5 common injuries and how to treat them

Do you know what to do if you’ve got an injury?

But that doesn't mean you need to scour a medical text. Just focus now on learning what's most important. Here's our guide to treating 5 common injuries.

You tripped and rolled your ankle
Wear a compression wrap for the first three days. For a few hours a day, prop your ankle above your heart and ice it for 20 minutes in 40-minute intervals.

Warning: Rest is key. Hobble around and you risk further injuring a ligament.

Seek help if walking is excruciating or your ankle is purple or puffy.

You scraped your arm on a rusty bench
Clean the cut with soap and warm water. If you can't recall when you last had a tetanus shot (or it's been more than a decade), head to a clinic.

Warning: Skip hydrogen peroxide. It may do more damage to the skin.

Seek help if your arm grows warm or turns red.

You have heat exhaustion
Have a headache, dizziness and nausea? Jump into a cool shower, or get in front of a fan or AC and hydrate.

Warning: Heat exhaustion can escalate to life-threatening heat stroke.

Seek help if you faint, feel too nauseous to drink, stop sweating or develop a fever or rapid pulse.

You wiped out and your nose is bleeding
Tilt your head forward, pinch your nostrils and hold for 10 to 20 minutes.

Warning: Tipping your head back will get you a throatful of blood.

Seek help if it doesn't stop after 20 minutes.

You got stung by a bee or wasp
Scrape away the stinger with a credit card and clean the area with soap and water. Dull the pain with ice and an NSAID.

Warning: Wasps can sting more than once, so get out of there!

Seek help if you have trouble breathing or your tongue or throat swells.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter