One: Get some basic medical training. Red Cross first aid is a good start. Finding a Medical First Responder course through your local community college or fire department is better. For medical or trauma emergencies, there's no substitute for training.
But..
Also learn what you can do for yourself and what doesn't require a doctor.
Some thoughts to start with:
Fevers are God's way of fixing infections. Unless its high enough to cause real discomfort or dehydration, give it a chance to work. Most infections humans get thrive at 98.6F and a fever of a few degrees kills the germs. Loosen clothing, give lot of fluid by mouth.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003090.htm has a pretty good article on when to worry. Smart people would print this out for future reference. :)
Benedryl is a useful medication with multiple uses. It is an antihistimine and that's its most important job, but also is also useful as a sleep aid and for nausea and motion sickness, and can be useful for those effects from ear infections. It can also be used to treat Parkinsons disease, although that should be with the advice of your doctor. However, be cautious about using it with asthmatics and do NOT use it for an asthma attack.
Antibiotics: Become familiar with what antibiotics treat what diseases the best and you may be able to treat yourself. Be very cautious with allergic reactions. Do not buy antibiotics and other drugs from online pharmacies that do not require prescriptions, even it it means saving a few bucks. If you want to conserve money, talk to your doctor about getting an extra prescription for future use, to avoid another office call. But be aware that your insurance may not cover this and you'll be paying out of pocket.
Also, be aware that you can purchase antibiotics at farm stores and through online stores for your pets and that these drugs are of similar quality and dosages as for humans. But it would be wrong to use them for humans, for some reason that I can't think of just now. But do understand what dosages are best for your pet and what illnesses are best treated with which drugs. And watch your pet closely for allergic reactions.
Best medical advice: Don't get sick and don't get injured. Wash your hands. Wear safety glasses and gloves when appropriate. Getting infections can keep you from getting a lot done. Prevent most chronic diseases by living better. Diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure kill millions of people every year and all but a small portion of those with the diseases could get off medication if they ate better and got some exercise.
More later.
No comments:
Post a Comment