“5 Essential Steps for First Aid Management of Unconsciousness and Foreign Bodies”

Briefly outline the importance of knowing the steps for managing unconsciousness and foreign bodies in first aid situations.

In medical emergencies, quick and appropriate first aid is crucial. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the first aid management for unconsciousness and foreign bodies. We will give you the essential steps to follow during these critical moments. Immediate action can save lives. Unconsciousness can be due to injury. A foreign body in the airways, nose, or ear can also be the cause.

First Aid Management for Unconsciousness

Unconsciousness:

Unconsciousness occurs when the brain’s role is significantly depressed, leading to a state ranging from stupor to coma. Coma is defined by the absence of eye movement, speech, or response to commands.

Causes of Unconsciousness:

• Head Injury: Includes skull fractures or concussion.
• Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke): Blood flow interruption to the brain.
• Seizures or Epileptic Fits: Uncontrolled brain activity.
• Cardiac Arrest: Heart stops pumping effectively.
• Asphyxia: Oxygen deprivation.
• Fainting (Syncope): Sudden loss of consciousness due to reduced blood flow.
• Poisoning/Substance Abuse: Ingesting toxic substances.
• Metabolic Causes: Includes hypo/hyperglycemia, electrolyte imbalances.
• Infections: CNS infections like meningitis.
• Others: Hypotension, hypertensive crisis, hypoxia, blood loss, alcohol use.

Clinical Manifestations:

• Unresponsive to stimuli (touch, sound, etc.)
• Confusion, Drowsiness, Disorientation
• Chyne-Stokes respiration: Abnormal breathing.
• Dilated pupils and abnormal eye movements.
• Incontinence, loss of bowel or bladder control.
• Seizures or Convulsions
• Increased intracranial pressure

When to Seek Medical Help:

• Person doesn’t regain consciousness within 5 minutes.
• If breathing stops or if they have a seizure.
• Presence of diabetes, pregnancy, severe injury, or chest pain.

First Aid Management:

1. Check responsiveness: Ask simple questions (“What is your name?”).
2. Check response to commands: (“Squeeze my hand”).
3. Avoid moving the person if there’s a potential injury.
4. Call for help but never leave the person unattended.
5. Check airway, breathing, and pulse: If breathing, place them in the recovery position.
6. Keep the person warm.
7. Start CPR if unconscious due to choking, checking if the airway becomes clear.

---

First Aid Management for Foreign Bodies

Foreign Bodies:

A foreign object is any item that enters the body but doesn’t belong there. These objects can be accidentally inserted or swallowed. They also be intentionally inserted. Often, they get stuck in areas like the skin, eyes, nose, or airways.

---

Foreign Bodies – Skin

Common Objects:
Splinters of wood, metal, or glass can penetrate the skin, carrying a risk of infection.

Signs & Symptoms:

• Pain or discomfort in the affected area.
• Visible foreign object under the skin.

First Aid Management:

1. Clean the area: Wash your hands and clean the skin with soap and water.
2. Remove the object: Use tweezers cleaned with alcohol to grab and remove the object.
3. If under the skin: Sterilize a needle with alcohol, gently lift the skin, and remove the object with tweezers.
4. Apply ointment: After removal, clean the area again and apply petroleum jelly or antibiotic ointment.

---

Foreign Bodies – Eye

Common Objects:
Dust, insect wings, metal particles, or eyelashes can lodge under the eyelid, causing irritation.

Signs & Symptoms:

• Pain or discomfort in the eye.
• Sensation of something in the eye.
• Excessive blinking, redness, watering.
• Blurred or partial loss of vision.

First Aid Management:

1. Avoid rubbing: Tell the person not to rub their eye.
2. Examine the eye: In good lighting, gently open the eyelids with your thumbs and look for the object.
3. Rinse the eye: If visible, rinse the eye with plenty of water for 10-15 minutes, from nose outward.
4. Remove carefully: If rinsing fails, use a moist swab or clean cloth corner to try removal.
5. Seek medical help: If the object is embedded or difficult to remove, cover the eye and seek professional care.

---

Foreign Bodies – Ear

Foreign objects can become lodged in the ear canal either accidentally or intentionally, especially in children. Sometimes the object is unknown to the person, like an insect. If not properly managed, it can cause ear drum damage.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Pain or itching in the ear.
• Hearing loss or muffled sounds.
• Possible damage to the ear drum, indicated by:
• Constant noise in the ear.
• Blood coming out of the ear.
• Ear pain or dizziness.

