There are many old wives’ tales that are passed down generations about what to do when certain medical incidents occur but many of these are myths and are not what you should do in the situation. In our first aid courses, we come across many of these common misconceptions and we try to set as many of these straight as possible so that people are armed with the correct knowledge to handle the situation and can treat the medical incident in the best possible way.
These are some of the most common misconceptions in first aid that we have come across:
Nose bleeds
Myth: Many people believe that tilting your head back when you have a nose bleed is the right thing to do but it isn’t.
Should do: Pinch the nose below the bony part for 10 minutes and tilt your head forward to prevent blood from running down your throat.
Treating burns
Myth: Put butter, toothpaste or ice on a burn. Butter or toothpaste would act as a barrier and prevent it from cooling. Ice can be too cold and can cause damage to the skin.
Should do: Use cold water or a cold compress on the burn to help cool it and once it has cooled down apply cream such as burn cream or Aloe Vera lotion to moisturise the wound. However, if the burn is severe you should seek medical advice.
Swallowing your tongue
Myth: Swallowing your tongue is a misconception in itself as it’s impossible, however, the tongue can block your airway if you are unconscious or have a fit. One old wives’ tale is putting a spoon in the mouth to prevent swallowing the tongue and to keep the airway clear. This is a dangerous piece of advice as it can increase the chance of injury and is unnecessary.
Should do: Put the person into the recovery position, place a soft support under the person’s head and try to not restrain the person’s movements if they are having a fit.
Putting your head between your knees
Myth: If you are feeling faint many people believe putting your head between your knees is the right thing to do but it isn’t as it can result in falling headfirst onto the floor.
Should do: Lie down and elevate the legs to allow the blood to flow to the brain.
Putting a dismembered body part on ice
Myth: This misconception has been increased by TV shows
Should do: Wrap a severed finger/toe or other body part in damp gauze and put it in a sealed bag and bandage the wound and take the body part with you to the hospital. A tooth can be placed in milk which is an old wives’ tale that works.
Paper bags
Myth: Using a paper bag for a panic attack is another misconception.
Should do: Better to reassure and calm the person instead.
If you recognise many of these misconceptions and feel like you need to brush up on your first aid skills, check out our range of courses.