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Home First aid advice First aid is a simple skill, but it has an incredible impact. Our online first aid advice gives you information of common conditions and explains how you can treat them using first aid, including basic life support methods for CPR, defibrillation, the recovery position, and more. Advice Categories Get advice on a range of common conditions. Show all Alcohol poisoning When someone drinks too much alcohol they can suffer from alcohol poisoning. Find out what to look for and what to do. Anaphylaxis An allergy is an abnormal reaction to an allergen or ‘trigger’ substance. A severe allergic reaction is called anaphylactic shock. Find out what to look for and what to do. Angina attack Angina is pain in the chest, which can happen with increased exertion or excitement. Find out what to look for and what to do. Animal bites If an animal bite breaks the skin, you need to treat it to prevent the risk of infection. Learn what to do. Arm sling An arm sling holds the forearm in a raised or horizontal position and can support an injured upper arm, forearm and wrist. The sling is also a useful visual warning to others that someone is injured. Asthma attack During an asthma attack, the muscles of the air passages in the lungs go into spasm. Find out what to look for and what to do. Bandage Bandages can be used to support injured joints, secure dressings and control bleeding. Elbow and knee bandages Elbow and knee injuries such as sprains and strains can be supported by a roller bandage. Find out how to do elbow and knee bandages. Hand - bandage When you have hurt your hand, you can use a roller bandage to hold a dressing in place, or to support a sprained wrist. Find out what to do.Blisters Blisters are common on the feet and can be caused by ill-fitting shoes, but can appear anywhere on the skin. Learn what to look for and what to do. Broken bones and fractures A break or crack in a bone is called a fracture. Find out what to look for and what to do.Bruises Bruises can be painful and tender. Find out what causes bruising and what to do.Burns and scalds Carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning can prove fatal if inhaled in large quantities. Learn what to look for and what to do. Cardiac arrest If someone has become unresponsive and they are not breathing normally, they could be in cardiac arrest. Find out what to look for and what to do, including how to do CPR and using a defibrillator. Chemical burns Chemical burns can occur from common household products, in industry, or from malicious acid attacks. Find out what to look for and what to do.Choking When someone is choking, they may be unable to breathe properly. Find out what to look for and what to do.Choking baby As you start weaning your baby and they begin eating solid foods or playing with small objects, they may be at risk of choking. Find out what to look for and what to do. Choking child When a child is choking, their airway is partly or completely blocked, meaning that they may be unable to breathe properly. Find out what to do. Cold compress Cooling an injury like a sprain or bruise can help to reduce the swelling and pain. Find out how to use two types of cold compress.Conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis is an eye condition caused by allergies or infections. Find out what to look for and what to do.CPR If an adult is unresponsive and not breathing normally, you need to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and start CPR straight away. Learn what to do. CPR - baby (under one year old) If a baby is not responding to you and not breathing normally, you will need to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and start CPR straight away. Learn what to do. CPR - child If a child is unresponsive and not breathing normally you will need to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and perform child CPR straight away. Learn what to do. CPR - women and other people with breasts If a someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, you need to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and start CPR straight away. Learn what to do. Croup Children can sometimes be affected by a condition called croup. Find out what to look for and what to do. Cuts and grazes Cuts and grazes are common injuries that can usually be treated at home. Learn what to do. Defibrillator By using a defibrillator before an ambulance arrives, you can significantly increase someone’s chance of survival. Learn what to do.Dehydration Dehydration can develop into a more serious condition if left untreated. Find out what to look for and what to do. Diabetic emergencies People who have diabetes may experience a diabetic emergency, where their blood sugar becomes too high or too low. Find out what to look for and what to do. Difficult first aid situations When responding to an emergency, it is important to recognise the emotional and physical needs of everyone involved, including your own. Dislocated joints Dislocated joints happen when bones are pulled out of normal position. Find out what to look for and what to do. Dressing for a wound When you have a wound, you should always cover it with a dressing as this can help to prevent infection. Find out what to do.Drink spiking Find out what to do if you believe someone has been spiked.Drowning When someone's drowning, it may not always look like the distressed call for help as is sometimes shown on TV. Learn what to do.Earache Earache is often caused by an infection. Learn what to look for and what to do for earache.Electric shock Currents can cause serious injury. Find out what to look for and what to do if someone suffers electrocution from low voltage current. Elevation sling An elevation sling is different to an arm sling. It supports the casualty's forearm and hand in a raised position.Eye injury Get first aid advice from St John Ambulance about eye injuries, including symptoms and treatment for eye