What happens when hit. How to help a person if a foreign body gets into the respiratory system. Serious errors when removing a foreign object

Food fish and meat bones often enter the pharynx, esophagus and respiratory tract during eating, as well as pins, buttons, small nails and other objects that are taken into the mouth during work. This may cause pain, difficulty breathing, coughing, and even suffocation.

Attempts to cause a foreign body to pass through the esophagus into the stomach by eating crusts of bread, porridge, or potatoes in most cases do not give success, so in any case you must contact a medical institution.

In cases where, during mechanical ventilation, when attempting to inflate the lungs under positive pressure, an obstacle is encountered, despite the fact that the patient's head is thrown back, the lower jaw is pushed forward, and the mouth is open, a foreign body in the upper respiratory tract can be suspected. If there is no effect, the victim is placed on the table, the head is sharply bent back and the larynx area is examined through the open mouth (Fig. 2.5).

Fig.2.5. Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract:

If a foreign body is detected, it is grabbed with tweezers, fingers and removed. The victim should be taken to a medical facility.

To quickly open your mouth, three techniques are used:

A - technique using crossed fingers with a moderately relaxed lower jaw. Insert your index finger into the corner of the victim's mouth and press in the direction opposite to the upper teeth. Then the thumb is placed against the index finger along the line of the upper teeth and the mouth is opened;

B - “finger behind teeth” technique for a fixed jaw. Insert the index finger between the cheeks and teeth of the victim and wedge its tip behind the last molar;

B - "lifting the tongue and jaw" technique for a sufficiently relaxed lower jaw. Insert the thumb into the patient’s mouth and throat and at the same time lift the root of the tongue with its tip. With other fingers, grab the lower jaw in the chin area and push it forward.

After successful removal of the foreign object and in the absence of breathing, it is necessary to continue the mechanical ventilation procedure.

At foreign body entering the respiratory tract The provision of first aid to the victim is as follows: the victim is placed on his stomach with a bent knee, his head is lowered down as low as possible and the chest is shaken with hand blows on the back, while the epigastric region is compressed.

If the cough continues, you should try using the combined action of gravity and patting. To do this, help the victim bend down so that his head is lower than his lungs, and sharply slam him with your palm between the shoulder blades. If necessary, you can do this three more times. Look into your mouth and... if a foreign body pops out, remove it. If not, try to push it out with air pressure, which is created by sharp thrusts into the stomach. To do this, if the victim is conscious and can stand, stand behind him and wrap your arms around his waist. Make a fist with one hand and press it to your stomach with the thumb side. Make sure your fist is between your belly button and the lower edge of your sternum. Place your other hand on your fist and sharply press up and inside your abdomen (Fig. 2.6).

Do this up to four times if necessary. Pause after each press and be prepared to quickly remove anything that may come out of your windpipe. If the cough does not stop, alternate four slaps on the back and four pressures on the stomach until the foreign body can be removed. If the cough continues, alternate hand thrusts into the victim's stomach with slapping on the back.

Rice. 2.6. Removing a foreign body from the respiratory tract

If the victim is unconscious, then in order to press on his stomach, turn him on his back. Kneel so that it is between your legs, place your hand between your navel and sternum, and the second hand on the first. Make four clicks as described above. If the obstruction persists and the patient has stopped breathing, it is necessary to begin artificial respiration and cardiac massage.

If the airways are completely closed, asphyxia has developed and it is impossible to remove the foreign body, the only rescue measure is emergency tracheotomy. The victim should be immediately transported to a medical facility.

Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract are most often observed in children. If a child inhales a small object, ask him to cough sharper, harder - sometimes, in this way, it is possible to push the foreign body out of the larynx. Or place your baby in your lap upside down and pat him on the back. Try to grab a small child firmly by the legs and lower him upside down, also patting him on the back (Fig. 2.7).

Fig.2.7. Removing a foreign body from a child's respiratory tract

If this does not help, urgent medical attention is needed, since a foreign body can enter the bronchi, which is very dangerous. Special emergency measures are needed to remove it.

It is, of course, impossible to predict in advance who will manage to choke on what. The tragedy can take place in the dining room or on the street, in a car or on an airplane.

