IMPORTANT: MEDICAL ADVICE
Since it seems like people on Twitter are just posting whatever makes a tiny bit of sense to them at the time and not actual medical advice, here are some tips from a person who is first aid and CPR certified! (Why you are giving medical advice without taking any kind of first aid class first is beyond me)
I’m mostly doing this about stuff you may encounter during protests, since that’s the biggest thing right now.
- If you get stuff in your eyes, don’t use milk. Milk, especially milk that’s been sitting in someone’s bag on a hot summer day, is very likely to have spoiled and could cause infection. Yes, milk may feel better/relieve more pain (though there is no evidence, it’s likely a placebo effect) but water is much more safe.
- When flushing eyes out, try and have a bottle with a squirt tip or sports drink nozzle, like on Gatorade. If not, it’s okay, it’s just easier to direct the stream that way. Flush eyes out inside to out, spraying gently from nose to cheek, to reduce the chance of getting stuff in the person’s mouth
- If you get shot, DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT put stuff in the wound. Especially without gloves. Infection for you, infection for the person, it’s awful all around. The most important thing is not to plug the wound, but to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Do this for both entrance and exit wounds! Look for exit wounds so you know if the bullet is still inside!
- I’ve heard stuff going on about tourniquets, and please, please, do not use a tourniquet unless you are positive this person will die without one. A tourniquet is placed ABOVE the wound to stop the flow of blood. If done wrongly, it will cause much more harm than good. Unless this person is bleeding out before you, don’t use a tourniquet. And if you end up using a tourniquet, make it out a thick material rather than thin, and write down what time you put it on them! If you’ve got to sharpie on their arm what time, that’s okay. Medical professionals will want to know this info.
- If possible, move the person to a less chaotic area to care for them. But if they’re shot in the head, abdomen, or back, moving them will likely hurt them more and could possibly kill them if the circumstances are right.
- Always talk to the person before taking care of them. Tell them who you are, tell them you’re going to help them. Especially if they’ve been blinded, they are going to want to know who you are. Talk to them, even if they’re unconscious.
- Speaking of which, if they’re unconscious and have no SERIOUS wounds, put them in the recovery position. That is, on the left side, one arm supporting their head, the other arm straight out in front, one leg at a right angle and the other straight. If they have a serious wound, do not do this, as it could cause the wound to become more aggravated.
- If staunching a wound, use absorbent material. Cotton, wool, etc. If you’ve got to rip off a shirt to do this, do it. Keep applying pressure until you get medical help.
- And in all these cases, try and get medical help as soon as possible. I know it may not be possible, but you have to try. I am not a medical professional, but I am trained in first aid, but you likely are not. So please, get the injured person away from the protest as soon as possible, as long as it won’t injure them more.
- Some things to carry if you’re going to a protest:
* water, both for drinking and flushing eyes if needed. A metal container full of water can be used to safely disable tear gas, but that will obviously make the water unusable afterwards. Bring multiple bottles.
* gloves, thick ones, if you plan to be disarming those tear gas canisters.
* bandages, gauze, something absorbent
* sharpie/permanent marker
* a mask. COVID-19 still exists, and also to cover your face so you can’t be identified
Go forth, spread this! Please, I couldn’t stand it if someone was harmed because they received bad medical advice! I promise all of this is true and learned in my first aid course, with the addition of the tear gas tips being researched myself.
andulkaphoto
gummygunk
dededos
janainaart
turnnoffyourmind
