First Aid Myths - Do NOT try these at home. Some first aid tips cause more harm than good.

  1. Myth - Pee on jellyfish sting - Since you are far more likely to suffer a jellyfish sting than a shark bite, know this: Peeing is not proven to help jellyfish stings (though testimonials abound). Instead, apply vinegar.
  2. Myth - Slather butter on a burn - Besides the obvious risk of infection, putting butter or any kind of grease on a burn can TRAP heat and cause scarring.
  3. Myth - Ice minor burns - Another bad idea. The sudden temperature change will cause more pain. Instead, apply cool water to clean and soothe the area.

  1. Myth - Drink alcohol to relieve toothache pain - Alcohol won't help. Instead, rub ice cube on the V-shaped soft spot where your thumb and index finger meet. No lie. A Canadian study found this helped stop tooth pain in 50 percent of its subjects. Theory: the cold, rubbing sensation travels along the same nerve pathway as tooth pain; icing the hand overrides the pain signals from the toothache.
  2. Myth - Steak over black eye - Steak juices will get into the eye and cause more swelling. Instead, apply ice. The cool will help reduce swelling, but not entirely.
  3. Myth - Apply peroxide to scrapes and cuts - Some docs think peroxide kills cells needed to fight germs that enter the wound. Instead, follow the ER adage: clean, treat, protect. Clean the wound with clean water to clear out debris. Treat the wounds with antibiotic ointment. Protect wound with bandage. WARNING: Cuts deeper than the top layer of skin may require stitches. The sooner stitches are done, the lower the risk of infection.
  4. Myth - Stop nosebleed by throwing head back - DON'T! This could cause you to breath blood into your lungs. Instead, pinch and hold the fleshy part of your nose (lower than where sunglasses sit). Hold firmly for a complete 10 minutes. You want the blood to clot, and it won't if you keep releasing pressure every few seconds. WARNING: If a nosebleed lasts for more than 15 minutes, or is accompanied by severe blood loss, get to a doctor or emergency room.
  5. Myth - Run more to relieve shin splints - Stupid. Shin splints hurt because the muscle attached to the shinbone is tearing loose. If you continue to run, the tears will not heal. So stop running and let the tears heal. When you start running again, start slow. Shin splints can become a stress fracture.

Source - Useless or Even Dangerous First Aid Myths - Ririan Project

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