OVERVIEW

What are the common injuries requiring first aid?

• Head and facial injuries: Such as scalp lacerations, skull fractures, cerebral hemorrhage, eye injuries, etc.;
• Neck injuries: Such as penetrating neck wounds, cervical spine injuries, etc.;
• Chest injuries: Such as clavicle fractures, rib fractures, hemothorax, pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, etc.;
• Abdominal injuries: Such as splenic rupture, liver rupture, intestinal rupture, pancreatic injury, etc.;
• Rectal and urinary system injuries: Such as rectal perforation, urethral injury, straddle injury, etc.;
• Musculoskeletal injuries: Such as pelvic fractures, open fractures, compartment syndrome, etc.

What are the types of poisoning?

Poisoning can be classified into:

• Drug poisoning, such as analgesics, sedatives, antipsychotics, etc.;
• Pesticide poisoning, such as organophosphates, paraquat, etc.;
• Toxic gas poisoning, such as carbon monoxide;
• Organic solvent poisoning, such as gasoline, benzene;
• Metal poisoning, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.;
• Strong acid and alkali poisoning;
• Acute alcohol poisoning;
• Animal poisoning, such as snake bites, tetrodotoxin, etc.;
• Plant poisoning, such as poisonous mushrooms, ginkgo seeds, etc.

SYMPTOMS

What serious consequences can result from injury or poisoning?

Depending on the location and type of injury or poisoning, there may be different symptoms and corresponding consequences.

• Poisoning from various causes may lead to impaired consciousness, liver or kidney failure, coagulation disorders, malignant arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, etc.;
• Spinal fractures may result in paraplegia;
• Brain hemorrhage may cause limb paralysis, coma, brain herniation, respiratory or cardiac arrest, or even death;
• Spleen rupture may lead to hemorrhagic shock, coma, or even death.
  In general, if injuries and poisoning are not treated promptly and effectively, they may cause mild consequences such as pain, bleeding, and impaired organ function, or severe outcomes like shock, paraplegia, respiratory or cardiac arrest, or even death.

What are the common manifestations of internal bleeding caused by injury?

Common manifestations of traumatic internal bleeding include pain, abdominal distension, abdominal tenderness with rebound pain, muscle rigidity, increased heart rate with decreased blood pressure, lethargy, or even coma.

CAUSES

See details for each disease.

DIAGNOSIS

What to Do When the Injured Cannot Describe Their Condition?

For patients with different injuries or poisoning, witnesses or family members should provide as much useful information as possible to assist in diagnosis and treatment.

• For poisoning cases, bystanders or family members should provide relevant details to identify the cause, including:
  The type of drugs or toxins the patient may have ingested or inhaled (if possible, provide photos or samples for doctors to assess), the possible dosage, time of poisoning, and whether there were medication bottles or suicide notes at the scene.
  Also provide the patient’s medical history, medication use, surgical history, allergies, and especially any history of consuming herbal medicines or health supplements.
• For trauma patients (e.g., car accidents), witnesses should provide details about the incident, including:
  The type and speed of the vehicle, whether it overturned, the patient’s position in the vehicle, seatbelt usage, the extent of vehicle damage, fatalities at the scene, and the patient’s condition during the accident (e.g., loss of consciousness, involuntary movement).

TREATMENT

How Should Ordinary People Correctly Dial Emergency Numbers?

First, remain calm and ensure the environment is safe (e.g., remove the victim from hazards like electric shocks or drowning). Assess whether the patient's condition requires an emergency call. If the patient has severe bleeding, open wounds, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, or no heartbeat/respiration, immediately call 120.

Provide the dispatcher with your exact location, the nature and severity of the injury, and the number of people needing rescue. Follow the dispatcher's instructions to perform力所能及的 first aid measures.

Keep the phone line open throughout the process.

How to Perform First Aid? What General Steps Should Be Followed?

1. Ensure the rescue environment is safe. For example, remove victims from hazards like electric shocks or drowning, or move车祸 victims away from traffic to avoid secondary injuries.
2. Check for consciousness by tapping the patient’s shoulders and shouting in their ear, "Are you okay?"
3. Assess for heartbeat and breathing by observing chest movement and checking the carotid pulse.
4. If the patient is unresponsive, not breathing, or only gasping, recognize it as cardiac arrest and immediately begin high-quality CPR.
5. High-quality CPR includes: placing the patient on a hard surface, positioning the heel of one hand on the center of the chest (lower half of the sternum), stacking the other hand on top, and using body weight to compress the chest at a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute. Each compression should be at least 5 cm deep (but no more than 6 cm), allowing full chest recoil between compressions, and minimizing interruptions.
6. Seek help as soon as possible, including calling emergency services and locating an AED. If alone, focus on high-quality chest compressions.
7. If possible, provide rescue breaths: tilt the head back to open the airway, pinch the nose, and give two breaths after every 30 compressions. Each breath should last no more than 1 second, with just enough air to make the chest rise.
8. If an AED is available, follow its instructions to attach it to the patient. The device will assess whether a shock is needed. Resume CPR immediately after a shock.
9. Repeat these steps until the patient regains a heartbeat/breathing or professional help arrives. In mass casualty incidents (e.g., multi-vehicle accidents), prioritize calling emergency services and enlist bystanders to help triage patients. Focus on distinguishing life-threatening cases from minor injuries.

• Conscious or loudly呼救 patients are usually stable and can wait for help.
• Quiet patients often indicate severe injuries and may require immediate CPR.

How Can Untrained Rescuers Protect Themselves When Unsure If the Victim Has an Infectious Disease?

Most infectious diseases (e.g., HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis) spread via blood. When assisting victims with unknown medical histories, self-protection is critical.

The best practice is wearing latex or nitrile gloves and disposable protective clothing, but these are often unavailable outside hospitals. Alternatives like plastic bags or food wrap can be used.

If exposed to blood, wash hands immediately with soap and running water or use alcohol/chlorhexidine-based sanitizers.

Exposure to urine or saliva carries lower risks, but rescuers with open wounds should still disinfect the area and consult a doctor about further preventive measures.

DIET & LIFESTYLE

What items should be included in a first aid kit?

• Various medical tools and supplies: thermometer, latex gloves, bandages and surgical dressings of different sizes, sterile cotton balls/swabs, iodine disinfectant, scissors, tweezers, ice packs, etc.
• Common medications: cold medicine (Tylenol, etc.), pain relievers/fever reducers (ibuprofen, Saridon, etc.), antihistamines (Claritin, mizolastine, etc.), gastrointestinal drugs (Gaviscon, omeprazole, Smecta, polyethylene glycol powder, etc.), cardiovascular medications (aspirin, etc., consult a doctor before use).
• Family members' health insurance cards and medical records.

PREVENTION

See details for each disease.