First Aid

no. black mold is dead.

You can, but the swollen glands indicate you're fighting off an infection -- maybe the tooth; maybe not; maybe more than one. So you risk infecting your travel mates. If you're running a fever, this is more likely to happen. Also, if the infection travels to your sinuses, Eustachian tubes, or the inner ear, you'll have a most unpleasant time, in that mucous can block tubes that equalize pressure between, say, your sinuses or other enclosed air spaces, and ambient pressure. If you can avoid this air travel until you're well, that would be my suggestion, for you and for others. But from what you've told me it's unlikely to be fatal -- just painful at worst, and miserable at best.

Is the blood real dark? It's possible for that type of wound to break blood vessels internally -- under the skin -- and encapsulate the blood inside. When this happens, eventually the encapsulation breaks and you get bleeding. I'd have to look more to be more certain, but this isn't a surprising turn of events.

First, don't ever take anything that might be in concentrate form without knowing the dilution. First, try rinsing out several times a day with warm salt water (2 tsp salt in 1c tap water). Swish and gargle, Swish and gargle, Swish and gargle, then spit it out -- don't swallow it. Do this for a few days. If it doesn't improve get it looked at. During this time, avoid acidy foods. And just as an odd idea, if you don't have a milk allergy, try swishing about a shotglass of milk around in your mouth, then spitting it out. If you want the chemistry for this idea, let me know.

Call a doctor!!!

A doctors got nothing to do with that!

COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. :)

That's done so that all the processes in the hand are immobilized during the time required for healing. Tug on a tendon in your forearm, and I move your hand up and down. Full arm casts help to prevent that accidental motion.

These symptoms apply to a myriad of conditions, most mild, some critical. You'll have to decide when it's serious enough to call for medical help. That said, there are lots of non-critical conditions that can be treated or wioll resolve themselves without requiring a doctor. The first places I'd look for an answer are: * Medication. Are you taking pain meds, particularly opiates or opioids? These produce both of those symptoms. If so, talk to your doc about a mild laxative and perhaps an anti-emetic. * Diet. Have you changed your diet? Consider adding in fruits, and possibly an over-the-counter laxative in mild dosages. * Dehydration. Buy a sports drink (not the Energy! drinks -- the rehydrating ones) and see if this helps. If this persists for more than 2-3 days, or gets worse (e.g. progresses to vomiting for one), see a doc.

Rinse your eyes instantly with fresh water, and continue flushing for a few minutes. Read the caution on the box. Consider heading for an ER. Detergent burns are painful (as you no doubt already know), and can damage the eye.

There are two ways this will heal: It'll either slip back into the fascia on its own, at which time you'll need to take some time off to let it heal, as the risk of recurrance is very high at first, or this can be handled surgically. It's a very minor process. I'd look for a really good Sports Medicine clinical myself. For the at-home side, cold-packs to bring the swelling down; hotpacks the next week to increase circulation. From the way you describe it, the lump under your nipple sounds like part of the hernia, but there's no way to be 100% certain without looking. This is a question for your doc. Again, bear in mind, this injury often hsa a good prognosis.

The lingering queasy feeling, if it's not making you throw up more, is your body's way of slowing you down so you can fight off the attack. The attack is usually a toxin produced by a micro-organism that thinks the fruit juice is just as nutritious as you think it is. The toxins produced are myriad and have a variety of effects, but the most common one you're experiencing now. Eat foods that are easy on the stomach for a few days. Drink plenty of fluids. Keep an eye out for electrolyte balance (you can eat bananas for this, drink fruit juice (yeah -- I know), or my favorite: Sports drinks like Gator-Aid or Pedia-Lyte. Pepto-bismol-like remedies also help. If you can't keep anything down at all for more than 24 hours, time to talk to your doc, as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance can get serious. Otherwise, sleep today and let that queasy feeling do what it's intended to do: make you rest ;}

I can't give you a specific answer in that to do so would require the area of contact, size and weight of the cheeknone, etc., so this is more of a pathology question than first aid. I can say that a crushed cheek bone typically will not result from falling down while walking, and is more frequently seen in high velocity traumas (motor vehicle accidents, falls from more than 6' or even 10'), assault with a weapon (although it can be done with hands, it's highily unusual), or other serious crush injuries. It's a serious enough kinetic impact injury that I'd expect it to be accompanied by whiplash and cervical damage.

