Falling on the street is a common and potentially dangerous situation that anyone can experience. The wrong reaction of others can aggravate the victim’s condition and even lead to serious consequences. Oisana Makhmudova, a therapist at the Doctis telemedicine service, told socialbites.ca.
“Understanding the causes of falls helps provide appropriate first aid. If a fall occurs on a slippery road, it can lead to head trauma, bruising or fracture. A sudden fall can be caused by an epileptic attack, hypoglycemia in diabetics, heart attack or fainting, as well as alcohol poisoning. Medical situations require urgent intervention by doctors,” explained the expert.
According to the doctor, the first and most important step is always to evaluate your own safety. You need to make sure that helping the victim is safe for both you and him/her: there are no moving vehicles around, no potentially dangerous objects around, and other factors that can worsen the situation.
“Approach the victim carefully. Contact him calmly, ask how he is feeling and if he needs help. This helps the victim calm down and makes it possible to assess his condition. If the person complains of pain, dizziness, or cannot stand up on their own, do not try to lift them; This may aggravate possible injuries. In this case, it is necessary to call an ambulance immediately,” advised Makhmudov’s doctor.
The therapist then noted that attention should be paid to the presence of visible injuries such as bleeding, deformity of the limbs, or obvious open fractures. If bleeding is detected, first aid should be provided by applying a clean bandage or cloth to the wound and applying light pressure to stop the bleeding. In case of suspected fracture or serious injury, it is important not to touch, carry or turn the victim over and wait for the ambulance to arrive.
“When a person loses consciousness on the street, it requires immediate and correct intervention. The first step is to understand whether the victim is conscious or not. Contact him, try to talk, gently shake his shoulders, but do this carefully, without using force, so as not to cause further harm. If the person does not respond, call an ambulance immediately. When speaking to the ambulance operator, clearly explain the situation, the victim’s condition, and your location. Follow the operator’s instructions; “They will help you provide first aid until the doctors arrive,” he said.
It is also important to control the victim’s breathing.
“To do this, it is enough to bring your ear closer to the victim’s nose and mouth, while at the same time observing the rise – rise – of the chest. If there is no breathing, this may be a sign of circulatory failure or respiratory arrest. In such a situation, if you have CPR skills, continue. If you are unsure of your skills, follow the ambulance operator’s instructions. If breathing is normal and there are no signs of injury, place the victim in the recovery position – lying on his side, face down, allowing saliva or vomit to flow freely from the mouth. “In no case should you insert foreign objects into your mouth to open your teeth or hold your tongue,” the doctor said.
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