The only bummer about summer is the barrage of backyard bang-ups. Every year, trampoline accidents account for almost 90,000 visits to the ER, and grilling and sparkler injuries send about 6,000 more people to the hospital. Minor snafus are no picnic, either. One slip of a watermelon knife or errant flip of a burger, and the party's over. That's why we asked the GH Health Lab to find the best first aid kits and consulted emergency pros for their tips and tricks. The result: This year, nothing gets in the way of your family's good time.
Burns
Heal at Home:
If you got the burn from something hot (like a grill) and it's smaller than a quarter, rinse it with cool running water for at least 20 minutes, then cover loosely with gauze and secure with tape. Change the bandage daily and watch out for signs of infection such as redness, pus, or swelling.
Opt for the ER:
If the burn is from an electrical accident, like stepping barefoot on a frayed appliance cord; the skin is numb to the touch, white, waxy, charred, or smells singed; the burned area covers a large portion of the palm of your hand or fingers, or goes all the way around a toe, arm, or leg; or the burned area is on your face, feet, hands, buttocks, genitals, or a major joint.
If you got the burn from something hot (like a grill) and it's smaller than a quarter, rinse it with cool running water for at least 20 minutes, then cover loosely with gauze and secure with tape. Change the bandage daily and watch out for signs of infection such as redness, pus, or swelling.
Opt for the ER:
If the burn is from an electrical accident, like stepping barefoot on a frayed appliance cord; the skin is numb to the touch, white, waxy, charred, or smells singed; the burned area covers a large portion of the palm of your hand or fingers, or goes all the way around a toe, arm, or leg; or the burned area is on your face, feet, hands, buttocks, genitals, or a major joint.
Cuts
Heal at Home:
Press with a gauze pad until bleeding slows considerably or stops. Flush wound with tap water for at least two minutes; pat dry, cover with gauze, and secure with tape. Splinter? Use a sterilized needle to lift its end so you can grip it with sterilized tweezers. Slide the splinter out at the same angle at which it appears to have gone in. Wash with warm water and cover with a bandage.
Opt for the ER:
If blood still flows readily after 10 to 15 minutes of pressure; there's a large or deeply embedded object in the wound; or the wound is gaping, muscle is showing, or the edges won't come together. The cause of your cut matters, too: When a dirty object like a rusty nail or splinter of wood punctures your skin, tetanus is a risk. Haven't had a booster in the last 10 years? Get one ASAP. Can't recall your last tetanus shot? There's no harm in an extra dose.
Press with a gauze pad until bleeding slows considerably or stops. Flush wound with tap water for at least two minutes; pat dry, cover with gauze, and secure with tape. Splinter? Use a sterilized needle to lift its end so you can grip it with sterilized tweezers. Slide the splinter out at the same angle at which it appears to have gone in. Wash with warm water and cover with a bandage.
Opt for the ER:
If blood still flows readily after 10 to 15 minutes of pressure; there's a large or deeply embedded object in the wound; or the wound is gaping, muscle is showing, or the edges won't come together. The cause of your cut matters, too: When a dirty object like a rusty nail or splinter of wood punctures your skin, tetanus is a risk. Haven't had a booster in the last 10 years? Get one ASAP. Can't recall your last tetanus shot? There's no harm in an extra dose.
Stings
Heal at Home:
For insect bites, use a credit card to gently scrape the stinger away. (To avoid squeezing out more venom, work below the venom sac if it's still attached.) Wash the area with soap and water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling.
Opt for the ER:
If you suspect an anaphylactic reaction. Warning signs: swollen lips or eyelids, an itchy red rash, hoarseness or wheezing, swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, tightness in the chest, and loss of consciousness. A call to your doc or an ER visit is also a necessity if a red ring forms around a bite, which could mean you've been bitten by a tick infected with Lyme disease; the sooner you get antibiotics, the more effective they are.
For insect bites, use a credit card to gently scrape the stinger away. (To avoid squeezing out more venom, work below the venom sac if it's still attached.) Wash the area with soap and water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling.
Opt for the ER:
If you suspect an anaphylactic reaction. Warning signs: swollen lips or eyelids, an itchy red rash, hoarseness or wheezing, swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, tightness in the chest, and loss of consciousness. A call to your doc or an ER visit is also a necessity if a red ring forms around a bite, which could mean you've been bitten by a tick infected with Lyme disease; the sooner you get antibiotics, the more effective they are.
Head Bonks
Heal at Home:
The size of the "goose egg" does not correlate with the injury's severity, so monitor symptoms carefully. In the meantime, treat localized pain with ice and acetaminophen. Avoid ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, since they can interfere with internal blood clotting — never a good idea when you're dealing with a head wound.
Opt for the ER:
If the injured person has lost consciousness (even for a brief time), complains of a severe headache, is vomiting, or has worsening symptoms, lethargy, confusion, seizures, or clear fluid or blood leaking from the ears or nose. Call your doctor or go to the ER if the injured person seems foggy or doesn't remember what happened.
The size of the "goose egg" does not correlate with the injury's severity, so monitor symptoms carefully. In the meantime, treat localized pain with ice and acetaminophen. Avoid ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, since they can interfere with internal blood clotting — never a good idea when you're dealing with a head wound.
Opt for the ER:
If the injured person has lost consciousness (even for a brief time), complains of a severe headache, is vomiting, or has worsening symptoms, lethargy, confusion, seizures, or clear fluid or blood leaking from the ears or nose. Call your doctor or go to the ER if the injured person seems foggy or doesn't remember what happened.
~Thanks to Good Housekeeping
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