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First Aid/Questions Answered by Expert McEwen
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Deep Cut | 1/10/2012 |
| Q: this morning I cut my R index finger on a glass and it was extremely deep so I went to the hospital ... A: When you get a deep cut, it is not uncommon to feel throbbing on that limb. You have traumatized ... | |
| dog bites | 10/12/2011 |
| Q: my husband was biten more then once by 3 of our dogs they were fighting due to femal they all had ... A: Your husband MUST go to a doctor. If there is an infection, he needs medication to get rid of it. ... | |
| Injured heel? | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: I was hoping you could give me a bit of advice? Four weeks ago in tripped on the top stair in my ... A: You have sure had a rough month!!! Since this has gone on, I would go to your family doctor. He or ... | |
| Broken Finger | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: Ok...Around December 17th I was cleaning under my couch and I went to get up and my left middle ... A: I would go to your family doctor since it has been several weeks. Usually immediate swelling and ... | |
| Infection in bellybutton | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: i have noticed lately that my belly button has been extremely red and a bit tender but not swollen i ... A: I would suggest that you see your doctor. You can care for it at home but its difficult since the ... | |
| foot | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I fell 10 days ago. The right side of my right foot swelled. Now it is better but some parts of my ... A: Sorry for the delay in responding as I was away. When there is an injury it is not uncommon for the ... | |
| rusty buckle | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: My 3 year old sister, while she was getting out of our boat, cut her leg on a rusty buckle that ... A: You are being very responsible seeking help. You can wash the scratches. That is not a problem. I ... | |
| finger nail burn | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: i was lighting a smoke bomb for fourth of July and burnt my finger nail. i had never heard of ... A: Well, I must admit I have never heard of a burned fingernail either!!! You can leave your ... | |
| car accident | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: a week and a half ago i had an accident in my car i hit a lampost in wet weather i am now on the ... A: I am sorry to hear about your car accident. Wet weather is dangerous for driving. Yes, chest ... | |
| Deep wound | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: I fell on a piece of metal on Sunday night/Monday morning. You can see the attached pictures. The ... A: Sorry to hear about your terrible accident. It sounds like you are doing everything right. If you ... | |
| deep glass wound | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: i had to get into my apartment which meant putting my hand through a window, I sort of shoved it ... A: Unfortunately in this situation I cannot advise you to do anything other than go to the emergency. ... | |
| tip of finger cut off | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: My brother cut the top of his finger off while working on his dirt bike. Its about 1/2in off the ... A: It is too bad he wouldn't go to the hospital. Unfortunately, no the part will not grow back. As ... | |
| broken jaw | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: my grandson who is 8 years old got a fracture in is jaw. he has to wear a jaw bra, could you tell me ... A: You gave me quite a giggle. Its interesting how when relating to kids, its to get them to stop ... | |
| paramedics | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: when i was at school i had a seizure and passed out so they called 911 the paramedics came and i was ... A: I honestly do not know the reason. Paramedics are trained to do more advance medical support than ... | |
| Helping someone who has fallen | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: My husband has a form of muscular dystrophy which has affected his thigh muscles. If he trips or ... A: Alot of techniques can be used if 2 people are available to help. If you are alone, then you are ... | |
| Stepped on a nail | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: But my main question is what should I do??? I just had my tetnus shot like 3 days ago because I was ... A: I apologize for my delay in response to your email. I had company and wasn't able to get to the ... | |
| Deep finger cut | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: Its been bleeding for about 10 mins and i am not able to play consistent pressure to it or get him ... A: You followed the correct procedures. When dealing with an individual that is disabled it always ... | |
| Cracked rib | 1/27/2010 |
| Q: On November 6th last year I fell and cracked a rib,I visisted the hospital they told me to do ... A: Sorry to hear about your cracked rib.... I heard its extremely painful. I am not too sure if the ... | |
| Wood staining | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I decided to stain a single wood door with glass inserts the other day. It was in a basement. I am a ... A: I was very happy to hear that you opened the window. This is important when dealing with fumes. ... | |
| Head injury | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: I have a problem with my anger.[I'm 25 years old] Every time I feel out of control I hit my head. ... A: This is not a clear cut answer but I hope that it will give you some insight. Depending on the ... | |
| ER MD | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: i am hoping to become an ER MD when i am older and i was wondering how many years of college i would ... A: I suggest you check with your local recognized educational institution for accurate information as ... | |
| Gunshot Wound in Arm | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: Hey--I am yet another writer asking about gun-shot wounds, which I know nothing about. I have a ... A: I have placed the answers throughout your email beside your questions. I hope I didn't miss ... | |
| broken foot | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: Im doing ok generally i jus had a cast on for 1 week which they removed and replaced it with a ... A: If your foot is feeling warm and the other isnt, it is often just inflammation. If you see any ... | |
| use of thumb after stitches | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: i just cut my thumb to the bone on the inside of thumb between where my thumb starts and the knuckle ... A: I am sorry to hear about your injury. I hope you recover quickly. Regarding being immobilized, I ... | |
