The respiratory system is made up of the nose, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), bronchi (air passages) and alveoli.  The lungs are protected by the rib cage. Normal respiration depends on the...

In this first aid blog post we’ll look at some of the different terms used to describe seizures and what they mean.  Tonic – clonic seizure Tonic means stiffening.  Clonic means jerking. In these...

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training can help save lives by showing when the use of an AED is appropriate.  You may have heard that many bystanders save the lives of cardiac arrest victims using...

An infection of the fluid of a person’s spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain, meningitis is the result of a viral or bacterial infection. It is often referred to as spinal...

For increased knowledge and skills in the area of life support the American Heart Association ACLS is hard to beat.  The American Heart Association ACLS course is widely recognized as the leader in this...

All homes, cars, workplaces and areas where large numbers of people gather i.e. museums, shopping malls, courthouses etc should have properly stocked first aid kits. There are legal requirements covering what should be contained...

In this first aid blog post we’ll look at an uncommon, but important, cause of back pain – Ankylosing Spondylitis.  Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a painful, progressive, rheumatic disease. It mainly affects the spine...

What is Parkinson’s Disease? Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system that belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders.  Parkinson’s is the direct result of the...

Arthritis is a common medical condition affecting the joints. The two major subtypes of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). So what is the difference between them? The term ‘Arthritis’ means disease...

Hypothermia is a state of low body temperature. It is important for first aiders to be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of hypothermia. These depend on how cold the patient is. In...

Hypothermia is the lowering of core body temperature to 35°C (95°F) or below. This is an important medical emergency for first aiders and first responders to recognise.  Commonly encountered causes of hypothermia include: overwhelming...

A stroke is a medical emergency which occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted (either by a blood clot or bleed into the brain). Assessment of patients believed to be having...

A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, either by a blood clot blocking an artery or bleeding due to a burst blood vessel, and the brain cells are deprived...

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to relieve the pain, stiffness and inflammation of painful conditions affecting the muscles, bones and joints. Some first aiders may be trained to admininster NSAIDs such as Iburpofen...