When performing first aid, make sure you check for a Fracture.
Assessing an emergency situation that requires first aid can be difficult, especially when you're looking for injuries underneath the skin.Most emergencies involve trauma, such as a fall, car accident or physical altercation.It's important to check for signs of a broken bone while administering basic first aid because it can help you prepare the person for trained medical attention.
Step 1: Look for a limb that is crooked.
Most of the closed fractures are hidden underneath the skin.Take a look at the injured person's limbs and neck to see if they have unnatural angles or positions.Look for a limb that is twisted or bent in an unnatural way.It's important not to move the neck, head, or spine if it looks crooked, because it could cause permanent nerve damage and make the situation worse.If you're looking for a broken bone, it's a good idea to compare the left and right legs.It's easier to see an open fracture if it pokes out of the skin.There is a risk of infections and significant blood loss in open fractures.If the person is conscious, make sure to ask permission to loosen or remove clothes.
Step 2: Look for redness and swelling.
A fractured bone requires a lot of force, so expect to see redness and swelling.You shouldn't have to wait a long time to see the inflammation and color changes.The removal of clothing is necessary to see swelling.Don't mistake swelling for fat deposit, as it produces a visible lumpiness, inflating, or ballooning of tissue around the broken bone.Fat is cooler to the touch thanSwelling, which makes the skin tight and warm.There are broken blood vessels that bleed into the surrounding areas beneath the skin.The colors red, purple, and dark blue are associated with broken bones.External bleeding caused by an open fracture should be easy to see because it will soak through most fabrics very quickly.
Step 3: Try to determine if the pain is serious.
Although broken bones tend to be very painful, using pain to gauge an injury in an emergency situation can be difficult.Depending on what happened to the person, she may feel pain all over her body.The person may be unconscious or in shock and unable to answer your questions.Ask the injured person about her pain, but don't rely on it to check for a broken bone.If the person is conscious but not communicating clearly, gently touch her limbs and torso and look for any wincing.A pain assessment can't be done if the person is unconscious.When people are hurt, it's not always reliable for pain sensations to be reliable.
Step 4: There is a difficulty moving body parts.
Carefully and slowly move arms, hands, feet, and legs if the injured person is conscious and alert.If he has a lot of difficulty and pain with his movement, then there is a chance of a fracture or dislocation.The grating or cracking noise indicates the broken pieces of the bone are rubbing together.Ask him to start by wiggling his toes, then bending his knees, and then lifting his legs off the ground.There may be damage to the bones of the spine even if the person can move his limbs.Unless it is necessary to get the person out of immediate danger, patients should not be moved until assessed by a medical professional.Loss of strength in a limb is an indication of a spine or nerve injury.
Step 5: Ask about sensations of weakness.
When a bone is broken, the larger upper bones of the arms and legs are more likely to be injured.This produces electric-like pain, but also numbness or "pins and needles" below the site of the injury.The injured person has sensations in her hands and feet.It is possible to lose sensation in the limbs, either in a peripheral nerve running down the leg or a spine nerve.She may also feel strange temperature changes, such as too cold or burning hot sensations.
Step 6: Do not move the broken bone.
If you think a person has a bone injury, you shouldn't move it.If the injured person chooses a more comfortable position for the broken bone, you should continue with your basic first-aid treatment.It's too risky to move a broken bone without emergency medical training.The injured person should be discouraged from moving too much.If he is in shock, trying to get up is riskier than changing position for comfort.Supporting the injured body part is fine.You can use a pillow, cushion, or jacket.
Step 7: It's time to stop any bleeding.
There's not much you can do to stop the internal bleeding that occurs with a closed fracture, but stopping or slowing down the bleeding from an open fracture is necessary and can be life-saving.It can take up to five minutes for the open wound to stop bleeding and start to clot, depending on the wound and which blood vessels are damaged.You can protect yourself and the patient from blood-borne disease by wearing gloves.It is a risk to come into contact with the injured person's blood.There are cuts and abrasions that need attention even if the fracture is closed.Once the bleeding is under control, cover the wound with a sterile dressing or something clean and secure it with the bandage.Place the new dressing over the old one and don't remove the bandage or cloth.You can lightly rinse the wound with water, but don't scrub it because it will make it bleed more.