At the same time, it is not at all necessary to talk or laugh with your mouth full. It is enough just to think a little or be very surprised for the unfortunate piece to fall into the wrong throat.

There could just as easily be candy or chewing gum in your windpipe, a pill, or a match held between your teeth.

One can only be amazed at the variety of foreign bodies that enter the larynx and trachea. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what might end up in a person's mouth. This is especially true for children.

REMEMBER! What a foolish baby has in his hands will definitely end up in his mouth.

That's why Adults need to be so careful about what their child plays with.

Depending on their shape, all foreign bodies can be divided into three groups.

Wide and flat objects are classified as coin-shaped bodies(coins, buttons, and any flat rounded plates).

Another group combines items that have spherical shape or pea-shaped (dragees, monpensiers, pellets, balls, unchewed pieces of sausage, cucumbers, potatoes or apples, as a rule, do not have sharp corners and are able to move unhindered over long distances).

And finally, the last group to follow pay special attention, includes foreign bodies shaped like a rocker arm. Most often these are pieces of kebab, bound with a thin but very durable fascial film.

This classification is of fundamental importance for the choice of emergency tactics.

Stages of asphyxia (suffocation)

After a foreign body enters the victim begins coughs a lot and turns red. Before our eyes tears come out, A a coughing fit causes vomiting.

If a person fails to free himself from a foreign body, then, depending on the degree of closure of the lumen of the airway, a sharp cough may be accompanied by stridor breathing with a characteristic wheeze on inspiration.

In this case, the foreign body will move further and further with each breath, severely irritating the mucous membrane of the larynx or trachea.

This quickly leads to their swelling, excessive secretion and accumulation of mucus. The most dangerous: swelling of the vocal folds and spasm of the glottis.

REMEMBER! Even a small object with sharp edges that injure the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract can be fatal.

Any foreign body, irritating the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea, significantly impairs the patency of the airways.

Even if in the first minutes the choking person’s condition was relatively good, then in the next 10-15 minutes it can worsen significantly.

Redness of the skin of the face and neck is replaced by severe cyanosis (blue discoloration). Coughing movements become less and less frequent.

Adynamia and apathy appear. Very soon the victim loses consciousness. The description of the condition is called blue asphyxia.

Signs of blue asphyxia:

· Loss of consciousness.

· Blue discoloration of lips, face, neck.

· Swelling of neck vessels.

· Vulture and sinking of the supra- and subclavian fossae on inspiration.

· Presence of a pulse in the carotid artery.

In a few minutes this stage will move into the stage pale asphyxia.

The skin will become pale gray in color. The reaction of the pupils to light and the pulse in the carotid artery will disappear.

In other words, clinical death will occur.

Signs of pale asphyxia,

when the victim is in a state of clinical death:

· Pale skin of the face and neck with a grayish tint.

· Wide, light-sensitive pupils.

· Absence of pulse in the carotid artery.

· Sunken supra- and subclavian fossae.

Foreign bodies entering the upper respiratory tract are one of the types of accidents that often result in death within a few minutes.

Be that as it may, someone’s life will depend on the actions of people who happen to be nearby.

REMEMBER! When providing assistance, rely only on your own strength.

The most common mistakes when providing assistance

REMEMBER! Do not do it:

· Begin emergency care by wasting time examining the oral cavity.

· Try to remove the foreign body with your finger or tweezers.

As a rule, under the influence of saliva, the fatal piece of sausage or apple softens so much that even with careful removal, some part of it will definitely come off and, like a vacuum cleaner hose, rush into the larynx. Thus, you will lose your only chance of salvation.

First aid methods

Removing spherical objects

REMEMBER! If a child chokes on a pea, you should immediately turn the baby head down and tap the back several times with your palm at the level of the shoulder blades.

The first thing you should do to help is:

· Turn the victim onto his stomach.

· Throw it over the back of a chair or your own thigh.

· Strike several times with an open palm between the shoulder blades.

If, after several blows between the shoulder blades, the foreign body does not fall to the floor, then you must immediately begin other methods of removing it.