First Aid Management:

1. Avoid probing the ear: Do not use cotton swabs, matchsticks, or any tool to remove the object. It may push the object further in and cause damage.
2. Remove the object if visible: If the object is easily reachable and soft, gently use tweezers to remove it.
3. Use gravity: Tilt the person’s head to the affected side to help dislodge the object naturally.
4. For insects:

• Tilt the head with the affected ear upward.
• Pour warm mineral oil, olive oil, or baby oil into the ear to float the insect out. Pull the earlobe backward and upward (for adults) or downward (for children) to straighten the ear canal.
• Do not use oil if there is pain, bleeding, or discharge, as this show a perforated eardrum.

If these techniques are unsuccessful or symptoms persist (pain, hearing loss, or discomfort), seek medical assistance promptly.

---

Foreign Bodies – Nose

Children commonly push foreign objects into their noses, which may become stuck and cause damage to nasal tissues or blockages. These objects can also cause infection if not removed. Common foreign objects include cotton buds, batteries, stones, fruit seeds, insects, and paper.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing through the affected nostril.
• Sensation of a foreign object in the nose.
• Foul-smelling or bloody nasal discharge.
• Irritability, particularly in young children.
• Pain or irritation in the nose.
• Swelling or deformed nose shape.

First Aid Management:

1. Keep calm: Reassure the casualty to stay calm and breathe through their mouth. They should avoid breathing in sharply, as this push the object further into the nose.
2. No probing: Recommend the person not to poke their nose. They should not try to remove the object with fingers or cotton swabs.
3. Blow the nose gently: Close the unaffected nostril and ask the person to gently blow their nose. This may dislodge the object. Avoid blowing too forcefully or repeatedly.
4. No tweezers for deep objects: Do not use tweezers or tools. Do not try to remove an object that is lodged deep inside the nose.
5. Seek medical attention: If the object can’t be easily removed, transport the casualty to a healthcare facility for further treatment.

---

Foreign Bodies – Throat (Airway)

A foreign body lodged in the airway, also known as choking, is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Young children are particularly at risk of choking on small objects like nuts, seeds, toy parts, and buttons.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Choking or gagging.
• Coughing.
• Stridor (a high-pitched wheezing sound).
• Wheezing.
• Difficulty speaking or breathing.

First Aid Management for Adults and Children (Above 1 Year):

1. Ask if the person is choking: If they can respond, encourage them to keep coughing to clear the airway.
2. If they can’t speak, cough, or breathe:

• Stand behind the person, support their chest, and bend them ahead.
• Deliver 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand.

1. If the object remains lodged:

• Stand behind the person, place your arms around their upper abdomen.
• Form a fist and place it between the navel and breastbone.
• Do 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) by pulling inwards and upwards.
• Repeat back blows and abdominal thrusts as needed.

1. If the person becomes unconscious:

• Gently place them on the floor and call for emergency help.
• Start CPR with chest compressions, checking the mouth for the object each time the airway is opened.
• Continue CPR until help arrives.

---

First Aid Management for Infants (Under 1 Year):

1. If the infant is coughing: Encourage them to continue coughing. If not, assume they are choking.
2. Position the infant face down: Hold the baby face down on your forearm. Support the head and keep it lower than the trunk.
3. Deliver 5 back blows: Use the base of your palm. Give 5 firm back blows between the baby’s shoulder blades.
4. Turn the baby face up: Support their head. Give 5 chest compressions using two fingers placed at the center of the breastbone.
5. Repeat as needed: Continue alternating between back blows and chest compressions until breathing resumes. Seek emergency help right away if the object remains lodged.

COURSES

GNM

BSC NURSING

Read more: “5 Essential Steps for First Aid Management of Unconsciousness and Foreign Bodies”

• 
  Nursing Assessment, Diagnosis, and Process: Key Steps for Effective Patient Care (2024)
  by Mr. Umar
• 
  “5 Steps to Mastering Critical Thinking in Nursing: An Overview of the Nursing Process”
  by Mr. Umar
• 
  “Essential Insights on Human Sexuality: Understanding Its Impact on Health”
  by Mr. Umar
• 
  “Effective Ways to Manage Stress: Symptoms, Types, and Stressors Explained”
  by Mr. Umar
• 
  “Essential Factors Affecting Spirituality: Overcoming Cultural Competence Barriers in Healthcare”
  by Mr. Umar