Health Tip: Five Common First-Aid Myths

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First-aid myths may do more harm than good, says the University of Rochester Medical Center.

The school mentions these examples of first-aid folklore, and what to do instead:

• Putting hot water on frozen skin can cause serious damage. Slowly thaw skin with warm water instead.
• Rubbing alcohol does not bring down a fever. Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen instead.
• Putting coffee grounds on a cut to stop bleeding can cause infection. Apply pressure with sterile gauze instead.
• Rubbing butter on a burn can actually keep the heat in. Run cool water over the area to ease pain instead.
• Using ipecac syrup to induce vomiting can be dangerous. Call poison control immediately instead.

Source: HealthDay

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