Emergency Critical Care Cases

Road Accidents

Traffic collisions in India are a major source of deaths, injuries, and property damage every year. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2021 report states that there were 1,55,622 fatalities, out of which 69,240 deaths were due to two-wheelers. Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) sometimes become critical for saving a life, one should know how to give first aid in such an emergency situation. The first step toward providing care to the patient is calling for an ambulance. 

Timely help during rush hour and extensive treatment with a quick response in a well-equipped room is our promise towards reducing the mortality rate to a larger extent. The following first aid can help an injured person till the ambulance arrives for care.

  • Check if the person is breathing, and if he has a pulse, then place the injured person on his back.
  • Check for any visible bleeding, if any, then press and tie up the area firmly.
  • Avoid forcing a proper body posture. Avoid touching the person if the neck is found in an awkward position. Movement can worsen the situation.
  • If there is no pulse, then start taking life-saving measures like EAR (External Air Resuscitation) or CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation).
  • Avoid feeding or forcing them to drink water for injured persons, as it can lead to choking.

Choking

Choking is more prone among children than adults. It is an inability to breathe because of little or no flow of oxygen to the body caused when the trachea is blocked, constricted, or swollen slut. It is a medical emergency and if left untreated can cause suffocating death. Chocking is common among young children who tend to put toys or coins in their mouths and then unintentionally inhale the. People also choke because the infection causes the throat tissue to swell shut. Allergic reactions can also cause the throat to swell shut. Strangulation puts external pressure on the trachea causing another form of choking. 

Finally, people can choke from obstructive sleep apnea. This is a condition where tissues of the body obstruct the airways during sleep. Sleep apnea is most common in obese men who sleep on their backs. 

Burns

As per the WHO, A burn is an injury to the skin or other organic tissue primarily caused by heat or due to radiation, radioactivity, electricity, flames, or contact with chemicals. There are three phases of burns:

  1. First-degree burns affect the outer layer of the skin. They cause pain, redness, and swelling.
  2. Second-degree burns affect the outer as well as the underlying skin. They cause pain, redness, swelling, and blistering. 
  3. Third-degree burns or full-thickness burns affect the deep layers of skin. 

Treating these burns depends on the severity of the burn. Deep burns need immediate medical attention. It is important to determine what type of burn the injured person has before giving first aid. Serious burns need medical care right away.