Taking Care: Self-Care for You and Your Family

by Michael B. Jacobs

Overview

The most important member of your health care team is you. As a more effective medical consumer, you'll get the best care at the most reasonable cost, avoiding time-consuming, unnecessary trips to the doctor. Taking Care will help you take charge of your health and medical care.

HELP FOR WHAT AILS YOU
Is your headache, rash, or other symptom nothing to worry about? Or should you bring it to the attention of a health professional? Part I describes common symptoms, from headache, fever, and rash to weight gain or loss, abdominal pain, and heartburn. Each symptom is explained, with possible causes and a simple flow chart of treatment options. You'll know when to call a doctor or nurse information service, seek emergency care, or apply self-care measures.

COPING WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
If you have a long-term ailment, you know that understanding your condition, following your treatment program, and monitoring your progress can have an impact on your quality of life. Part II explains how to manage chronic ailments, from asthma, low back pain, and Alzheimer's disease to depression, heart disease, and diabetes. You'll learn about symptoms, possible causes, prevention, the latest treatment information, how you can effectively manage your condition, and when to seek professional advice.

AND THESE SPECIAL FEATURES, TOO
Take Charge of Your Health Your rights as a health care consumer as well as how to find the right doctor, make the most of each doctor visit, choose the right health care program, and more

Ten Strategies for a Healthy Lifestyle How to prevent illness and stay fit

Treating Your Child Special advice on caring for the health needs of children

This essential guide has been reviewed by faculty members of the renowned Stanford University School of Medicine. The straight-talking health information and practical guidance in Taking Care will make you an effective, active participant in quality health care.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781588362520
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/07/2002
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

A member of the Stanford University faculty since 1973, Michael B. Jacobs, MD, combines his practice of primary care medicine with teaching at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he is professor of meidcine and section head of Primary Care Internal Medicine. He directs teaching programs for students at Stanford University School of Medicine and is active in the selection of natural curricula for medical students and residents.

Read an Excerpt

First Aid and Emergencies                              1
 
Illness and injury often require quick action. Knowing what to do in an emergency sometimes can mean the difference between life and death.
 
But, don’t forget your own safety. Stay alert when providing first aid—don’t put yourself or anyone else in danger.
 
Know What’s an Emergency
 
Learn to recognize emergencies so that you’ll know when to call for immediate medical assistance. These are warning signs of medical emergencies:
 
 Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
 Pain or pressure in the chest or upper abdominal area
 Fainting
 Sudden dizziness, weakness or change in vision
 Sudden change in mental status—such as unusual behavior, confusion or difficulty waking up
 Severe pain anywhere in the body
 Bleeding that won’t stop after several minutes of direct pressure
 Severe or persistent vomiting
 Coughing up or vomiting blood
 Suicidal or homicidal feelings
 
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If you’re alarmed by unusually severe symptoms that you think may indicate an emergency, call for help immediately.
 
Call for Help
 
In order to act quickly, know your local emergency number and post it near every phone. In most areas, this number is 911.
 
Provide the following information:
 
 The exact address of the emergency. You also may need to give nearby intersections, local landmarks, the floor of the building, or the apartment or room number.
 Your name and the phone number from which you’re calling
 What happened
 The condition of the victim(s)
 What help currently is being given
 
Stay on the line. The emergency operator may tell you what to do until help arrives. Don’t hang up until you’re told to do so.
 
Listen carefully. The emergency operator may ask questions to help determine the exact medical problem.
 
While you’re waiting for help to arrive:
 
 Stay calm. Reassure the patient that help is on the way.
 Follow the emergency operator’s instructions.
 Don’t move someone who is injured unless he or she is in imminent danger.
 Make the patient as comfortable as possible.
 If you can, send someone to meet the responding emergency personnel and direct them to you.
 If you determine that the person isn’t breathing or doesn’t have signs of circulation, perform CPR —but only if you’ve been trained in this technique.
 
Before an Emergency Occurs
 
Being prepared before an emergency occurs can make a difference.
 
 Keep all emergency numbers—including your Poison Control Center number—near each phone.
 Teach your children how and when to call 911. Make sure they know their address and phone number.
 Discuss action plans for various emergency situations with your family. Develop a fire escape plan.
 
See for more safety tips.
 
Your First-Aid Kit
 
A well-stocked, first-aid kit can be very helpful in emergencies. Consider taking a first-aid class to be well prepared.
 