Emergency assistance when hit by coin-shaped objects

REMEMBER! When a coin hits, there is no need to expect success from the previous method: the piggy bank effect is triggered.

In this situation, you need to resort to methods aimed at shaking the chest.

It is necessary to force the foreign body to change its position.

Then there will be hope that, as a result of a strong concussion of the chest, it will either rotate around its axis, freeing up the passage for air, or, moving down the trachea, will eventually end up in one of the bronchi.

Due to anatomical features, the foreign body most often ends up in the right bronchus.

Of course, this will make it difficult to remove it in the future, but it will give the person the opportunity to breathe at least with one lung and, therefore, survive.

Unacceptable! Hit the back with a fist or the edge of your palm.

There are several ways to shake the chest. The most common of them is tapping your back with your palm.

Short but frequent blows to the interscapular area are most effective.

Remember! Hitting the back can only be done with an open palm.

Another method, more effective, was called the “American Police Method”.

To carry it out, you need to stand behind the victim, wrap your arms around him so that your hands, folded into a lock, are below his xiphoid process, and then with a sharp movement press strongly under the diaphragm and hit your back against your chest.

This will allow not only a strong shock, but also, as a result of a sharp displacement of the diaphragm, squeeze out the remaining air from the lungs and thereby significantly increase the likelihood of dislodging a foreign body.

REMEMBER! A blow to the epigastric region can lead to loss of consciousness and sudden cardiac arrest, so you should not unclench your hands immediately after the blow.

Using this option, you must be prepared for the possibility that the victim will develop clinical death.

All of the above methods can be used if The choking person is conscious.

If he is in a coma, then it should be immediately turn over on your right side and hit your back with your palm several times. But, as a rule, one cannot count on success from such an action.

Attention! Do not use solutions of acids or alkalis for a neutralization reaction on the victim’s skin.

What if phosphorus gets on your skin?

What should you do if quicklime gets on the victim’s skin?

PP instructions clause 12.6. Actions in cases of skin damage from aggressive chemicals

Attention! Do not use solutions of acids or alkalis for a neutralization reaction on the victim’s skin.

1. Immediately remove clothing soaked in the chemical.

2. Rinse the affected areas generously with cold water until the doctor arrives.

3. Offer the victim plenty of warm drink.

4. In the absence of allergic reactions, offer 2-3 tablets of analgin.

What if quicklime gets on your skin?

It is necessary to remove the lime with a dry cloth. Do not wet or rinse with water under any circumstances.

What if phosphorus gets on your skin?

Immediately immerse the burned area in cold water for 15-20 minutes and remove phosphorus particles with a stick.

What should be done if a victim in a state of clinical death is removed from a well, sewer or removed from the fire?

PP instructions clause 14. Actions in cases of poisoning with dangerous gases in sewers or wells

Attention! If the victim, who is in a confined space below ground level, does not show signs of life, poisoning with very dangerous gases should be suspected.

Remember your own safety! You can only go down to the victim while wearing an insulating gas mask.

1. Pull the victim to the surface.

2. If there is no pulse in the carotid artery, begin resuscitation.

3. If there is a pulse in the carotid artery, but there is no consciousness for more than 4 minutes, turn onto your stomach and apply cold to your head.

If you don't have a protective mask?

Carry out chest compressions - ventilation-free resuscitation until medical personnel arrive or a protective mask appears.

14.1. Actions in cases of detection of a victim with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

Attention! If a victim with an unnaturally pink skin color lies motionless in a confined space heated with wood or coal and there is a large amount of vomit near him, carbon monoxide poisoning should be suspected.

1. Provide access to fresh air or remove the victim from the room.

Explanation. It is enough to break or open a window, and after 2-3 minutes staying in the room will become safe, or drag the victim 5-6 meters from the front door and close it tightly.

2. If there is no pulse in the carotid artery, begin resuscitation, see paragraph 5.5.

Remember about your own safety! Inhalation can only be done through a protective plastic mask, see paragraph 5.6.1.

3. If there is a pulse in the carotid artery, unfasten the collar of your clothing and loosen the waist belt, raise your legs and bring a cotton swab with ammonia to your nose, see step 6.