injuries and when you have something in your eye.Fainting Sometimes people faint if there is not enough blood flowing to the brain. Find out what could cause fainting, and what to do.Fever A fever is when a person has a persistent high temperature above 37°C (98.6°F). Find out what to look for and what to do.Food poisoning Food poisoning can be caused by eating contaminated food, usually when it hasn't been cooked properly. Find out what to look for and what to do.Frostbite Frostbite can happen when exposed to freezing cold temperatures. Find out what to look for and what to do.Hay fever Hay fever is a common condition caused by an allergy to pollen. Find out what to look for and what to do.Head injury All head injuries are potentially serious because they may damage the brain. A head injury may cause damage to the brain tissue, a skull fracture or an injury to the spine or neck. Learn what to do.Head injuries in babies and children When your baby starts to crawl, they may bump their head or fall. Find out what to look for and what to do for minor and severe head injuries in babies and children.Headaches Most headaches aren’t serious, however some headaches can be a sign of more serious conditions. Find out what to look for and what to do. Heart attack A heart attack happens when the supply of blood to part of the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot. Find out what to look for and what to do.Heat exhaustion Heat exhaustion is caused by a loss of salt and water, usually through excessive sweating. Find out what to look for and what to do.Heat rash Heat rash is sometimes called prickly heat. Find out what to look for and what to do.Heatstroke If someone has heatstroke, your priority is to cool the casualty down as quickly as possible and get them to hospital. Find out what to look for and what to do.Hyperventilation Find out what to do if someone is hyperventilating.Hypothermia Hypothermia can become life-threatening quickly, so it’s important to treat it straight away. Find out what to look for and what to do.Insect stings Insect stings can be painful but are not usually dangerous. However, stings to the mouth or throat can be more serious. Find out what to do. Meningitis Anyone of any age can get meningitis. Find out what to look for and what to do.Nettle stings Nettle stings can be itchy and you may feel a stinging or burning sensation. Find out what to look for and what to do. Nosebleeds A nosebleed is when blood flows from the nose. Find out the causes and what to do. Object in ear or nose Children and babies often push foreign objects into their nose or ears, which could cause temporary deafness or burns and bleeding in the nose. Find out what to look for and what to do.Overdose Poisons are chemicals or substances that, if taken or absorbed into the body in sufficient quantities, can cause temporary or permanent damage. Find out what to look for and what to do for anaesthetic drug poisoning. Patient dignity Tips on how to protect your patient’s dignity when performing first aid Poisoning Poisons are substances that can cause damage if too much is absorbed by the body. Swallowed poisons include chemicals, fungi and berries. Find out what to look for and what to do. Primary survey Use the primary survey to quickly assess the situation and check the casualty for injuries or conditions that could be immediately life threatening. Find out what to do. Primary survey - baby The primary survey is a quick way to find out how to treat any life threating conditions a baby may have using DRABC. Learn what to do.Recovery position It’s safe to place someone in the recovery position who is not responding to you but is breathing normally. Learn what to do. Recovery position - baby If a baby is not responding to you but breathing normally, it’s safe to put them in the recovery position to keep the airway open and to prevent them from choking. Learn how. Recovery position - child If a child is not responding to you but breathing normally, it’s safe to put them in the recovery position. Learn what to do. Secondary survey After performing a primary survey and dealing with any life-threatening conditions, you can move on to the secondary survey.Seizure Epilepsy is the most common cause of seizures (fits) in adults, although there are other causes. Find out what to look for and what to do.Seizures - babies Seizures in babies can happen as a result of of a raised body temperature. Find out what to look for and what to do.Sepsis Sepsis is a life-threatening condition. If untreated, it can lead to multiple organ failure and possibly death. Find out what to look for and what to do. Severe bleeding When bleeding is severe, it can be dramatic and distressing. Find out what to do. Shock Shock - not to be confused with emotional shock – is a life-threatening condition. It happens when the body isn’t getting enough oxygen to the vital organs. Find out what to look for and what to do. Spinal injury There are a variety of possible causes for a spinal injury. The greatest risk is damage to the spinal cord. Find out what to do and what to look for.Splinters Splinters from wood, glass, or metal can enter the skin and can carry a risk of infection. Strains and sprains Injuries to the soft structure around the bones and joints are commonly called strains and sprains. They are often associated with sports activities. Stroke A stroke is a medical emergency and you need to act FAST.Sunburn Sunburn is caused by over exposure to the sun, or a sunlamp, or a sunbed.Tick bites Ticks attach themselves to passing animals (including humans) and bite into the skin, sucking the blood. They can carry diseases and should be removed as soon as possible. Traffic accident Traffic accidents can range between minor incidents such as a bicycle crash or much more serious incidents like a vehicle crash. Find out what to do.Vomiting and diarrhoea Vomiting and diarrhoea can cause the body to lose vital fluids and salts. Find out what to look for and what to do.