Your first-aid kit should include:
 
 Adhesive bandages—an assortment including butterfly bandages
 Sterile gauze squares or dressings in various sizes
 Rolls of gauze
 Antiseptic wipes
 Disposable surgical gloves
 Calamine lotion
 Adhesive tape
 Sharp scissors with rounded tips
 Triangular cloth bandages for slings
 Safety pins
 Saline solution
 Antibiotic ointment
 Cotton balls and swabs
 Elastic bandage
 Tweezers
 Hydrocortisone cream
 Cold packs
 Pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium
 Aspirin for sudden, severe chest pain
 Syrup of ipecac
 Thermometer
 Flashlight
 Saline eye drops and an eye wash kit
 Matches
 First-aid guide
 Important information—including a list of allergies and medications for each household member, as well as emergency phone numbers
 
Keep these items easily accessible. Store your first-aid kit in a clean, dry place—out of the reach of children. Consider keeping a kit in your home and another in your car.
 
Check your first-aid kit regularly to ensure that all contents are present, in good condition and not expired.
 
CPR—Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
 
IMPORTANT: This brief description of CPR is not a replacement for training from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association (AHA). To find a CPR course near you, contact your local American Red Cross chapter, or contact the AHA at [phone] or www.americanheart.org.
 
CPR is administered when someone’s breathing or circulation (or both) stops. When both stop, sudden death has occurred. This may have many possible causes—poisoning, drowning, choking, suffocation, electrocution or smoke inhalation—but the most common is cardiac arrest. The following steps can help you resuscitate someone who needs help.
 
Check responsiveness. Tap or gently shake the shoulder of the person who has collapsed. Shout, “Are you OK?” Anyone who is unresponsive needs emergency care.
 
Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If possible, have someone else call for help so you can begin CPR.
 
For infants and children ages 8 years or younger, have someone else call for help. If no one else is available, perform one minute of CPR before leaving the person to call for help. If the child is small and not injured, you may carry him or her to the phone when you make the call.
 
Perform CPR. Before you begin CPR, make sure you aren’t in any physical danger—such as in traffic after an accident—when you help.
 
Remember the ABCs: Airway, Breathing and Circulation.
 
Step 1: Airway
 
Open the airway. Carefully place the person on his or her back. Then open the airway by gently tilting the head back (see figure 1). If you suspect a head, neck or back injury, pull the jaw forward without moving the head or neck.
 
Step 2: Breathing
 
Check for breathing. Place your ear close to the person’s nose and mouth. For five seconds, listen and feel for breathing, and look for chest movement.
 
If there’s no breathing, give two puffs of breath. Pinch the person’s nostrils closed and give two breaths into his or her mouth (see figure 2). The chest should rise with each breath you give. If it doesn’t, re-position the head and repeat this step.
 
Don’t pinch an infant’s nose. Place your mouth over the infant’s nose and mouth at the same time.
 
Step 3: Circulation
 
Check circulation. Look for signs of circulation such as normal breathing, coughing or movement in response to stimulation.
 
If there’s no sign of circulation, give compressions. Place the heel of your hand two finger-widths above the lowest notch of the person’s breastbone (see figure 3). Place the heel of your other hand directly over the heel of the hand already in place. Don’t let your fingers touch the person’s chest. Lock your elbows straight, lean over your hands and firmly press straight down about 2 inches. Give 15 compressions. You should be providing a total of 80 to 100 compressions per minute. Counting aloud may help you establish a rhythm, “One and, two and, three and…”
 
For children ages 8 years or younger, use the heel of one hand—not two—on the lower half of the breastbone. Give five compressions. You should be providing a total of 100 compressions per minute.
 
For infants, use two or three fingers on the breastbone about one finger-width below the infant’s nipple line. Provide at least 100 compressions per minute—120 compressions per minute for newborns.
 
Provide 15 compressions for every two breaths. Repeat this sequence four times, then check for breathing and signs of circulation.
 
For infants and children ages 8 years or younger, provide five compressions for every one breath.
 
If there’s no sign of circulation, continue providing 15 compressions for every two breaths. Check the person after every four cycles. Repeat until breathing resumes or help arrives.
 
For infants and children, continue providing five compressions for every one breath until breathing resumes or help arrives.
 
If breathing resumes, place the person in a recovery position. Roll the person onto his or her side, taking care to move the body as a whole unit. Don’t place a person into the recovery position if you suspect a neck, spine or back injury.
 
Remember, these steps aren’t meant to substitute for a certified CPR class. Learn CPR and encourage your family and friends to join you.
 
 
Choking
 
Choking occurs when a foreign object—often food—becomes lodged in the throat or airway. It’s a life-threatening situation that requires quick action.
 
If an infant is choking:
 
 Place the infant face down across your forearm, with your arm resting on your leg or lap. Support the infant’s head with your hand.
 
 Give five forceful blows to the back, between the shoulder blades, with the heel of your hand.
 
 If the object isn’t dislodged, turn the baby over. Give five forceful thrusts with two fingers to the infant’s chest—in the center just below the nipple line.
 
 Alternate between back blows and chest thrusts until the object is coughed out.
 
 If the infant becomes unresponsive, check for breathing and signs of circulation. Perform CPR, if needed.