4. If there is a pulse in the carotid artery, but there is no consciousness for more than 4 minutes, turn on your stomach and apply cold to your head, see point 7.

PP instructions clause 16.2. Actions in a warm room in case of frostbite of the feet

Signs of frostbite:

- loss of sensation in fingers,

- initially pale skin, after a few hours it turns purple and blisters appear.

1. Before entering a warm room from the cold, tap the toe of one foot on the heel of the other. If the tips of your toes do not feel anything, do not remove dry shoes indoors.

2. Drink 50 ml of vodka (you can use cognac, brandy, whiskey) and 3-4 glasses of warm sweet tea.

3. In the absence of allergic reactions, take 2-3 tablets of analgin.

4. After 10-15 minutes, when pain appears in the frostbite area, take off your shoes, treat the skin with vodka or alcohol and massage the lower leg in the direction from the knee joint to the big toe.

Attention! Do not place frostbitten limbs in warm water or cover them with heating pads.

If the shoes are damp or have holes?

Take off your shoes and wrap the limb in a warm blanket or put on dry felt boots.

If the skin turns purple and blisters appear?

Cover with a clean cloth.

PP instructions clause 17. What to do if your legs are crushed by a heavy object

Attention! If within 15 minutes it was not possible to remove a limb from under a heavy object (you can dig under it), then all attempts to free it should be stopped and rescue services should be called. Only if it is not possible to call rescuers should you proceed to positions 5, 6 and 7.

1. In the absence of allergic reactions, give 2-3 tablets of analgin.

2. Cover crushed limbs with bags of ice, snow or cold water.

3. Offer plenty of warm fluids.

4. Apply protective tourniquets to the compressed limbs (if possible before their release and always after their release).

5. Immediately after release, tightly bandage the injured limbs.

6. Apply splints or secure the victim in a vacuum mattress.

7. Continue to give plenty of fluids until doctors arrive.

If your head, chest or stomach are pressed?

Do not stop attempting to lift a heavy object until rescue services arrive.

Which of the following should not be done if bitten by a poisonous snake?

PP instructions clause 18. Actions in cases of snake bites and poisonous insects

Attention! Do not apply tourniquets or apply heating pads or warming compresses to the bite site.

1. Remove the sting from the wound.

2. Apply cold to the bite site.

3. Place 5-6 drops of galazolin into the bite wound.

4. For snake bites on the leg or arm, be sure to apply a splint.

5. Give plenty of and preferably sweet drinks.

What if the victim lost consciousness?

Turn him onto his stomach.

What if the victim lost consciousness and his carotid pulse disappeared?

Start resuscitation.

When playing, children often not only take foreign bodies into their mouths, but also stick them into their noses. These are most often peas, seeds, pieces of paper, foil, candy wrappers, and mother-of-pearl buttons. At the same time, the child breathes poorly through his nose, he has constant discharge from one nostril, and something in his nose bothers him.

Doctor's advice

• If your child puts a small object in his mouth or nose, first make sure he spits it out or the object falls out.
• Do not try to remove the object by force, as this may complicate the situation and injure your mouth and nose.
• Take your child to the doctor immediately!

Read below on how to provide first aid at home before the doctor arrives.

Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract

Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract are dangerous to the child's life. Oxygen does not reach the lungs, and the most dramatic situation can arise when the baby’s life is in the balance.

In children, the larynx is located higher than in adults, so the path of passage of a foreign body from the oral cavity to the respiratory tract is shorter. And the teeth do not hold well on a piece of food, which easily falls into the larynx with a stream of air.

The larynx should protect the lower respiratory tract from foreign bodies. This is a highly complex and at the same time very primitive organ. Whatever touches the surface of the larynx, it reacts with a spasm of the glottis. The nerves in the larynx send a signal to the brain that something has entered the larynx. A cough occurs. This protective mechanism of the larynx protects the trachea and bronchi, on the other hand, it makes it difficult for a foreign body to move back from the trachea into the oral cavity. That is, the removal of a foreign body is hindered by the valve mechanism of the tracheobronchial tree - the so-called piggy bank mechanism (figure).

