World First Aid Day (10 September)
World First Aid Day (10 September)
Community pharmacies have traditionally sold first-aid and wound management products for many years. In celebration of World First Aid Day on the 10th of September we thought we’d discuss some First Aid advice from a pharmacist’s point of view. Living in Australia, it’s common to be outdoors. So, let us go an adventure from the perspective of going on a bush hike and how to use your trusty first-aid kit.
- You start the journey with a positive mindset, and you’re determined to reach the end destination! You’re enjoying the fresh air, being surrounded by nature, and confident you made a healthy choice to go on a hike. Walking along you feel a tug on your left shoulder. Wait what was that!? A Wait-A-While vine has latched onto your shirt. If the spines hook into your skin, it can be painful to disentangle yourself. Use tweezers to remove spines that are stuck then you can wipe the area with antiseptic and be on your way.
Try: Isocol Rubbing Alcohol - Walking further down the track you’ve come across a snake. G’day mate! In Australia snakes are commonly labeled as deadly creatures. Not all of them are and it’s pretty common to see the old tree snake. Simply leave it alone and it will probably leave you alone too. Tread lightly and calmly walk the other way. In the odd case you are bitten, stay calm. Not moving will slow down the spread of venom into the blood stream. Apply pressure to the area and use an immobilisation bandage (or pressure bandage) to cover the bite. Mark the area of the lesion to monitor the spreading of the wound. Do not wash, suck, or cut the bite as this could spread the venom or make it difficult for hospital staff to identify the culprit.
Try: Survival Snake Smart Pressure Bandage - Now that we’ve hopefully avoided the snakes, we’re back on track! You’ve noticed you’re surrounded by all different types of wildlife and an array of plant species. The wind is blowing in the long grass and lush foliage, when suddenly a swarm of mosquitoes comes out of nowhere! Mosquitoes enjoy feeding on plant nectar but also rely on blood to provide the necessary protein for laying their eggs. Some people have an allergic reaction to the mosquito saliva that they inject into your skin. Known as ‘Skeeter syndrome’, the skin swells, itches and sticks around longer than usual. Topical anti-itch creams or lotions can help sooth their bites.
Try: Itch Eze Plus Cream 50g - By now you’re probably thinking – what other creatures could I possibly run into? In Queensland, it’s common for bushwalks to be damp environments, whether it be through a rainforest or through farmlands near lakes. This means you may also encounter a few leeches or ticks. You can remove the leeches by applying some salt, salt water or vinegar to cause it to fall off. Use alcohol to loosen a tick and steadily pull it out with tweezers or applicators designed for removing ticks. Do not pull and yank these creatures as this may cause the skin to tear or make an ulceration prone to infection and scarring. Afterwards, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold pack if you have one.
Try this combo: Medi Freeze Tick Off and Medi Antiseptic 50g - Hopefully you haven’t let the bugs, bug you and you’re still on your way. It’s not all grim walking in the great outdoors. Being outside you’ll get to enjoy the warm sun on your skin. This will give you a good boost of vitamin D. Sunlight lowers your blood pressure and can help you manage stress. When exercising in the sun our bones are naturally supported by the UVB radiation which produces the synthesis of Vitamin D. This means you’ll be strengthening your muscles and bones twice as fast. But always, always, remember to wear sunscreen. Sunscreen doesn’t block the benefits of sunlight nor deflect your chances of getting a good tan, it simply protects your skin from dangerous UV rays which can cause premature skin aging and melanomas. If you do happen to get sunburnt, apply cooling products when you get back indoors.
Try: Ego Sun Sense Aftersun Gel 200g - You’ve finally conquered the hike and made it back alive. Feeling accomplished, laying back on the couch tired after your long journey - we totally get it! Don’t wait too long to have a warm shower to wash of any dirt, mud, sweat sunscreen, and mosquito repellent. It’s now time to inspect the damages. You may have a few scrapes, cuts, and bruises – it’s all part of the experience. They are your bragging rights to say, “look what I just did”. Before we get ahead of ourselves, make sure to clean the wound to prevent infection, because then we wont look too smug! Use a sterile gauze pad, soap, and water to clean debris from the wound. Apply a sterile bandage to deeper cuts where necessary. If you notice redness, pus or swelling to the injury its important to get advice, so come in store or visit your GP.
Try: Band-Aid Range
Final Note
Hiking is a super beneficial activity for your mental and physical health. Getting outdoors and being active are scientifically proven to improve your mood. Studies show peoples’ brain produce higher levels of serotonin which stabilises the chemicals in our body. A few scrapes, bites, and sunburn only a minor discretion. Think about the stories you can tell! Have fun out there and stay safe.
Fun Fact
The most common injury caused by contact of living things (bites, stings, insects, plants, animals) in Australia is open wounds. There were 25,000 hospitalisations between 2019 – 2020.
Source: Injury in Australia: Contact with living things - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (aihw.gov.au)