The focus of first aid is helping others, but it’s worth taking a moment to consider how you might treat yourself in a medical ­emergency if nobody else is around.

“While most of the first aid you can do on yourself is the same as you’d do on someone else, when it comes to heart problems or choking it can be more difficult to save your own life,” says Alan Weir, clinical director at St John Ambulance ( sja.org.uk ).

Here he shares some simple but practical advice for how to cope with situations when solo…

1. Heart attack

“While a heart attack could lead to a cardiac arrest, the main difference is someone suffering a heart attack will be responsive and their heart will still be beating,” says Alan.

“Someone suffering a cardiac arrest will be unresponsive and their heart will stop pumping blood around their body.”

What to do:

2. Sever bleeding

“While some areas are more dangerous if cut than others, such as a main artery, the advice would still be the same as if anyone else was bleeding severely,” says Alan.

What to do:

3. Choking

“If the blockage is partial, you’ll be able to save yourself by coughing, forcing the blockage to clear,” says Alan.

“If the blockage is more serious, you will need to find help, or try performing abdominal thrusts on yourself. While it will be hard at the time, try and stay calm and follow the advice below.”

What to do:

4. Broken bone

“While a broken bone is not likely to be life threatening, it’s important to try and reduce the pain and seek medical attention before going into shock, which could cause death,” says Alan. “Do not try and use the broken limb, or make any movements that cause further pain.”

What to do:

5. Burns

“You need to cool the burn as quickly as possible to prevent lasting damage and ensure a quick recovery,” says Alan. “If the burn is larger than your hand, on the face, hands or feet, or a deep burn, you will need to seek medical attention.”

What to do:

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