Doctors are convinced that 99 percent of cases of foreign bodies entering the respiratory tract are due to parental oversight. You need to be especially attentive to children under 5 years old; As our experience shows, the greatest number of victims occurs precisely at this age.

The circumstances under which foreign bodies enter the respiratory tract are varied. This can happen when laughing or coughing, while eating or drinking, when being scared, playing, or a sudden shock.

• Don't leave your child alone!
• Most troubles happen in the absence of adults!
• Don't leave the table until your child has eaten!

The concept of “dangerous object” is very relative. Most often, foreign bodies get into the “wrong throat” when eating. It is not the children who are to blame for this, but the parents, who themselves are used to eating quickly and rushing their children. It’s even worse when there’s a game at the table to see who can eat faster.

Follow the golden rule of our grandmothers: “When I eat, I am deaf and dumb.”

During the wonderful ripening time of plums, grapes, watermelons, sunflowers, and apples, children often inhale the seeds. For parents, every minute counts. It is necessary not only to collect the grown crop, but also to make preparations for the winter. Busy with their own affairs, parents forget that a delicious piece of apple or cherry can bring a child’s life to the brink of disaster in an instant.

Having penetrated the respiratory tract, pieces of food especially often lead to complications, since, when decomposing, they cause long-term inflammatory changes in the lungs, and it is extremely difficult for a doctor to remove them entirely. Even a small fish bone stuck into the mucous membrane causes swelling and inflammation.

All seeds must first be removed from any dish served to a child, since children do not know how to do this on their own.

Give children fruits and berries, freed from seeds!

The apple should be without seeds, and the soup should be without bones! The nutritional value of nuts is known. However, an ordinary nut is considered a high-risk food, because it must be chewed and swallowed. It is difficult for a child to do this due to the absence of all teeth and the large amount of saliva required to swallow the nut.

Add peeled and finely chopped nuts to porridge or salad!

Mosaics, construction sets, and “kinder surprises” are prohibited for children under three years of age. However, parents should be critical of every toy they bring into the house or buy. Miniature shoes of a Barbie doll, wheels poorly attached to the car, beady eyes can end up in the baby’s mouth.

Children have a great thirst for imitation and knowledge. I want to do everything like mom and dad. Young successors to the dynasty of carpenters, seamstresses, radio amateurs, gardeners, and badge collectors can inhale nails, buttons, needles, pins, and seeds.

Keep household items out of the reach of children!

• There are no small things in a child's life, so do not forget to hide everything that may end up in the child's mouth. Humanity has not yet developed any other prevention.

What to do if the precautions don't work?

First aid if hit foreign body V nasal cavity

Ask your child to forcefully blow his nose. If the foreign body does not come out, stop, don’t do anything, call an ambulance immediately! Further manipulations are dangerous for the child’s life: you can push a foreign body into the nasopharynx; when inhaling, it will fall into the larynx and the child may suffocate.

First aid if hit foreign body V larynx

A foreign body in the larynx causes a cough, and an attack of suffocation begins. The baby may lose consciousness. The life of a child largely depends on the nature of the foreign body, its location and duration of stay in the larynx. The condition of children with a foreign body in the larynx is most often severe. However, when swallowing a small sharp object (sewing needle, fish bone) in the first hours after entering the larynx, there are no signs of breathing problems. The phenomenon of narrowing of the larynx occurs in such cases later, when the mucous membrane begins to swell.

Shortness of breath, cough, voice disorder are important signs indicating the presence of a foreign body in the larynx, but they can lead to a diagnostic error if the parents did not notice that a foreign body has entered the respiratory tract.

What to do if a foreign body from the larynx has passed into the trachea

Most often the child feels better. Breathing disorders are less pronounced. The cough becomes constant, worsens at night, when the child behaves restlessly. With light movable foreign bodies (for example, a sunflower seed), a popping sound can be clearly heard during crying, laughing, or coughing. This is the result of a foreign body striking the undersurface of the vocal folds during exhalation.

