Understanding Common Medical Emergencies: Symptoms and First Aid
Understanding Common Medical Emergencies
URGENT ACTION: These situations pose no immediate risk of life.
Loss of Consciousness: This refers to a person’s inability to respond to external stimuli or their own mental processes. It resembles a state of deep sleep.
Coma: A coma indicates a serious underlying disorder. A person in a deep coma has a higher risk of mortality compared to someone in a shallow coma.
Situations That Can Cause Coma: Concussion, fainting, hypoglycemia, and myocardial infarction (heart attack).
Concussion
CONCUSSION: A concussion is a temporary disruption of brain function, usually caused by a head trauma. It can be transient or lasting.
If loss of consciousness lasts less than 20 seconds and the victim recovers within a few minutes, there are usually no lasting consequences. If the period of unconsciousness is longer, seek medical attention. If the person does not regain consciousness, call emergency services immediately.
Fainting
Fainting: Fainting is a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness due to a decrease in blood flow to the brain. If this lasts longer than 30 seconds, it is considered a loss of consciousness.
Orthostatic Hypotension: This occurs when you stand up too quickly and feel dizzy.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia is a reduction in blood glucose concentration below normal levels. Symptoms include feeling weak, pale, and sweaty. In severe cases, it can lead to confusion, aggressive behavior, or even coma.
Action: If the victim is conscious, give them a sugary drink. If their condition improves within 10 minutes, continue to monitor them. It is always best to consult a doctor.
Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
Myocardial Infarction: Cardiac arrest with loss of consciousness can occur. Other symptoms include intense chest pain that may radiate to other areas of the trunk or arms, accompanied by pallor, sweating, cyanosis, shallow breathing, and an irregular pulse.
Seizures
Seizures: Seizures are sudden, involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles.
There are two types:
- Clonic: Characterized by rhythmic jerking movements of the body and limbs.
- Tonic: Characterized by muscle spasms that cause rigidity in the affected area.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy: Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent tonic-clonic seizures and loss of consciousness.
Action:
- Gently guide the victim to the floor if possible.
- Remove any objects that could cause injury.
- Do not restrain their limbs forcefully.
- Place something soft between their teeth.
- Seek medical attention after the seizure.
Hyperventilation Attack
Hyperventilation Attack: A hyperventilation attack is a neurotic disorder characterized by attention-seeking behavior.
The person often acts dramatically to gain attention from others.
Injuries from the Cold
Injuries from the Cold: Cold injuries can occur even when the temperature is above freezing. Tolerance to low temperatures depends on environmental factors (temperature, humidity, wind speed, clothing) and personal factors (age, nutrition, body fat, fatigue, immobility, lack of oxygen).
Local Effects of Freezing (Frostbite)
LOCAL EFFECT freezing: Areas most susceptible to cold are the nose, fingers, and ears.
- First Degree Frostbite: Redness and tingling.
- Second Degree Frostbite: Cold, cyanotic (bluish) skin, edema (swelling), and blisters with intense pain.
- Third Degree Frostbite: Tissue necrosis with gangrene.
Actions:
- Warm the victim slowly.
- Look for signs of hypothermia.
- Change their clothes to dry ones.
- Bathe the affected area with lukewarm water.
- Give them warm liquids.
- Disinfect injuries without applying pressure; do not break blisters.
- Cover the affected area.
- Transport the victim to a hospital.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia: Hypothermia is a decrease in body temperature below physiological levels, which can be life-threatening.
The body initially responds with shivering to generate heat.
The risk of death increases when the pulse drops below 40 beats per minute, breathing is less than eight breaths per minute, and body temperature falls below 26°C (79°F), or 30°C (86°F) for an extended period.
Note: Immersion in very cold water can lead to death within an hour due to cooling. Do not massage the area with snow, apply direct heat to frozen parts, or rapidly warm the victim. Avoid giving alcohol or tobacco.