There is no exact answer to this question, as there have -- surprisingly -- been cases where 100% of the Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) was in fact burned, and the patient recovered, though if course this is an uncommon result. Burns over 30% BSA are, to my thinking very serious. The reason lies in the way a burn "works". We tend to think of burns as 2-dimensional, but of course they're 3-dimensional. The surface of the burn can dump a lot of the body's water to the outside through evaporation, in cases where the epidermis is interrupted. This is especially dangerous in that, in burns at 30% BSA or more, changes in hematological factors cause edema and restrictions in blood flow in non-burned areas proximal to the actual burn. In the 48 hours post trauma, the severe burn patient suffers from frequently hypovolemia (resultant partially from dehydration through the burned surface), hypoproteinemia, and hemoconcentration (the blood thickens). This syndrome characterically will interfere with proper cardiovascular function throughout the body and, if this process is not interrupted (with hydration -- RL is recommended), Burn Shock is emminent. So the question is not soley percent of burns / TBSA, but also how promptly remediation arrives. If I had to pick a number, I'd say that I start worrying about mortality at 25-30% and become deeply concerned at 60%+, but I need to stress that this is completely dependent on efficacy and promptness of treatment, both at the first-responder and clinical levels.

of coarse if you dont clean it right, or if bacteria got in it,

Yes it is. As scars form, if you dont masssage them, they can harden up, and that hard tissue doesn't flex as well as your regular tissue. There are some terriffic scar alleviating ointments now, available from your doctor and also from Clinque (a cosmetic company created by dermatologists). Those, applied as per instructions, coupled with massage, may help. In extreme cases, plastic surgery can also help.

Simply mix your epsom salts with a small amount of water - a little at first -- and stir until it becomes a paste. You can apply it directly, or as part of a poultice.

I would definitely see a doctor right away! They only ones who can really help you and give you medicine for the reaction to the cherries! Answer edited by Mark UK ----> The answer to this question lies in how serious the reaction is. A lot of people have allergies or intolerances to one thing of another. If this is a mild reaction then the item should be avoided, however there is a more serious condition in which the item you are allergic to could be life threatening. In seriously allergic reactions it is possible to go into anaphylactic shock. What are the symptoms? The initial reaction is swelling and itching of the area the allergen has entered. So food initially causes swelling and itching of the mouth and throat, while a wasp sting will cause intense itching and swelling around the sting. A generalised reaction rapidly follows within minutes and a raised itchy rash spreads over the whole body. The face and soft tissues begin to swell and breathing becomes difficult as the throat closes. The person becomes very agitated - people describe a 'feeling of impending doom' - and their blood pressure begins to drop. At this point the victim collapses and loses consciousness. Anaphylaxis in adults tend to affect blood circulation, with loss of pressure and shock. Children tend to develop wheezing and fatal airway obstruction. Food-allergic children with coexistent asthma have a higher anaphylaxis risk. In anaphylaxis, the symptoms develop within a few minutes of contact with the allergen, so immediate treatment is essential. What's the treatment? Anaphylaxis requires emergency treatment because the symptoms of respiratory obstruction and shock develop so quickly. An injection of adrenaline must be given to raise blood pressure, relieve breathing difficulties and reduce swelling. As long as this is done promptly, people normally recover quickly, but anyone who's had anaphylaxis should go to hospital for observation regardless. They may need further treatment - such as antihistamines, corticosteroids and, occasionally, oxygen and intravenous therapy - when the adrenaline wears off. What precautions should I take? If you've ever had anaphylaxis you must be referred to an allergy clinic for full assessment and to identify the cause of the reaction. If you or someone you know is prone to anaphylaxis, the following precautions should be taken to prevent future anaphylactic reactions: * Have your own preloaded adrenaline auto-injector * Carry your medicines with you at all times and make sure you're familiar with how to use them * Inform other people at home, work or college about your allergy and where you keep your medicines and how they're used * Make sure your medication is easily accessible and check its by date regularly * Wear a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace to inform emergency medical staff of your condition This information was taken from www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/allergies/allergicconditions_anaphylaxis.shtml

Water conducts heat better than air. Likewise, moist air also conducts heat better than dry air (as anyone who's been outside on a hot, humid day knows very well). That's the rationale. The reality is that, in the case of compresses, there's very little difference. The patient sweats. Don't waste money on special damp hotpacks. If you feel you need that, make your own with hot water and a washcloth. As always, be cautious with heat -- don't burn your patient.

