Strain out the liquid, and add to a full tub.
Aloe. Apply aloe vera gel to frostbitten areas to help tissue repair.
Homeopathic Remedies
Take 4 pellets dissolved under the tongue 4 times daily of the appropriate remedy:
Arnica for the shock and trauma
Agaricus for frostbite with cold, tingling numbness, or feeling like the affected area is being pierced by ice needles
Lachesis for feet that appear blue or purplish
Hypericum for nerve damage
Head Injury
(See also Bleeding and Shock )
Seek immediate medical attention if the injured person:
Has cold, clammy skin or a flushed face
Has a rapid, weak, or slow pulse
Is dizzy, dazed, or faint or loses consciousness
Has difficulty breathing or breathing seems noisy
Has extreme thirst
Is bleeding from the ears or nose or is coughing up blood
Has a severe headache
Has a fluid discharge from either ear
Has pupils of different sizes
Convulses
Is weak and uncoordinated, has difficulty speaking, or suffers some sort of paralysis
While you wait for medical attention:
1.Do not give food or liquid, other than to moisten the lips with water.
2.If the individual is conscious, give 2 to 4 drops of Rescue Remedy under the tongue.
3.If he or she is not conscious, apply Rescue Remedy to the wrists or behind the ears.
Follow-Up Care for Head Injury
Observe the victim for at least the next 24 hours for signs of disorientation, irritability, unequally dilated pupils, and lack of muscle control in the mouth. If any of these symptoms appear, seek medical attention.
Homeopathic natrum sulphuricum (4 pellets dissolved under the tongue 4 times daily) is good for head injuries where mental capabilities have been impaired. Also consider taking 1 to 3 teaspoons (5 to 15 ml) daily of the supplement lecithin, which is rich in nutrients for the brain and nerves.
To repair memory and mental functions after a head injury, both calamus and rosemary essential oil are good aromatherapy remedies. Place a few drops in an aromatherapy diffuser, add 5 to 7 drops to a bath, or use 15 drops to 1/2 cup (120 ml) of carrier oil for a massage.
Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart is cut off. It can be fatal.
Seek immediate medical attention if the individual shows any symptoms of a heart attack. These include:
Lightheadedness or loss of consciousness
Uncomfortable or crushing chest pain or pressure
Shortness of breath
Heavy sweating
Pain beneath the sternum, sometimes spreading to the shoulders, arms, neck, and jaw
Confusion
Pale or bluish tint to skin
Anxiety and fear of death
While you wait for medical attention:
1.If the victim has been prescribed medication for just such an occurrence, help the person take it.
2.Have the victim lie down. Prop up his or her head and shoulders with pillows, but don’t move unnecessarily as it will strain the heart. Make the person comfortable by loosening clothing, especially around the neck, chest, and waist.
3.Encourage the individual to breathe deeply and slowly.
4.Keep the person warm. Provide good ventilation but avoid chilling drafts.
5.Don’t allow him or her to eat or drink.
6.Bite firmly but gently down on the outsides of both of the victim’s little fingers. This stimulates the heart meridian and can help open up blockages.
7.If the individual is fully conscious, offer 1 dropperful of cayenne tincture mixed in 1 cup (240 ml) of water every 5 minutes until help arrives. Cayenne helps block pain and stimulates blood circulation. Alternatively, offer 2 ginger capsules to improve circulation.
8.If the individual becomes unconscious, place him or herin the recovery position.
9.If the person stops breathing or if the heart stops, give CPR.
Heatstroke
Seek immediate medical attention if the individual:
Is disoriented
Has a headache
Has a strong, rapid pulse
Is dizzy
Has a high body temperature
Has hot, dry skin
Loses consciousness
While you wait for medical attention:
1.Place the victim in the recovery position.
2.Start cooling the person down. Bathe the individual’s bare skin with cool water, and fan vigorously with anything available.
3.Make cool compresses. Soak washcloths in cool water (if you have them on hand, add 5 drops of lavender or peppermint essential oil to the sink). Put one on the back of the victim’s neck and one under each armpit.
!
Heatstroke can be fatal.
If you suspect an attack of heatstroke, seek immediate medical attention!
At-Home First Aid for Heatstroke
First aid for overheating is the best way of preventing heatstroke. If you suspect that the heat is getting to you, try some of the following simple preventive treatments.
Cool down. Get into the shade, lie down with your head elevated, and loosen your clothes.
Make a spritzer. Fill an 8-ounce (240 ml) spray bottle with w
ater, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of witch hazel, 10 drops of lavender essential oil, and 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. Spray or sprinkle over yourself.
Rehydrate. Drink a pint of water to which a pinch of salt has been added, or ask someone to make you a rehydration drink. After that, drink something every 10 minutes. Do not drink caffeinated beverages. Hibiscus flower, lemon balm, oatstraw, and peppermint tea are all cooling beverages, especially when chilled. Or simply squeeze lemon or lime into water for a cooling effect.
Homeopathic Remedies
Veratrum album for weakness, clammy skin, nausea, and dizziness
Carbo vegetabilis for the exhausted person who seems ready to collapse
Bryonia for a splitting headache due to overexposure to heat accompanied by excessive thirst and dry throat
Gelsemium for heat that leaves the individual dizzy, weak, and drowsy