May 19, 2021 | Diabetes affects a person’s ability to regulate blood sugar. People with diabetes can experience low blood sugar due to illness, stress, skipping meals or taking too much insulin. Low blood sugar can cause altered states of consciousness like agitation, confusion and loss of consciousness. Very low blood sugar can result in excessive tiredness, weakness and even seizure-like activity. When dealing with a person suspected of having low blood sugar, give them a sugar-containing beverage, such as fruit juice, milk or a soft drink, and encourage them to sit or lie down. Then, call 911 and follow any instructions you may receive. If their symptoms improve, encourage them to eat. Glucose gel and tablets may be available and are a good way to quickly increase blood sugar. Alternatives to gels and tablets include packets of sugar, honey, or jelly from restaurants, which may be readily available. Consider keeping any of these in your first aid kit.

May 19, 2021 | Headaches can be caused by any number of things, from stress or lack of sleep to an injury or even a certain food. Many people get headaches after being exposed to chemical irritants like smoke, perfume or fresh paint. Such headaches can be relieved with an over-the-counter pain reliever, sleep or an ice pack. A migraine headache, which is usually accompanied a change in a person’s vision and sensitivity to light or sound, usually occurs as throbbing on one side of the head and may include nausea or vomiting. Cluster headaches, which can include several painful daily attacks over a period of weeks or months, usually peak within five minutes and last for an hour or so. You should seek emergency care if the headache is accompanied by a high fever, a stiff neck or weakness on one side of the body. Children who suffer from frequent headaches that are accompanied by other symptoms should also see a physician.

May 19, 2021 | Around 4,000 people die every year from fire or burn injuries, caused by anything from hot liquids or cooking oils to overexposure to the sun. If a person suffers a minor burn, they should be removed from the heat source and have any burned clothing removed unless it is embedded in the burn area. Run cool, not cold, water over the burn or hold a clean, cold compress on it until the pain subsides. Do not use ice and do not use not butter or other types of grease. Be sure to remove any jewelry or tight clothing from around the burned area and apply an antibiotic cream and a clean bandage. Excessive swelling, redness of the skin or a blister filled with greenish or brown fluid related to the burn area is cause for seeing a medical professional. Never break blisters from a burn and be sure to keep the burned area elevated to reduce swelling. And seek emergency care for any burns to the eyes, mouth, hands and genital areas, even if they seem mild.

May 19, 2021 | A fever by itself is not an illness but a symptom for any number of medical conditions. Most people consider 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit a healthy temperature, but a person’s normal body temperature may vary a degree or more and can fluctuate during the day. For children, fever is considered anything higher than an oral temperature above 99.5 degrees. Fever in an adult isn’t usually dangerous unless it registers 103 degrees or higher. If the fever is very high, your health care provider may recommend taking an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Adults can also take aspirin, but children with fevers should not take aspirin. It is also important to drink enough liquids to prevent dehydration. Someone with a high fever and difficulty in breathing, a stiff neck that resists movement and pain in the abdomen should be seen by a physician immediately.

May 19, 2021 | A nosebleed is blood loss from the tissue that lines your nose. It can affect both nostrils, but most often occurs in only one nostril. The nose has many blood vessels in it to help warm and humidify the air you breathe. These vessels lie close to the surface, making them easy to injure. If you get a nosebleed, sit down and lean slightly forward. Keeping your head above your heart will slow the bleeding. Lean forward so the blood will drain out of your nose instead of down the back of your throat. Use your thumb and index finger to squeeze together the soft portion of your nose. This area is located between the end of your nose and the hard, bony ridge that forms the bridge of your nose. Keep holding your nose until the bleeding stops. Don’t let go for at least 5 minutes. If it’s still bleeding, hold it again for another 5 to 10 minutes. Once the bleeding stops, wait a few hours before doing anything that might make it start again, such as blowing your nose.