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Emergencies and First Aid - Heimlich Maneuver on an Adult

Heimlich Maneuver on an Adult



If the person is sitting or standing, stand behind him or her. Form a fist with one hand and place your fist, thumb side in, just below the person'’s rib cage in the front. Grab your fist with your other hand. Keeping your arms off the person’'s rib cage, give four quick inward and upward thrusts. You may have to repeat this several times until the obstructing object is coughed out.If the person is lying down or unconscious, straddle him or her and place the heel of your hand just above the waistline. Place your other hand on top of this hand. Keeping your elbows straight, give four quick upward thrusts. You may have to repeat this procedure several times until the obstructing object is coughed out.
 
 

Emergencies and First Aid - Heimlich Maneuver on a Child

Heimlich Maneuver on a Child

Stand behind the child. With your arms around his or her waist, form a fist with one hand and place it, thumb side in, between the ribs and waistline. Grab your fist with your other hand. Keeping your arms off the child's rib cage, give four quick inward and upward thrusts. You may have to repeat this several times until the obstructing object is coughed out.
 
 

Emergencies and First Aid - Heimlich Maneuver on an Infant

Heimlich Maneuver on an Infant


1 Place the infant face down across your forearm (resting your forearm on your leg) and support the infant'’s head with your hand. Give four forceful blows to the back with the heel of your hand. You may have to repeat this several times until the obstructing object is coughed out.2 If this does not work, turn the baby over. With two fingers one finger width below an imaginary line connecting the nipples, give four forceful thrusts to the chest to a depth of 1 inch. You may have to repeat this several times until the obstructing object is coughed out.
 
 

Emergencies and First Aid - Bleeding

Bleeding

While a minor cut will eventually stop bleeding, a severe injury may require elevation and direct pressure on the wound. The goals of first-aid treatment are to control bleeding and prevent infection. If disposable surgical gloves are readily available, use them.

 

Butterfly Bandages

 

Direct Pressure for Bleeding and Pressure Points for Bleeding

 

How to Stop a Nosebleed

 
 

Emergencies and First Aid - Birth of the Placenta

Birth of the Placenta

The placenta, which has provided the fetus with nourishment, is attached to the umbilical cord and is delivered about 20 minutes after the baby. Do not pull on the cord; delivery of the placenta occurs on its own. You can help by gently massaging the woman’s lower abdomen. The uterus will feel like a hard round mass.

Massaging the abdomen helps the uterus contract, which also helps stop bleeding. After the placenta is delivered, place it in a plastic bag to take with the woman and baby to the hospital. It is normal for more bleeding to occur after delivery of the placenta. Continue gently massaging the woman’s lower abdomen.

Emergencies and First Aid - Butterfly Bandage

Butterfly Bandage

 

Standard bandages come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The butterfly bandage shown here is used to hold together the edges of a cut.
 
 

Emergencies and First Aid - Direct Pressure to Stop Bleeding

Direct Pressure to Stop Bleeding

A wound that is deep, bleeding heavily, or has blood spurting from it (caused by bleeding from an artery), may not clot and may not stop bleeding.

Immediate care
Call out for someone to get help, or call 911 yourself. Elevate the wound and apply direct pressure.

When You Visit Your Doctor - Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or Enlarged Prostate

Questions to Discuss With Your Doctor:

  • Over the past month, how often have you had a sensation of not emptying your bladder completely after you finished urinating?
  • Over the past month, how often have you had to urinate again less than two hours after you finished urinating?
  • Over the past month, how often have you found you stopped and started again several times when you urinated?
  • Over the past month, how often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?
  • Over the past month, how often have you had a weak urinary stream?
  • Over the past month, how often have you had to push or strain to begin urination?
  • Over the past month, how many times did you most typically get up to urinate from the time you went to bed at night until the time you got up in the morning?
  • If you were to spend the rest of your life with your urinary condition just the way it is now, how would you feel about that?
  • Have you had blood in your urine, or urinary tract infections?
  • Have you ever had surgery on your prostate, bladder, or kidneys?
  • Do you have gastrointestinal problems such as diverticulitis or constipation?
  • Do you have diabetes?
  • Does anyone in your family have diabetes?
  • Have you been unusually thirsty or had unintentional weight loss?
  • Have you ever had a stroke or nervous system disease?
  • Have you ever had a back injury or back surgery?
  • What medications are you taking (prescription and over-the-counter)?
  • What do you know about medical and surgical treatment options used in the treatment of benign prostatic enlargement?
  • Do you know the side effects that can occur with medications?
  • Do you know the complications associated with surgery?
  • Do you know how much benefit you can expect from each type of treatment?
  • Do you know the risks of waiting, and doing nothing at all?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

  • Abdominal examination
  • Neurological examination
  • Digital rectal examination
  • Genital examination

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Test or Studies:

  • Urinalysis (for glucose, red blood cells, white blood cells, and bacteria)
  • Blood tests (for kidney function and prostate-specific antigen or PSA)
  • Cystoscopy
  • Ultrasound of the bladder after you urinate (post void residual)
  • Ultrasound of the kidneys
  • Pelvic CT scan
 

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