Category: First aid blog

Meningitis is caused by inflammation of the meninges which are the protective layers of the brain. It is caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. Viral meningitis is rarely contagious and is usually...

Diabetes is a disease resulting in high blood sugar levels in the body. It is due to a problem with the body’s production or response to insulin. Insulin is the hormone which controls the level of...

A normal temperature ranges from 36 to 37 degrees Celsius. A fever may indicate an infection or an illness. People often use a thermometer to measure their body temperature at home when feeling ill....

A heart attack is caused by a sudden obstruction of the blood supply to a section of heart muscle. It is usually caused by a blood clot (thrombus), which leads to a blockage in...

Angina is characterised by chest pain, which comes on with exercise or emotion and is relieved by rest. It is caused by narrowing of the coronary artery network, such that when the heart muscle is...

A fracture (broken bone) is a common injury often caused by excessive force being applied to a bone. There are many different types of fractures and some are more serious than others. The first...

An open fracture occurs when a broken bone (fracture) causes a break in the skin. This is a serious injury and requires prompt first aid treatment. The two main risks from open fractures are infection...

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) needs to be maintained properly in order to keep the device in good working order. Ideally an AED should undergo monthly checks by a responsible person. Different models of...

When a patient becomes unconscious, hearing is often the last special sense to ‘go’. As a result, many people are taught on first aid courses to always talk to an unconscious patient as if they...

The recovery position is used to protect an unconscious person’s airway. It involves rolling the casualty onto their side with the head tilted back – but should it be the left or right side?...

Defibrillators are electrical devices used to help victims of a cardiac arrest. Many public places now have defibrillators but should you buy a home defibrillator? In this blog post, we discuss the pros and...

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a device used to deliver an electrical shock to a casualty in cardiac arrest. But how does an AED know when to deliver a shock to a casualty? Modern...

The most important person in first aid is yourself. A first aider can’t look after others to the best of their ability if they aren’t looking themselves. First aid for the first aider is...

The following steps should be taken when assessing an unconscious adult casualty. These actions may restore breathing or the casualty’s pulse. There are several mnemonics which can be used to help you remember these...