Not every First Aid related incident is an emergency. If you are heading away on a holiday here are First Aid tips to deal with five common ailments you might come across while travelling:

Sunburn
1. Apply calamine lotion or sunburn cream.
2. Protect burned skin from further exposure.
3. Take analgesics (painkillers) to relieve tenderness.
4. Extreme burning may require a cream containing corticosteroid drugs prescribed by a doctor.

Heat stroke
Heat stroke differs from heat exhaustion (where the victim sweats profusely) in that sweating stops completely, the body becomes dry and flushed, and breathing is shallow.
1. Seek medical help immediately.
2. Move the victim to a cool shady place; remove clothing. Place the victim in a sitting position, leaning back slightly.
3. Cover with a wet sheet and keep it wet.
4. Fan with a magazine (or other suitable object) until their temperature drops to a normal range.

Motion sickness
It’s caused by constant movement of the organ of balance in the inner ear, and also by the anxiety produced by previous attacks.
1. Various drugs are available to prevent or control motion sickness. Antihistamines help if taken about an hour before the start of a journey.
2. Tip: tell sufferers to focus on a point on the horizon rather than on nearby objects.

Blisters
They are best left to heal by themselves.
Do not prick or burst blisters, because the underlying tissue could become infected. (The fluid inside a blister is a serum that has leaked from blood in the skin underneath after a minor injury, such as that caused by a tight-fitting shoe. The serum is sterile, and provides protection to the damaged tissue.)

Nosebleeds
1. Sit; lean forward slowly; keep the mouth open.
2. Pinch the lower part of the nostril; hold for 15 minutes (victim breathes through the mouth).
3. Release slowly. Don’t touch the nose, or blow it; you might start the bleeding again.
4. If bleeding has not stopped after 20 minutes, seek medical attention.

Minor burns
1. Remove watches, bracelets, rings or constricting clothing before the burned area begins to swell.
2. Hold the burn under cold running water for a few minutes.
3. Apply a cold compress until the pain diminishes.
4. Dress the area with clean (if possible, sterile) non-fluffy material.

Happy Trails from the team at Catch Training.