There are countless of websites out there that give medical advice, some good, some not so good. If you type in something like sore throat, you’ll come up with thousands of hits. This can often be confusing, as most are simply advertisments. Some of the other sites, are written by doctors, for doctors and are hard to understand. They cite all kinds of statistics and clinical studies, and don’t really talk about what to do in a real world setting. Even worse, there are many sites that simply regurgitate what other authoritative sites have written, often misinterpreting valuable information and instructions.

Recently, my son woke up with a bloody nose that wouldn’t stop, and I had to take him to the emergency room for what was in my view, was a serious condition. After a 2 hour visit, they told us there was nothing to worry about, and that it would go away soon.

Then I began thinking there must be a website that could help me decide in the early morning hours of the morning, if I really had to go to the hospital. A basic reference for simple problems, that could help me make simple decisions and help me decide what was serious, and what I could handle at home. Nothing too difficult, just some common sense tips. Here’s what I found:

I stumbled across this free site called OnlineFirstAid.org that is written by emergency doctors, in plain English. It’s super easy to understand and they call it “practical first aid for everyone”. The authors really try to give you enough quality information to help you decide whether you really need to go to the ER or not. Also, they give you easy to follow, step by step instructions for hands on first aid techniques.

The authors work in busy emergency departments, in real hospitals, so the information is straightforward and concise. They cover everything from hangnails to abdominal pain. They even have articles on setting dislocated fingers and basic suturing, should you be far away from a real ER. Keep in mind that you should always see a doctor, but these guys give you some good tips for things to do in the meantime!