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.