First Aid for Self-Harm

It can be difficult to distinguish between a bone, joint or muscle injury so if in doubt, treat the injury as a broken bone. The main aim is to prevent further injury.  

If you suspect a broken bone:  

• Support the limb with your hand.
• Avoid moving the injured part if possible.
• Secure and support the injured part. You can use rolled up blankets, cushions, clothes or whatever you have handy.
• Arrange for travel to hospital.

If this is not possible or in the case of suspected spinal or neck injury, call 999.

Find out more about treating broken bones by visiting the Red Cross website.

Strains and sprains should be treated initially by the ‘RICE’ procedure:

• R - Rest the injured part  
• I - Ice or a cold compress should be applied  
• C - Comfortably support the injury  
• E - Elevate the injured part

This treatment may be sufficient to relieve the symptoms, but if you do not know how severe the injury is, treat it as a broken bone and seek medical advice.  

Find out more about treating strains and sprains by visiting the Red Cross website.

ALWAYS seek urgent medical attention without delay:

• One tablet over the prescribed amount is too many. What may not harm one person may be fatal or cause serious damage to another. Everyone is different. The damage an overdose will cause can depend on many factors.
• You may not seem to be affected by the number of tablets you have taken on one occasion but that does not mean you won’t be affected if you do it again with the same number. You may appear fine but it is always possible that you have caused damage that is unseen, and will still need to be checked out.  
• If you find an unconscious person who has taken an overdose, they should be put into the recovery position – on their side with their head tilted back and their chin lifted.
• Call an ambulance, keep monitoring them - checking that their airway is open and they are breathing.

Find out more about what to do if someone has taken an overdose and may be unresponsive and breathing by visiting the Red Cross website.

With burns and scalds, the aim of first aid is to stop the burning process and protect the wound.

• Firstly, cool down the burn by placing it under cold running water for at least 20 minutes. This will reduce the pain and swelling.
• Remove all clothing and jewellery from the affected area, unless it is attached to the burn. Do not try to remove clothes that are stuck to a burn.  Once the burn is cooled, cover with cling film (if available) – this will help prevent infection. Place the cling film lengthways just to cover the area loosely - there is no need to wrap and seal the cling film round the area.
• A clean plastic bag can be used to cover a burn on the foot or hand.
• Call an ambulance if necessary. If you are not sure how severe the burn is, seek advice.
• Burns to the face, hands or genitals require immediate medical advice.  
• Avoid using any creams or lotions.

Find out more about treating burns and scalds by visiting the Red Cross website.

Shock is a life-threatening condition and occurs when vital organs do not get enough oxygen due to reduced blood circulation.

The most common cause of shock is severe blood loss. Signs of shock include: pale, cold and clammy skin, a rapid and weak pulse, fast and shallow breathing, sweating, nausea and thirst.

If you suspect shock:

• Call 999, and if you can’t, ask someone else to do so
• Lie down with your legs raised higher than the rest of your body and supported
• Wrap yourself in coats or blankets to keep warm
• Avoid food and drinks in case there is a need for a general anaesthetic in hospital

Find out more about first aid advice for shock on the St John's Ambulance website.

The main aim of first aid for severe bleeding is to stop blood coming out of the wound. 

Apply pressure to the wound - you can use your hand, or any clean material, such as a tea towel. If blood soaks through the item you’re using, do not remove it but add more items and maintain firm pressure. 

Call 999 as soon as you can, and if you can’t, then get someone else to do so.

Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives.

If something is embedded in the wound, DO NOT REMOVE IT and take care not to press on the object. Instead, you’ll need to press firmly on either side of the object and build up padding around it before bandaging to avoid putting pressure on the object itself. 

Watch the person for signs of shock which include looking pale, feeling cold and feeling dizzy.

Find out more about what to do in case of heavy bleeding by visiting the Red Cross website.

Adapted from Basic First Aid by the National Self Harm Network and British Red Cross

• Apply pressure to the cut and hold the affected area above the heart (if possible) until the bleeding stops
• If the bleeding does not stop after applying pressure for 10 minutes, seek medical attention
• Rinse the cut(s) under running water or clean with alcohol-free wipes, and make sure there is no dirt in the cut(s) which could cause infection
• Gently dry the affected area with a clean paper towel
• Apply a plaster to close the wound, or if needed apply a sterile dressing
• Seek medical attention if the cut was made with a non-sterile object or if there is a risk of any dirt or foreign objects remaining in the wound.

ALWAYS make sure your tetanus injections are up to date.

Please seek medical attention if: you think the cut may have become infected or it is not healing properly. Signs of infection include: swelling, redness and increasing pain in the affected area, pus forming in or around the wound.

Find out more about treating cuts and grazes by visiting the NHS website.