SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE

What do you do if you are alone in an emergency. this week: Severed finger

THE priority is to treat the site where the blood is flowing — or where the finger is severed — using pressure and a clean towel. Hold the bleeding hand above your head to stem the blood flow faster, advises Alan Weir, head of clinical services at St John Ambulance — and take a painkiller such as co-codamol for the pain. Under pressure, many people forget to find the amputated digit, but this is crucial as doctors may be able to re-attach it.

Once you’ve dealt with the bleeding, rinse the missing tip carefully to remove bacteria, then wrap it loosely in a paper towel. Put this in a small, clear bag of crushed ice to take to hospital — cooling delays tissue death, but direct contact with ice may damage the cells.

And note the precise time the injury happened as this tells surgeons how quickly they need to act — the ideal window