First aid & emergencies

First aid and emergencies

Clear, referenced first-aid guides — what to do step by step, and when to call 999. 35 topics and growing. Not a substitute for a hands-on first-aid course.

In a life-threatening emergency, call 999 now. Use these guides to know what to do while help is on the way — they do not replace emergency services or a first-aid course.

Bites & stings

Insect Bites and StingsFor most insect bites and stings, remove any sting, apply a cold compress and treat itchin… Animal and Human BitesClean any bite that breaks the skin thoroughly with running water, cover it, and get medic… Snake BiteKeep the person calm and still, keep the bitten limb still and below heart level, and call… Tick BitesRemove an attached tick promptly and correctly with fine tweezers or a tick tool, clean th… Jellyfish and Marine StingsFor a jellyfish sting, rinse with seawater, remove tentacles carefully and soak in hot wat… Spider BitesMost UK spider bites are harmless — clean the area, apply a cold compress and take pain re…

Emergency

Choking (Adult or Child)If someone is choking and cannot speak, cough or breathe, give firm back blows then abdomi… Choking (Baby Under 1)For a choking baby, give up to 5 back blows then up to 5 chest thrusts (never abdominal th… CPR (Unresponsive, Not Breathing)If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999, start chest compressions … Recovery PositionIf someone is unresponsive but breathing normally, place them on their side in the recover… Severe BleedingFor severe bleeding, apply firm, direct pressure to the wound, call 999, and keep pressing… Anaphylaxis (Severe Allergic Reaction)For a severe allergic reaction, use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) into t… Heart AttackIf you suspect a heart attack, call 999 immediately, help the person sit down and rest, an… Stroke (Act FAST)If you suspect a stroke, use the FAST test (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) and call 999 immedia… Seizure (Epileptic Fit)During a seizure, keep the person safe from injury, cushion their head, do not restrain th… Asthma AttackDuring an asthma attack, help the person sit up and take their reliever (blue) inhaler — o… Spinal InjuryIf you suspect a neck or back injury, keep the person still, support their head, and call … AmputationFor a severed body part, control the bleeding with firm pressure, call 999, and wrap the a… DrowningGet the person out of the water safely without putting yourself at risk, call 999, and sta… Diabetic EmergencyFor a conscious person with low blood sugar (a "hypo"), give something sugary; if they are… FaintingIf someone faints, lay them down and raise their legs; if they do not quickly come round o… Shock (Medical)Medical shock is a life-threatening drop in circulation — lay the person down, raise their…

Environmental

Heat Exhaustion and HeatstrokeCool an overheated person down and give fluids; if they do not improve within 30 minutes o… HypothermiaWarm a cold person gradually with dry clothing, blankets and warm drinks if alert; for sev… Electric ShockSwitch off the power before touching the person, then call 999 and treat any burns or star…

Injuries

Burns and ScaldsCool a burn under cool running water for at least 20 minutes, remove tight items before sw… Broken BoneKeep the injured area still and supported, do not try to straighten it, and get medical he… Head InjuryFor a head injury, apply a cold compress to any bump, watch closely for warning signs, and… NosebleedFor a nosebleed, sit forward and pinch the soft part of the nose for 10–15 minutes, breath… Sprains and StrainsFor a sprain or strain, follow RICE — Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation — for the first… Cuts and GrazesFor a minor cut or graze, clean it under running water, apply pressure to stop bleeding, a… Eye InjuryFor something in the eye, rinse gently with clean water; for chemicals in the eye, rinse c… Knocked-Out ToothFor a knocked-out adult tooth, handle it by the crown, gently reinsert it if you can, or k…

Poisoning

Swallowed PoisonIf someone has swallowed something poisonous, call 999 or 111 for advice, find out what an… Carbon Monoxide PoisoningIf you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, get everyone out into fresh air immediately, do …

See also

Conditions A–Z · Symptoms · Tests · Treatments & procedures · Healthy living

If someone is seriously unwell right now

Call for help first, then start

Call 999 immediately if someone is unresponsive or not breathing normally, is struggling to breathe, has chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, is bleeding heavily, has signs of a stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech), is having a seizure that will not stop, has a rash that does not fade when pressed with fever, or is confused or drowsy in a way that is new. For urgent advice when it is not immediately life-threatening, call NHS 111. Do not spend time reading a web page before making that call.

First aid is a small number of actions done early, and getting professional help on the way is one of them. In almost every emergency the sequence is the same: make sure it is safe to approach, check whether the person responds, check their breathing, call for help, then do what you can while help is coming. On a phone, put it on speakerphone so you can act while the call handler guides you — they are trained to talk you through chest compressions and much else.

  • Do not put yourself in danger. A second casualty helps nobody. Traffic, fire, electricity and water are the usual hazards.
  • Not breathing normally means start CPR. Occasional gasping is not normal breathing. Chest compressions done imperfectly are vastly better than none, and the 999 handler will set the rhythm for you.
  • Severe bleeding needs firm, sustained, direct pressure. Keep it on and do not keep lifting to look.
  • If an adrenaline auto-injector has been used for anaphylaxis, still call 999. Symptoms can return after the first dose wears off.
  • Do not move someone with a suspected spinal injury unless they are in danger or you need to open their airway.

What these guides are, and are not

Reading is preparation; training is the real thing

These pages explain what is happening, what to do, what not to do, and when something has crossed the line into an emergency. They are written to be read before you need them. Reading is genuinely useful — knowing that gasping is not breathing, or that a non-blanching rash with fever needs an ambulance, changes what people do — but it is not equivalent to a hands-on course. A few hours with a certified provider such as St John Ambulance or the British Red Cross teaches compressions, choking manoeuvres and recovery positioning in a way no text can, and it is the single most useful thing on this page.

For the reasoning behind acute presentations see our clinical articles, several written as case-based walkthroughs; for the underlying conditions see conditions A–Z; for the deterioration scores clinicians use, such as NEWS2 and the Glasgow Coma Scale, see our calculators.

Reference only, and never a reason to delay. If you are unsure whether something is an emergency, treat it as one and call. Emergency services would far rather attend and find nothing wrong.

Need first-aid or patient-safety content built?

We create clear, accurate, referenced medical explainers, first-aid guides and decision aids for teams and learners.

Talk to us ☎ +44 7448 439750
☎ Call Get a Proposal