Step 8: Immobilize the injured area.
If a broken bone is sticking out, don't try to push it back into the body.If you've had any sort of emergency medical training, you should immobilize the broken bone with a sling.Rolling-up newspapers or strips of wood can be used for splints.Don't forget to keep the area immobile both above and below the fracture.Use elastic bandages, rope, a belt, or strips of cloth to secure the splints around the arm or leg.Don't tie it too tight.Adding cloth or large bandages can help reduce pain.It is possible to make a sling to support a broken arm.Tie the sleeves around the person's neck with a shirt.If you don't know what a sling is, it's best not to try to make them.Wait for emergency services with bleeding control.
Step 9: Monitor circulation.
You need to check for circulation every few minutes until help arrives, if you decide to support a broken leg or arm with a splint and secure it with an ace bandage or belt.The blood supply to the tissues downstream from the injury can be cut off if the splint is too tight.Feel for a pulse in the wrist with a broken arm.If you can't feel a pulse, loosen the ties and check again.You can see it visually.Press firmly over the skin.It should first be white and then pink in about two seconds.Pale or blueish skin, numbness or loss of pulse are signs of poor circulation.
Step 10: If possible, apply cold therapy.
If you have any ice, frozen gel packs or bags of frozen veggies nearby, apply them over the covered wound to help reduce inflammation and numb the pain.The small blood vessels shrink because of ice.It is possible to stop the bleeding of an open wound with ice.Don't apply ice directly to the skin.Before applying ice to an injury, wrap it in a thin towel, piece of cloth, or something similar.The ice should be left on until emergency medical personnel arrive.
Step 11: If you need assistance, call for it.
If you see an emergency situation where people are injured, immediately call for an ambulance.Time is of the essence, so get help on the way first, then assess the injuries and deliver basic first aid while you wait for help to arrive.Regardless of your level of first aid training, precious lost minutes can make the difference between life and death.Even if people are not seriously injured, you should still call for help because you won't be able to make a proper diagnosis due to lack of training or medical equipment.People don't expect you to play doctor and fix injuries.To stop any serious bleeding, offer support, and try to prevent shock, focus on getting help to arrive and doing the basics.
Step 12: Go to the scene and survey it.
You need to take a moment to look around and make sure there is no danger before you administer first aid.You may become injured if you rush into a scene without checking for threats to your safety, like a downed electrical wire, falling debris, or a dangerous person.Emergency personnel are given two people to rescue instead of one.
Step 13: Determine if the person is breathing.
Once trained emergency medical help is called and on the way, assess whether an injured person is unconscious or not breathing.If the person is not breathing, you should give her cardiopulmonary assist.If the person's airway is blocked, give them cardiopulmonary assist.Don't check for broken bones until the person is breathing again.You should not worry about administering rescue breaths if you don't haveCPR training.If you are confident in your abilities and have been trained, then you should do cardiopulmonary rescue breathing.Place the person on her back and kneel next to her.The person's breastbone should be between her nipples.Place your other hand on top of your first and use your body weight to press down on the chest.Administer chest compressions at a rate of about 100 pumps per minute.Give chest compressions.Someone can switch off if you become tired.If you are trained in cardiopulmonary rescue, you should check the person's airway after 30 compressions.
Step 14: Don't be afraid to watch for shocks.
Once help is on the way, the person is breathing, bleeding is under control and you've stabilized any broken bones, you need to remain vigilant for shock.If not addressed, shock can quickly become fatal if it isn't addressed.Losing consciousness, feeling faint, rapid shallow breathing, low blood pressure, confusion, strange behavior, and loss of consciousness are some of the signs to look out for.Control bleeding first, lay the person down with his head slightly lower than his torso, elevate his legs, and offer him liquids to drink if he is able.Make sure he knows that help is on the way by not panicking.Reassure him that he'll be okay even if you don't think he will be, and distract him from his injuries.