FIRST THINGS FIRST
Grab a clean napkin or towel or some sterile gauze. Place it over the wound and apply pressure. If the wound is to a limb, raise it above your heart to slow blood flow to the site and encourage clotting. “If the cloth soaks through with blood, keep adding to it,” says paramedic Connie Meyer, a board member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) in the US. “If you disturb the clot, it’ll start bleeding again.”

THE “UH-OH” MOMENT
If the blood is bright red and spurting, an artery has been breached. EMTs often focus on pressure points – key places on the body where an artery is next to a bone – and apply direct pressure. Done correctly, this tactic at least slows the bleeding. If you cut your hand, for example, find the brachial artery, located on the inside of your arm just above the elbow. Press it hard with your fingers or palm. If you’re severely gashed and can see inside the wound, pinch the artery shut. Hold on tight until you make it to an A&E.

DIAL 995
If you’ve lost enough blood to fill a 500ml soft drink bottle or if you start to feel thirsty, cold (or both) – you could be going into shock. Phone for help immediately. Then work to control the bleeding, without panicking. Stopping a severe bleed can take as long as 20 minutes, Meyer says.

NOVICE MISTAKE
Putting soap into a wound. If you slice your finger, run it under the tap for a few seconds. Then cover it with a bandage and watch it the next day. Increasing pain at the wound, redness, warmth and foul-smelling drainage are all signs of infection.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
If the affected area is smaller than 6cm in diameter, run it under cold water for five minutes, says Meyer. If the skin isn’t blistered or charred – signs of serious burns – pop two ibuprofen or acetaminophen and leave the burn exposed to air. Don’t slather on an antiseptic cream right away, says Meyer. “Wait at least an hour, or until the skin has cooled.” When the burning sensation stops, prevent infection with an antibiotic ointment. Mild soap and water can work in a pinch.

THE “UH-OH” MOMENT
Blistering skin means a second-degree burn. “These are fairly serious, but an area smaller than your palm can be managed at home,” says Dr David Ross, a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Don’t pop the blisters and skip the cream. Cover unhealed blisters loosely with gauze or an adhesive strip.

DIAL 995
If your skin resembles an overcooked rib-eye steak, you have third-degree burns. While you’re waiting for the paramedics, don’t submerge the burns in cold water, which could lead to shock and hypothermia. Make sure your skin is no longer in contact with smouldering fabric and let the experts remove any stuck clothing.

NOVICE MISTAKE
“Applying ice to any burn interrupts tissue repair,” says Dr Charles F. Pattavina, chief of emergency medicine at St. Joseph Hospital in the US. “Use water that’s 4 deg C or warmer.”

FIRST THINGS FIRST
How deep is it? “An abrasion or scratch doesn’t usually need a doctor’s attention,” says Dr Pattavina. “The risk of infection is much lower than with penetrating wounds.” Rinse away germs with cool tap water, cover the site with an adhesive strip and watch for infection.

THE “UH-OH” MOMENT
If teeth do plunge into your skin, it’s a different story. “This is dangerous,” says Dr Pattavina. “Long fangs push bacteria deep into the wound where they can thrive in an inaccessible, low-oxygen environment.” You can try flushing the wound with cool water, but your best bet is an A&E. “Even with irrigation by a doctor, these wounds are prone to infection,” says Dr Pattavina. “They may need a lot of cleansing and antibiotics.”

DIAL 995
If man’s best friend suddenly turns into a creature from a horror movie and you can’t stop the bleeding or a huge chunk of tissue is missing, call for an ambulance immediately.
NOVICE MISTAKE Not keeping up with your tetanus shots. Dr Ross recommends receiving a booster within 72 hours if you’ve been bitten and if five years have elapsed since your last shot.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
A bee sting produces an odour that can prompt other bees to attack, so cover your face and neck with a shirt or jacket until you can scramble indoors. Then curb the pain with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. No matter what your mother slathered on a sting, topical home remedies such as baking powder and mud only cool the skin. “They don’t actually mediate your body’s reaction,” says P. Kirk Visscher, PhD, an associate entomologist at the University of California.

THE “UH-OH” MOMENT
The longer the stinger stays stuck in your skin, the more venom your body receives. So yank the stinger out with your fingers, scrape it off with a fingernail or credit card, or brush it off on your jeans – just remove it as soon as possible. Seconds matter, says Visscher, who notes that the squeeze itself won’t affect the amount of poison that leaks into your system.

DIAL 995
If you’ve been stung 20 or more times, develop hives/rashes away from the site of the sting or experience difficulty breathing, you may be having an allergic reaction, which in extreme cases can be fatal if you do not receive medical attention quickly.

NOVICE MISTAKE
Sucking on the sting to remove the venom, which does nothing more than cause the venom to infuse the tissue further, resulting in a larger, uglier welt.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Whether it’s a sprain or a break, apply ice (alternating 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off) for the first day or so. To make a quick ice pack, place crushed ice in a zip-top bag and then wrap the bag with a thin towel or T-shirt. (A bag of frozen peas works too.) If you can move the joint or bone without major discomfort and there’s no obvious deformity, it’s probably not broken, says Dr Ross. Ice it, elevate it and grab an ibuprofen or two to dull the discomfort.

THE “UH-OH” MOMENT
The huge crunch you heard or the disturbing ‘S’ shape of your arm leaves little doubt – it’s broken. Try to keep the bone immobilised on your way to the A&E and elevate a broken arm or leg above your heart level. This counteracts gravity’s pull on blood moving into the arm.

DIAL 995
Call an ambulance immediately if you can see the bone or if there’s a hole in the skin – a broken bone may have pierced the skin. Resist the urge to pop pain meds as they could cause complications if you need immediate surgery.

NOVICE MISTAKE
Jury-rigging a splint or sling. “Splints are necessary only if you’re far from help,” says Dr Ross. “A sling does nothing but remind you not to move the injury. If you’re thinking sling, see a doctor.”