Common First Aid Mistakes
Many of us grew up with grandma’s tried-and-true remedies for burns, injuries, and illnesses. Unfortunately, not all of them were backed by medical science. PIH Health Family Medicine Physician Karen Patel DO shares some common first aid mistakes and advice on what you should do instead.
Mistake: Putting butter on a burn
You've likely heard the tip to put butter on a burn, but this is bad advice. Any greasy substance on a burn keeps heat in and make it hard for a burn to heal or be treated correctly.
Instead: Run cold water over the burn to ease the pain. Gently dry the area and keep it loosely covered. Seek medical attention if it starts to blister, changes color, or seems infected.
Mistake: Using ipecac syrup to cause vomiting
When someone swallows a poisonous chemical, you might think that having them vomit it up right away would help. In the past, a medicine called ipecac syrup was used to cause vomiting. But ipecac syrup has been discontinued and should not be used. In some cases of poisoning, experts say it's best not to induce vomiting. It can even cause more damage. Some substances can be worse for you when they are vomited up again.
Instead: Call the national Poison Control Center at 800.222.1222 right away for advice about what to do. Dispose of any ipecac syrup if you have an old bottle in the house.
Mistake: Putting heat on a sprain or fracture
Heat can be soothing for aches and pains, but you shouldn't apply heat to a sprain or fracture. Heat will only increase the swelling.
Instead: Apply an ice pack for about 20 minutes. To make an ice pack, put ice cubes in a plastic bag that seals at the top. Wrap the bag in a clean, thin towel or cloth to protect your skin. Never put ice or an ice pack directly on the skin. Use the rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) treatment for the first 24 hours.
Mistake: Using rubbing alcohol to bring down a fever
Wiping rubbing alcohol on your skin makes your skin feel cooler. But this cooling doesn't help to reduce a fever. In addition, alcohol can be soaked up through the skin. This increases the risk of alcohol poisoning for small children and infants.
Instead: Try a medicine that reduces fever and contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Call your healthcare provider if you don't know what to do or if the fever doesn't go away.
Mistake: Using a tourniquet to stop a bleeding wound
For a deep wound in an arm or leg, you may think about tying a tourniquet around the thigh or upper arm to stop the bleeding, but that could stop the flow of blood to the entire limb. This could cause serious damage.
Instead: Apply direct pressure on the wound (use a thick layer of sterile gauze under your hands if it's available). Then wrap the wound securely when the bleeding stops. If it continues to bleed or seems to need stitches, get medical care. But if bleeding is severe and can't be stopped or slowed down with direct pressure, and you think the person's life is in danger because of the bleeding, use a tourniquet (at least 3-inches wide) just above the wound (toward the heart) and pull it tightly. Call 911 and get medical care right away.
Mistake: Rubbing your eye to remove a foreign object
When you have a speck of dirt or some other small object in your eye, the feeling can be extremely annoying. You may want to rub your eye to remove the object. But don't rub your eye. Rubbing your eye when there is a foreign object in it can cause more damage to your eye.
Instead: Rinse your eye with clean tap water or an eye wash. Get medical care if the feeling continues.
Next Steps
Injuries and illnesses that require immediate medical attention but are not life-threatening should be treated at one of the PIH Health Urgent Care Centers near you. Visit PIHHealth.org/UCC to check wait times or make a reservation at select locations. Visit Dr. Patel’s profile to learn more about her and to schedule an appointment.