| ayuda | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: here in Venezuela there is 1967 law that says : " in the first aid kit is forbidden to have pills, ... A: I do not reside in Venezuela so I cannot give you my opinion based on their laws and regulations. ... | |
| cuts | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: i cut my index finger right at the last knuckle with a knife.its pretty deep. it bled for a while ... A: As with any wound, you want to keep it clean and free from infection. You can soak it in warm salt ... | |
| fingernail!!!!! help plzzz | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: erm i was on holiday about 3 weeks ago.... and i was wearin acrilic nails, i then hit my little ... A: Yes, your fingernail will grow back but it will take a long time (6-8 weeks depending on your speed ... | |
| Healing of wounds, and abrasions | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I recently suffered a shin wound by bumping into the coffee table, which was then complicated by a ... A: First and formost, I sincerely apologize for not responding sooner. I was unaware of your question ... | |
| Accidental cigarette burn to arm | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I am a non-smoker, but a couple of days ago I was out with friends at a nightclub and was burnt on ... A: Usually the treatment for burns would be simply using polysporin for burns and cover with a ... | |
| pancreatic cancer | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I am a novelist. I need to give a character a disease or condition that will kill him. I need him to ... A: This is out of my expertise, however, someone with pancreatic cancer usually isn't diagnosed until ... | |
| iodine tincture | 7/4/2009 |
| Q: I have recently cut myself and had placed iodine tincture 2% on my wound. Unfortunly the tip of the ... A: If I am understanding you correctly, some of the blood is in the iodine tincture bottle. I would ... | |
| Dealing With A Stab Wound | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: I am a First Aid Volunteer with St John Ambulance Brigade. I am aware that when we are dealing with ... A: Yes you are correct. The reason is conceptually the same as swalling poison that burns. Always ... | |
| fingernail | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: It seems as though i punctured my fingernail somehow. It's not bleeding and it didn't go through. ... A: If you are finding that your doctors treatment isn't working, you should let them know so they can ... | |
| DEEP DUT IN THE HAND ABOVE THE PALM | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: MY BOYFRIEND CUT HIS HAND WITH A SHEET METAL.. THE CUT IS DEEP AND WIDE. HE CANNOT STOP BLEEDING... ... A: Without seeing the wound it is a hard call as to whether or not there are any concerns; however, ... | |
| help please | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I am in charge of safety in 25 stores all around Venezuela and in all first aid kits there are ... A: Unfortunately I cannot comment as you are in Venezuela and the laws may be different than where I am ... | |
| please help! | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: my name is Emily and im 18 years old. Recently I've started cutting myself as a stress reliever. ... A: If you have the urge to hurt yourself, please go to the hospital and explain that you feel suicidal. ... | |
| please help! | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: my name is Emily and im 18 years old. Recently I've started cutting myself as a stress reliever. ... A: I understand your concern. It is very scary when you do things and you question if you can become ... | |
| Possible Concusion | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old cousin who hit her head very hard. shortly after she fell asleep should i wake ... A: The doctors should have provided you with that information as I am not sure if there is a specific ... | |
| swollen knuckle | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: good day, earlier today i was at the park with my son, and we we're running though some bushes ... A: On a first aid point of view, this type of injury would require the application of ice and this ... | |
| Cuts on index and middle finger. | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: I work at UPS as a loader, and we have these god awful rollers that are used to bring the packages ... A: OUCH! My first thing would do is file an accident report at work. Second, since it happened at ... | |
| broken hand | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: If someone has broken their hand am i right in thinking it will only be bandaged to heal? Could ... A: Almost always a fracture requires a cast in order to maintain healing position of the bones. Flying ... | |
| smashed thumb nail | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: It happened months ago.I shut it up in the car door.It's all black except for the side that's ... A: Unfortunately it is inevitable that you are going to loose the nail. If I am not understanding you ... | |
| helping someone who has fallen | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: Looking for general guidance on how a caregiver or bystander can safely help someone who has fallen ... A: Could you elaborate for me on the type of fall. Usually with falls there are risks of head or ... | |
| Pen stab | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: My son accidently stabbed me with a pen to my forearm. What do I need to look for and do I need to ... A: Keep a very close eye on the area. If there is any discolouration that begins, i.e. red, I would go ... | |
| Stabbed...? | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: Hey, I wasnt entirely sure who to ask this question but thought you might know... I'm writing a ... A: Ok, thank you for your patience while I check things out a bit for you. The best case scenario ... | |
| Stabbed...? | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: Hey, I wasnt entirely sure who to ask this question but thought you might know... I'm writing a ... A: I am doing some research for you. I will email you when I get sufficient information for you! | |
| sore ribs | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a soldier with me who was training in combatives two days ago. He was tossed and landed on ... A: When the ribs are sore, there are a number of possibilities. They could just be bruised from the ... | |
| Fingernail Loss | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: I loss half of my fingernail and it really hurts. I wanted to know how long will it take to heal ... A: Loosing a nail is painful. Unfortunately, I cannot make suggestions for you to take any medications ... | |
