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Essential first aid tips everyone should know

Find out how to treat cuts, blisters, bruises and other minor injuries.


LearnCommon illnessesEssential first aid tips everyone should know
Cuts
Sprains and strains
Bumps and bruises
Scrapes
Blisters
Burns
Splinters
Animal and human bites

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Many of us have experienced a minor injury, like a scraped knee, a blister from breaking in a new pair of shoes, or a splinter from a wooden park bench. But you don’t have to suffer through the pain—and, in fact, you shouldn’t leave these minor maladies unattended.

Jared White, MD, an emergency medicine specialist in North Kansas City, Missouri, shares the safest and speediest treatment options for eight common injuries, and signs you should have them checked out by a healthcare provider (HCP).

Sources: Mayo Clinic. Cuts and scrapes: First aid... + 19
  1. Mayo Clinic. Cuts and scrapes: First aid. May 1, 2024.
  2. UVA Health. Laceration Repair. Accessed October 29, 2024.
  3. MedlinePlus. Muscle strain treatment. Reviewed April 27, 2023.
  4. Mayo Clinic. Sprain: First aid. April 23, 2024.
  5. UPMC. How to Use the RICE Method for Treating Injuries. April 10, 2023.
  6. MedlinePlus. Strains. April 27, 2023.
  7. Mayo Clinic. Bruise: First aid. April 17, 2024.
  8. MyAlbertaHealth (Canada). Hematoma: Care Instructions. July 10, 2023.
  9. MedlinePlus. Scrape. Reviewed April 27, 2023.
  10. Nemours Teen Health. Cuts, Scratches, and Scrapes. Reviewed September 2020.
  11. MedlinePlus. Blisters. Updated November 15, 2016.
  12. American Academy of Dermatology Association. How to prevent and treat blisters. Accessed October 29, 2024.
  13. Mayo Clinic. Blisters: First aid. May 1, 2024.
  14. Mayo Clinic. Burns: First aid. August 1, 2024.
  15. MedlinePlus. Minor burns – aftercare. August 15, 2022.
  16. University of Rochester Medical Center. Third-Degree Burn in Children. Accessed October 29, 2024.
  17. American Academy of Dermatology Association. How to remove a splinter. Accessed October 29, 2024.
  18. MedlinePlus. Human bites – self-care. April 3, 2024.
  19. Cleveland Clinic. If a Dog Bites You, Do These 7 Things Now. February 7, 2020.
  20. Mayo Clinic. Animal bites: First aid. May 10, 2024.
Written by Taylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed by Ann Wendling, MD, MPH.December, 2023
Updated onAugust, 2026
Written by Taylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed by Ann Wendling, MD, MPH.December, 2023
Updated onAugust, 2026
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