Learn how to build a first aid kit, hear from Hy-Vee’s chief medical officer and find solutions to the most common summer injuries.
outdoor
guide
first
aid
Q
&
A
Q:
How can people best protect themselves when outdoors?
Summer ailments are often skin related from too much sun or too many insect bites. Planning ahead to have plenty of sunscreen and bug repellent will help keep those exposures to a minimum.
A:
What about preventing injuries?
When the weather warms, we often head outside and jump back into physical activity, but most of us have taken the winter off, so it is important to start slowly and work into increasing levels of physical activity over several weeks.
How should people treat injuries?
Most mild injuries will get worse over a couple days and then start to improve. Mild muscle and joint injuries can be treated with ice and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine with great success. If there is significant pain that prevents you from using the muscle or joint, I would suggest seeing a health care provider.
Some injuries may require immediate medical attention, including:
1
Concussions can involve
life-threatening internal bleeding and swelling. Symptoms may include vomiting, severe headache, seizures, convulsions, slurred speech and confusion.
Head Injuries
These can be especially dangerous when the skin is broken.
Broken Bones
2
Get immediate help if bleeding is severe or blood is spurting out. Help is also needed for less-severe cases if 10 minutes of firm, steady pressure fails to stop bleeding.
Cuts
3
Serious burns involving multiple layers of skin need medical attention, especially if there is swelling and blistering.
Burns
4
Along with major trauma, minor injuries followed by bright, dark or cloudy areas of vision require medical attention.
Eye Injuries
5
Seek medical help for severe injuries or when there is numbness, loss of strength or motion, deformity or exposed bones or tendons.
Hand Injuries
6
AND HOW TO TREAT THEM
SUNBURN
3
cool water, baking soda, aloe vera lotion/gel, corticosteroid cream.
Treatment:
Take a cool bath with added baking soda. Apply aloe vera lotion/gel. If skin starts to peel and feel itchy, apply a corticosteroid cream.
What you need:
Poison Ivy/oak
2
poison ivy scrub or wash, anti-itch cream.
Treatment:
Remove oils with poison ivy scrub or wash; apply anti-itch cream or lotion.
What you need:
Common
10
scrape
1
soap or cleanser, water, cotton ball, ointment, bandage (or gauze and medical tape for larger scrapes).
Treatment:
What you need:
Gently clean scrape with soap and water, then dab dry with a cotton ball.
step 1:
Apply an antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist.
step 2:
Cover with bandage or gauze held by medical tape. Change the dressing daily.
step 3:
10
Injuries
Shop Now
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
With Hy-Vee’s Chief Medical Officer,
Dr. Daniel Fick
WHEN TO GET HELP
First Aid Kit
Be prepared for the scrapes and stings of summer with these products from Hy-Vee.
Shop Now
Shop Now
Motion
SHARE
Motion
Aloe vera lotion for sunburn.
Adhesive bandages in various sizes.
Antibiotic ointment to treat
minor wounds.
Anti-itch cream or gel.
Antiseptic wipes or isopropyl alcohol.
Aspirin in 325 mg dose.
Butterfly bandages to hold edges of a cut together while it heals.
Compress dressings to absorb fluid from wound.
Cotton balls or cotton swabs to apply antiseptic.
Elastic bandage to wrap sprains.
Gauze rolls and sterile gauze pads.
Hydrogen peroxide or
povidone-iodine to disinfect superficial cuts and scrapes.
Medical tape, 1-inch-width, and blunt-tip scissors.
Sterile saline to flush wounds.
• Aloe vera lotion for sunburn.
• Adhesive bandages in various sizes.
• Antibiotic ointment to treat minor wounds.
• Anti-itch cream or gel.
• Antiseptic wipes or isopropyl alcohol.
• Aspirin in 325 mg dose.
• Butterfly bandages to hold edges of a cut
together while it heals.
• Compress dressings to absorb fluid from wound.
• Cotton balls or cotton swabs to apply antiseptic.
• Elastic bandage to wrap sprains.
• Gauze rolls and sterile gauze pads.
• Hydrogen peroxide or povidone-iodine
to disinfect superficial cuts and scrapes.
• Medical tape, 1-inch-width, and blunt-tip scissors.
• Sterile saline to flush wounds.