How to treat 8 common injuries at home
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Quick—what's the best way to treat a burn? Or a sliced finger? Or a bad blow to the head?
The immediate steps you take in an emergency—whether you're miles deep in the wilderness or just a few blocks from a hospital—can be crucial.
"If you're not prepared, you'll feel stressed, and stress leads to poor decisions," said Reggie Bennett, founder of the Mountain Shepherd Wilderness Survival School in Catawba, Va.
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But that doesn't mean you need to scour a medical text. Just focus now on learning what's most important. Here's our guide to treating 8 common injuries.
You tripped and rolled your ankle
Wear a compression wrap for the first three days. For a few hours a day, prop your ankle above your heart and ice it for 20 minutes in 40-minute intervals.
Warning: Rest is key. Hobble around and you risk further injuring a ligament.
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Seek help if walking is excruciating or your ankle is purple or puffy.
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You got clobbered in the head by a softball
Ice the area and watch for signs of a concussion: headache, blurry vision, irritability, memory issues, sleepiness and sensitivity to light and noise.
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Warning: Don't "shake it off." You're not out of the woods for a few hours.
Seek help if you vomit, pass out or just feel too dizzy to walk.
You sliced your hand open
Grab a clean towel and press hard on the wound for 5 to 10 minutes with your hand elevated. When the bleeding stops, hold your hand under running water. Then apply an antibiotic ointment or cream and a bandage.
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Warning: Don't peek! If you release pressure in the first five minutes, you should restart the clock.
Seek help if the bleeding doesn't stop, the wound is gaping or it's more than 1/2 inch long or spans a joint.
RELATED: 16 Summer Health Hazards and How to Avoid Them
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You burned yourself
Hold the injured skin under tepid water. Then dab on antibiotic cream and bandage loosely.
Warning: Ice may actually slow healing by reducing blood flow.
Seek help if the burn is larger than 2 centimeters or extends around a joint; the skin is broken or blackened or blisters immediately.
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You scraped your arm on a rusty bench
Clean the cut with soap and warm water. If you can't recall when you last had a tetanus shot (or it's been more than a decade), head to a clinic.
Warning: Skip hydrogen peroxide. It may do more damage to the skin.
Seek help if your arm grows warm or turns red.
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RELATED: 12 Reasons Why Dehydration Is Bad for Your Body
You have heat exhaustion
Have a headache, dizziness and nausea? Jump into a cool shower, or get in front of a fan or AC and hydrate.
Warning: Heat exhaustion can escalate to life-threatening heat stroke.
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Seek help if you faint, feel too nauseous to drink, stop sweating or develop a fever or rapid pulse.
You wiped out and your nose is bleeding
Tilt your head forward, pinch your nostrils and hold for 10 to 20 minutes.
Warning: Tipping your head back will get you a throatful of blood.
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Seek help if it doesn't stop after 20 minutes.
You got stung by a bee or wasp
Scrape away the stinger with a credit card and clean the area with soap and water. Dull the pain with ice and an NSAID.
Warning: Wasps can sting more than once, so get out of there!
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Seek help if you have trouble breathing or your tongue or throat swells.