Festive First Aid: Handling Common Holiday Accidents and Injuries

Festive First Aid: Handling Common Holiday Accidents and Injuries

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but accidents still happen and it can be stressful managing common holiday accidents and injuries if you haven’t prepared in advance. Understanding the potential first aid situations that may arise and having the equipment to deal with them is a great way to put your mind at ease so that you can relax and enjoy the festive season.

If you haven’t done a first aid course, this can be an excellent option to boost your confidence in dealing with family health emergencies. The most common first aid situations you are likely to encounter are wounds, burns, nosebleeds, choking and muscle injuries, such as fractures, strains and sprains. Knowing what to do in these situations can stop you from panicking and help you to make the right decisions, including getting medical assistance when necessary. Medical professionals will be available throughout the festive season but services often vary so it’s worth making a list of your local services and their opening hours to ensure that you always know where to go for help in an emergency situation.

First Aid Basics: Common accidents and injuries

Would you feel confident handling the basic first-aid emergencies mentioned above? A bit of knowledge can stop you from panicking and help you deal with situations quickly and efficiently. Here are our top tips for handling first-aid situations:

1. Wounds and cuts. Wounds and cuts are some of the most common injuries in the home, and they are not usually difficult to deal with. They may occur in the kitchen, during food preparation, or as a result of a fall or trip. The first step is to check the wound and see how deep it is, as deep or large wounds should be treated by a medical professional. If it is a minor wound, you should clean the area with an antiseptic solution, alcohol wipes or saline, and then allow it to dry before you apply a plaster or wound dressing. This should be replaced regularly, and you should try to avoid touching the wound to give it time to heal.

1. Burns. A minor burn should be held under running water for several minutes, until it stops hurting and feels cool to the touch, and should be returned to the water if it becomes painful again. If you or a family member gets a burn that is large or deep, you should consult a medical professional immediately to ensure there is no risk of nerve damage. Do not apply cream or gel to a burn until it has cooled completely, as the burn may penetrate further into the skin and there is a risk of causing further damage.

1. Nosebleeds. If you or someone you are with experiences a nosebleed, the patient should sit down, preferably at a table, lean forward and pinch the nose firmly. Ensure you pinch the nose just above the nostrils for at least ten minutes. It is important to stay calm and breathe through the mouth, spitting out any blood that collects in the mouth rather than swallowing it. If you have recurrent nosebleeds or a nosebleed that will not stop, you may need to visit a doctor for treatment or further investigation.

1. Choking. If an adult or child chokes, you will need to act quickly. If a person is coughing, they are not being deprived of air and this is not choking. Choking is often silent and can look like gasping for air. Encourage the person to cough to try to remove the blockage, and if this is not possible, you should administer five strong back blows to try to dislodge the blockage, speaking calmly to the patient. If the choking continues, you may try abdominal thrusts, but this procedure can cause internal damage so is a last resort and medical treatment must be sought afterwards. If the problem is still not resolved, check the mouth in case the blockage can be seen. At this stage, you should call the emergency services and repeat the actions you have already attempted.

1. Injuries to muscles and joints. If you or a loved one has experienced an injury to a muscle or a joint, it is important to assess the damage quickly. If you suspect that the injury involves a broken or fractured bone, you will need to visit a local medical facility or call for emergency assistance. If the injury is a strain or a sprain, you can treat it with rest, ice, compression and elevation, using an ice pack to cool the area and a support bandage to protect the joint and the muscles around it. Keeping the limb elevated wherever possible will encourage blood flow to the area and promote healing.

If you or a loved one experience chest pain or have difficulty breathing, you should call the emergency services immediately and seek medical assistance. You may be advised to find your nearest defibrillator and follow the instructions to administer life-saving treatment before medical professionals arrive.

Essentials for your festive first aid kit

Packing a first aid kit for your home is always a good idea, and it’s especially important during the holiday season when pharmacy opening hours may be restricted and it’s not always easy to access medical services. We recommend having a first aid kit in your home and a smaller one in your car or your bag for managing accidents when you’re out and about. Check these regularly to ensure that you are not missing any essentials, and update them when needed. We suggest including the following:

• Alcohol wipes. Alcohol wipes are essential for cleaning wounds and infected areas, especially before applying plasters or dressings, and they come in hygienic single-use packages for convenient usage. Make sure you have plenty in your home first aid kit, as well as your car or handbag kit, and stock up before the holiday season to avoid running out when you need them most!

• Biofreeze Spray. When you have a sporting injury, arthritis or muscle strain, Biofreeze spray is a great option to quickly penetrate the injured area and prevent or relieve pain through cold therapy. This can be a lifesaver during the festive season when you cannot easily get to a local minor injuries unit or make an appointment with your doctor, and a regular spray will keep you going until you can get the problem sorted or until your injury resolves.

• Burn dressing. Burns are very common injuries, especially when open fires and woodturners are in use a lot and you are doing a lot of cooking. Medicare burn dressings include a sterile burn dressing and a bandage to keep it in place, and we recommend having several of these in your first aid kit. Large or deep burns should not be treated at home and medical assistance should be sought immediately.

• Fabric plasters. Fabric plasters are a staple in any first aid kit, and you’re bound to need them at some point during the festive season, especially if there will be children at your family gatherings. Medicare Fabric Plasters are comfortable and hypoallergenic and come in several sizes, and they’re suitable for all skin types. Ensure that you clean wounds carefully before you apply a plaster so that dirt and bacteria do not get sealed into the wound and cause an infection.

• Ice pack. Many injuries benefit from immediate treatment with ice, and an instant cold pack can be a convenient and easy way to manage this. The Medicare Instant Ice Pack kit gives you ten ice packs so you can treat yourself or your loved ones if injuries occur during the holiday season. Remember to elevate an injured limb while you apply ice as this encourages blood flow, which is essential to the healing process.

• Support bandages. If you have an injury or strain in an area such as the elbow, knee or ankle, a support bandage can make a big difference. The PharmaCare Elastic Tubular Support comes in various sizes and provides targeted compression and support for the joints and muscles as they heal. It’s made from elastic, breathable fabric which moves with the body and keeps the injured area stable to enable recovery and prevent your injury from worsening.

Stock up your first aid kit this winter

Find all your first aid kit essentials for the holiday season at Gray’s Pharmacy. You can order online for easy, discreet delivery to your door, or visit our friendly store to choose the products you need and speak with our experienced pharmacists. We also have an excellent range of skincare, hair care and pampering products available, so you can do your Christmas shopping with us, too!

We offer online prescription services, online doctor feedback, online shopping and delivery options, as well as face-to-face services. Browse our online store or visit our Irish independently-owned community Pharmacy in Castletroy, Limerick, where we’ll be delighted to help you stock your first aid kit for the festive season or any time of the year. We wish you a very happy – and healthy – Christmas!