Sometimes coughing attacks are expressed sharply, accompanied by a blue face and vomiting. All symptoms resemble the clinical picture of whooping cough. A chest x-ray also does not allow a correct diagnosis, since many foreign bodies (a nut, a piece of carrot, apple, pea) are non-contrast and are not visible on the images.

A correct diagnosis in this case can only be made with the help of parents, who must remember any situation in which a foreign body could enter the child’s respiratory tract.

What to do if it is foreign the body passed into the bronchi

At this moment, it seems that everything terrible is over - the child has calmed down. No cough. Breathing became free. Unfortunately, parents are also becoming complacent. Meanwhile, the process continues in the lungs. After all, a child breathes with one lung. Closure of the second bronchus leads to collapse of the lung and the development of purulent inflammation, leading to disability.

Signs of a foreign body in the respiratory tract:

• suffocation;
• coughing attack;
• turning blue;
• loss of consciousness.

Remember! Any foreign body in the respiratory tract is a time bomb that can cause death by suffocation.

Doctor's advice

• Call emergency medical services immediately! Don't waste your precious time.
• Do not treat the child yourself; the foreign body may change position. The situation in such cases develops rapidly, and seconds of delay can cost the child his life.
• The valve mechanism of the larynx prevents the child from coughing up a foreign body, so in the event of sudden suffocation, before emergency medical help arrives, you should resort to the following methods:

– place a small child on your thigh upside down and tap him on the back (Fig. a);

– place the middle and index fingers on the sternum between the nipples and tap (Fig. b);

– for older children, grab the standing child from behind with both hands and press firmly, push-like, just below the xiphoid process (Fig. a);

– the same method can be used for a lying child (Fig. b).

• Do not confuse the described methods with artificial respiration. Artificial respiration does not help remove the foreign body!

Remember, only a doctor can save a child. Foreign bodies of the larynx, trachea and bronchi are removed in the hospital using special equipment. In rare cases, when the foreign body cannot be removed, the patient undergoes surgery.

First aid for a foreign body in the esophagus

A child, especially under three years of age, makes his acquaintance with any new subject that interests him in a very unique way. First, he takes it into his mouth, sometimes sucking for a long time: the sucking reflex is a habitual unconditioned reflex of a person. And not only sucks. Very often he swallows objects that catch his eye.

Fortunately, sometimes, after swallowing balls, coins, rings and other small, even objects, a child does not risk anything: the foreign body, having passed through the gastrointestinal tract, will soon end up in the potty.

However, large objects (pacifiers, parts of toys, large pieces of food) can stop in the esophagus, as physiological narrowings predispose it to this. Other objects (glass, needles, pins) located in the esophagus can damage its wall, cause inflammation or bleeding.

Signs of a foreign body in the esophagus:

• difficulty swallowing;
• refusal to eat;
• increased salivation;
• vomit;
• pain, tingling in the front of the neck.

It must be remembered that the manifestations of a foreign body in the esophagus are varied. This is due to the nature of the foreign body, its location in the esophagus, and the age of the child. Of great importance is the degree of blockage of the lumen of the esophagus and the effect of the swallowed foreign body on the adjacent respiratory tract. Unfortunately, a smooth, flat foreign body can lie in the esophagus for a very long time without showing itself in any way. In such a case, the danger is that it causes inflammation - rupture of the walls of the esophagus, bleeding, as well as a serious, dangerous complication - inflammation of the mediastinal organs.

What to do at home if a foreign body is stuck in the esophagus?

Doctor's advice

• Call an ambulance.
• Ask your child what exactly he swallowed and how much time has passed. There may be cases when a child swallows an object containing a chemical that can cause poisoning or burn the walls of the esophagus.
• Do not try to induce vomiting yourself!
• If a child is vomiting with a large admixture of fresh blood, it is necessary to calm him down before the doctor arrives, put him to bed, and place an ice pack or chilled water on the abdominal area. You can't give him anything to drink!

All foreign bodies retained in the esophagus are removed using special equipment in a hospital setting.

What to do if a foreign body gets into your ear

An insect may crawl into a child's ear or a small object may accidentally get into it and be difficult to remove. If a foreign body enters the ear canal, hearing may be impaired, and sometimes itching occurs.

