12 Life Hacks to Survive Emergency Situations 👩‍⚕️

When it comes to surviving an emergency situation, myths and old wives' tales can often lead you astray. While friends and family mean well, sometimes their advice can be more harmful than helpful. Here are 12 life hacks that challenge conventional wisdom, giving you the best steps to take during an emergency.

1. Dealing with a Foreign Object in the Eye 👁️

If there's something in your eye like a piece of glass, don't handle it yourself. Instead, have someone drive you to the hospital. If it's just an eyelash:

• Wash your hands before doing anything.
• Try to locate the eyelash by looking in a mirror.
• Blink to make your tears wash the eyelash out.
• Once the object is in the corner of your eye, take a wet piece of cloth and use it to remove the eyelash.

2. Applying Ointment to a Wound 🩹

Ointments contain unwanted moisture, which is a great environment for bacteria to reproduce quickly. The best course of action is:

• Clean the wound in cool water with soap.
• Put a dry bandage on it.

You’ll see that the wound will heal more quickly.

3. Rubbing a Person with a Fever with Alcohol or Vinegar 🍷

Alcohol and vinegar are absorbed into the blood, posing serious risks. Instead:

• Drink a lot of water, tea, and other non-alcoholic fluids.
• Cool the air in the room to a temperature of 61-64°F (16-18°C).
• If this doesn’t help, see a doctor.

4. Lifting Up an Unconscious Person 🚶‍♂️

Lifting a fainted person up can only make things worse. Instead:

• Lift their legs up.
• Unbutton any tight clothing.
• Don’t let them stand up immediately after regaining consciousness.
• Don’t give them coffee or energy drinks as caffeine can lead to dehydration.

5. Treating Burns with Butter or Sour Cream 🧈

Butter and sour cream only offer temporary pain relief due to their cold temperature. However, they dry the skin and disrupt thermal exchange, causing more damage. Instead:

• Hold your hand or affected area in cool water for 15 minutes.
• Leave any blisters intact to protect the wound from infection.

6. Setting a Bone on Your Own 🦴

Unless you’re a professional trauma surgeon, don't attempt to set a dislocated joint or fracture on your own. Instead:

• Immobilize the injured limb.
• Go to the hospital as soon as possible.
• Bandage the limb in a comfortable position, immobilizing not just the site of the possible fracture but also the two closest joints.

7. Applying Warmth to a Sprain 🌡️

Applying warmth to a sprain increases blood flow and worsens swelling. Instead:

• Apply cold to reduce inflammation and pain.
• Use the sprained limb as little as possible for at least the first 48 hours.

8. Making Yourself Vomit in Case of Poisoning ☣️

Inducing vomiting can be extremely dangerous, especially if the poison can enter the lungs or burn your throat. Instead:

• Call an ambulance immediately.

9. Rescuing a Drowning Person 🏊

If you can't swim, attempting a rescue could lead to more danger. If you are a capable swimmer:

• Approach the person from behind to avoid them seeing you and panicking.
• Grab them under the armpits or by the chin and move towards the shore, keeping their head at your belly.

10. Pulling Out Objects from Wounds 🔪

Removing objects from serious wounds can restart bleeding. Instead:

• Leave the object in place until you're under professional supervision.
• You can apply alcohol around the wound, but be prepared for significant pain.

11. Applying Ice to a Bruise ❄️

There’s nothing wrong with using ice, but do it right to avoid a cold burn. Instead:

• Use a cloth as a barrier between your skin and the ice.
• Apply ice for a maximum of 20 minutes at a time.
• Take a 90-minute break before reapplying ice.
• Don’t use ice if you don’t have a cloth—better a bruise than a cold burn.

Also, there’s no point in applying ice 48 hours after the injury.

12. Using Stitches to Close Cuts 🧵

Stitches are often necessary, but the procedure can be painful. For smaller wounds:

• Consider using skin glue, which is quicker and virtually painless.
• Wash the wound with cold water first.
• Stop the bleeding by pressing the wound.
• Close the edges of the wound and apply skin glue.

For larger wounds, it’s best to seek professional medical help. For a better experience visit our official blog portal

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