That depends on how confident you are in yourself. If the bleeding has progressed to the point that it is causing severe pain, you can clean the area as best as possible, heat a pin until it is red hot, and touch to the nail over the blood. It will burn through rather quickly, creating a path for the blood to exit from under the nail. I would caution you however, to do this only if you have no other choice. The best bet is to get to the Dr.'s office and let THEM do it!

The doses you describe would most likely not be harmful. However, the combination is dangerous in higher doses (for instance if the child drinks it). I think you're okay this time.

The Recovery Position, or Lateral Recombant. Care should be taken when placing the patient in this position that no spinal injuries are suspected, and that the airway is open.

Also check the modified Haines position, which creates less torsion on the spine.

See links.

First Aid is important in a kitchen for a number of reasons:

* A kitchen is loaded with dangerous equipment - knives, slicers, ovens, grills, fryers, etc. * A kitchen can have unsafe conditions - heat, slippery floors, limited space, etc.

* A kitchen is usually a very active area of limited with people working in a very focused manner at high speed. So a kitchen could have injuries of varying degrees, including: slips and falls, cuts and bruises, dismemberment, burns, and even heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

Urushiol oil, the active ingredient in Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac (and oddly, in mango skin), works by inducing an allergic reaction. The problem is, it's extremely hard to counter. The existence Urushiol oil in nature was clearly a mechanism to repel animals and to do so not instantly, as with the cactus, by by making susceptible animals aware of the plant's subtle coloration. For this to work, the toxin in question has to work really well, and not have many antagonists. And so it is with Urushiol oil. There are about 5,000 folk remedies, all with proponents and all without a lot of research. The medical community isn't doing too well on this either. Part of the reason is, once the response to the oil commenses (24 to 48 hours after exposure), it's already gone systemic. Contrary to popular misconception, you can't really spread the toxin from the site of the lesions (although you can from exposed clothing, where the oil is still on the surface). Occurance after the exposure site is likely from the systemicity of the allergy and not cross-contamination (although lots of folk remedy disagrees). So it's a difficult fix. Here are some medical ideas with a few folksy, safe tricks too: * There are a few preparations that can be applied before exposure that work -- sort of -- to prevent reaction. Check them out --- OTC meds. * The US Forest Service had some research going on in the 1970's about this that is rumored to have resulted in some pretty effective cream. The production was only allowed for a short time as FDA testing was very expensive. You might still find some of this old research on the net. Use with a grain of salt of course. * If you know you've been exposed before the rash appears, ASAP wash the area in water as hot as you can stand it safely, and soap. There are some soaps that specifically nuetralize Urushiol oil -- if you can get them, use them. Scrub gently with a washcloth, then throw the washcloth away or clean it super-thoroughly. * Keep the area super-clean, but dont scrub hard -- that skin is already in trouble. Mop up the seepage as it occurs, and throw the gauze away safely (I know I said it won't cross-contaminate -- but then who really knows?). * Ice packs seem to reduce the itching. * In super-bad cases, you can talk to your doctor about injectable or oral Prednisone. However, from personal experience, I can tell you that you have a mighty dose for this to help. As prednisone is a VERY powerful drug (the Physician's Desk Reference has four huge pages of tiny type about counterindications), you should only consider this if (a) you're REALLY itching horribly or (b) you've shown signs of a real anaphylactic reaction (swelling other than the site, breathing problems, etc.), at which point we leave the realm of first aid and haul you to a hospital. * Benadryl (diphenhydramine) seems ineffective in normal dosages, but you can try it as per the instructions on the box (it's available over the counter). * I've had no luck with any of the topical painkillers (benzocaine, xylocaine, etc.) myself. Some swear by alcohol rubs. This might work VERY soon after exposure (as Urushiol is not dissolvable in water but is in soaps and, to a lesser extent, alcohol), but for long term I doubt it'll out-perform soap and water. Some say baking soda will help. No studies on this but it sounds harmless, so you might want to try it. Naturally, the best answer is, Avoid exposure to this!

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The only way to really get it out is tweezers if it's small enough and not to deep.

The other option is time consuming and hurts sometimes. You massage the area surrounding the rock and eventually your skin will reject it on it's own. Be ready to do the last task of taking the rock fully out of your skin.

Good luck to you.