Doctor's advice

• You can remove an insect from your ear at home as follows. Drop a few drops of vegetable oil into your ear with a pipette and consult a doctor.
• If a foreign object has penetrated deep into the ear and is difficult to remove, do not try to do it yourself, especially using a pin or the like. You can damage the eardrum and deprive your child of hearing for life.

Eye injuries can be caused by many different reasons, including: a blow to the eye; Strong chemicals such as lye, bleach, or acid that can burn the tissues of the eye and cause permanent damage. sand, paint splashes, metal shavings or...

From a chemical point of view, an acid is a substance that contains hydrogen atoms (which can be replaced by metal atoms) and an acidic residue.

Acetic acid, malic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), oxalic acid and some other acids are familiar to us in everyday life. This is the so-called organic acids, that is, synthesized by living organisms.

In the chemical industry there are inorganic acidic compounds, for example, the well-known sulfuric (H2SO4) or hydrochloric (HC1) acid.

All acids have an irritating effect (to one degree or another) on the human body.

What types of acid burns are there?

1st degree burn: moderate redness appears, the affected area burns and hurts.

2nd degree burn: more intense redness, swelling, severe pain, blisters may appear on the skin.

3rd degree burn: skin necrosis, burn areas change color (may become completely white, or vice versa, darken), tissue around the burn turns red, severe pain.

4th degree burn: necrosis of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, severe pain.

How to provide first aid if acid gets on your skin?

1. First of all, it is recommended to thoroughly rinse the burned area with running water (for 15-20 minutes) to reduce the concentration of the chemical. After this, you should wash the affected area again with soapy water or a solution of baking soda (a teaspoon of baking soda per glass of water).

2. Try not to touch the burned area with your hands, this may cause acid residue to get on you and cause pain to the victim. In general, it is better to carry out all manipulations with thick gloves.

3. Free the burned surface of the skin from clothing; if you cannot remove it, cut it off with scissors. However, do not peel the fabric from the surface of the skin unless it is removable.

4. If a person is in shock (he turns pale, breathing quickens, the pulse is barely palpable), the victim should be given 15-20 drops of valerian tincture.

5. After providing first aid, you must consult a doctor.

What burns cannot be washed with water?

Remember that rinsing is contraindicated for burns caused by quicklime or organic aluminum compounds, which become much more active when in contact with water. The area affected by lime should be treated with vegetable oil, with which to remove the chemical compound from the surface of the skin, and then make a lotion from a 5% solution of citric or acetic acid. Aluminum compounds should be treated with kerosene or unleaded gasoline. If phenol gets on your skin, use a 40% solution of ethyl alcohol; if you get phosphoric acid, first remove particles of phosphorus from the skin, and then wash it with a 5% solution of copper sulfate or a solution of potassium permanganate.

What if acid gets into your eyes or mouth?

Read also:

The acid can enter the mouth or eyes as a liquid, vapor, or gas. In this case, it is necessary to rinse them with plenty of water, and then with a solution of baking soda at the rate of half a teaspoon per glass of water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Open the victim's eyelids over a sink and gently spray the eyeball with a small stream.

If acid enters the esophagus, the first step is to call a doctor. The victim should be laid down and wrapped warmly, mucus and saliva from the mouth should be removed as they occur. If the victim is nauseous, you can give him water to dilute the concentrated acid that has entered the body, but no more than three glasses. Causing nausea is dangerous, since when the acid moves back down the esophagus, it can again injure the mucous membrane.

If signs of suffocation appear, the victim must be given mouth-to-nose artificial respiration, since the larynx has been burned by the acid.

What not to do?

1. Burned areas should not be lubricated with fats, ointments or sprinkled with starch.

2. Do not open blisters if they are formed from a burn on the surface of the skin.

3. Do not use tampons, towels or napkins to remove acid from the victim - this will only rub them into the skin.

4. If you are not sure what kind of acid you have suffered from, you should not try to neutralize it yourself! Simply wash the damaged area with water and a baking soda solution.

5. Under no circumstances leave the victim without professional medical assistance. The first aid you provide does not cancel calling an ambulance.