| How long it takes to recover hair line crack ribs pain? | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: I got hair line crack ribs pain last Tuesday because i fall down against to the metal plate and my ... A: I am sorry to hear about your accident and the pain you are in. It is difficult to say an exact ... | |
| Hit my head | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I was leaning over my bed and my hand slipped, i hit my head off my night stand like on the corner. ... A: After a bump to the head (if not bleeding) put ice on it right away. This will help the swelling. I ... | |
| gunshot wound | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: Please help me. I looked at all the answers of what to do in case of a gun shot wound. I was placed ... A: First and formost, I am sorry for your lost. What a tragic situation to be involved in. ... | |
| Treatment | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: I'm writing a story involving a police shoot-out; one of the detectives is shot six times in the ... A: I am so glad that what I explained made sense! Sometimes it is hard to put visual information into ... | |
| Treatment | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: I'm writing a story involving a police shoot-out; one of the detectives is shot six times in the ... A: The first thing you would want to do is control the bleeding. If a GSW (gun shot wound) has bubbles ... | |
| cracked ribs | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: I cracked my ribs by coughing. I'm taking naproxen 500mgs, also taking ibuprofen 400mg. I'm still in ... A: Cracked ribs are extremely painful. Everytime you are inhaling, they expand and resume original ... | |
| epi-pen | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: I have to use a epi-pen now that I got stung.(At the pool, and had to go to the hospital.) I need to ... A: If you are going to require an epi-pen, your doctor and/or pharmacist will explain to you how to ... | |
| Toe Injury | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: hey Dr. umm i was playing indoor socer with some mates and i missed the ball and kicked a steal pole ... A: I am not a doctor, rather a medical first responder. I would strongly suggest you go to the ... | |
| bee allergies | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: Ok. I was getting ready to go on a road trip. Then, I got there and took my stuff out my epi pen was ... A: If you still have an outstanding refill, you could go to a pharmacist that is close to you. Ask ... | |
| smashed finger | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: i smashed my finger a week ago and the pain was bad so i took a drill bit soaked it in alcohol and ... A: I hope you went to see a doctor at some point to have it checked. Usually pus is a result of an ... | |
| deep cut on my arm | 3/1/2008 |
| Q: I cut my arm on a piece of glass out of the picture fram it cut it pretty deep I was wondering ... A: ! Sorry to hear about your injury. If the cut is pretty deep and you are concerned about needing ... | |
| injury trama ie strains, sprains etc | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: in an injury when do you use heat and when do you use cold A: Usually immediately after an injury you apply cold to reduce swelling. If there is any bleeding, do ... | |
| eye trauma | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: when to flush an eye and when not to ANSWER: Hi Mike, Eye trauma covers alot of different ... A: You sure deal with a wide variety of chemicals. Usually chemicals in the eye would require ... | |
| eye trama | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: when to flush an eye and when not to A: Eye trauma covers alot of different situations ranging in severity. Generally, chemicals in the eye ... | |
| Cut on thumb | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: My 8-yr-old daughter has a cut on her thumb and it looks as if it is getting infected. It looks like ... A: ... I am sorry to hear your daughter has cut herself. If it appears to be infected, usually warm ... | |
| Gunshot wound to the chest | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: A young male was shot in the left chest, with the bullet damaging the right atrium and ventricle, ... A: This sounds like the young man went through quite an experience. It is difficult to answer as to ... | |
| poked with a tack | 2/5/2008 |
| Q: I was pulling a tack out of the wall and it jabbed into my finger. Is this dangerous? ANSWER: Hi ... A: The only concern you would have is the risk of infection. If it is still open, you can soak it in ... | |
| poked with a tack | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: I was pulling a tack out of the wall and it jabbed into my finger. Is this dangerous? A: Tacks are not generally a concern if it went into your finger. However, if it was rusted you should ... | |
| CPR | 1/28/2008 |
| Q: 1. If a lay first responder uses the skin color and fingernail method of determining circulation ... A: The information I am presenting is based on my instruction from St. John Ambulance in Canada. I am ... | |
| deep cut | 1/27/2008 |
| Q: I had dropped a glass plate and I piece of the glass cut my foot. Do I need to get stitches, the ... A: I am just checking in to see how your foot is doing after dropping a glass plate on it. Did you ... | |
| stabbed finger | 1/16/2008 |
| Q: I accidentally stabbed my finger with a small swiss army knife. I think it went in pretty deep; as ... A: Since I am unable to see the wound and can only go by the information you provided to me,it would be ... | |
| Razor cut on lip | 1/6/2008 |
| Q: My 5 year old son was taking a bath and decided that he was going to shave like his daddy. I have a ... A: Just checking in to see how your son is doing. I hope he is doing ok after the ordeal!! Hi ... | |
| Torn Fingernail | 12/14/2007 |
| Q: The other day I tore off the fingernail of my index finger, and also managed to slice the skin ... A: Sure sounds like you have given yourself quite the injury. Glad to hear you applied first aid ... | |
First Aid
Answers by Expert:
McEwen
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions on advanced first aid. Please keep in mind I am NOT a doctor. I cannot diagnose, recommend medications or confirm medication conflicts. If I do not feel qualified to answer your question, I will certainly suggest you contact a more suitable 'expert'.
Experience
First Aid Instructor
Education/Credentials
St. John Ambulance - Adult Division
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