On this page, you can find an overview of Cochrane reviews that are relevant to the field of first aid. This includes not only reviews targeted at laypeople as providers of healthcare interventions, but also reviews that investigate interventions that are feasible in a lay setting.

We selected reviews based on a set of criteria, which you can find here. Only reviews that were published in the past 5 years, or that are declared stable, are included.

The relevant reviews are structured according to the lay-out of a typical first aid manual, which tries to group conditions broadly according to body part (e.g. ear pain is covered in the chapter head), in addition to some specific conditions which do not necessarily fit within a specific region (e.g. bites and stings is a separate chapter).

Have you spotted first aid-relevant Cochrane reviews that are not on this list yet? Contact us, so we can add them.

Resuscitation and defibrillation

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot	Cochrane Corner (CC) / Visual abstract (VA)
Community first responders for out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest in adults and children	2019	Cochrane Emergency and Critical Care Group
Sustained versus standard inflations during neonatal resuscitation to prevent mortality and improve respiratory outcomes	2020	Cochrane Neonatal Group
Active chest compression‐decompression for cardiopulmonary resuscitation	2013 (declared stable)	Cochrane Heart Group
Continuous chest compression versus interrupted chest compression for cardiopulmonary resuscitation of non‐asphyxial out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest	2017	Cochrane Emergency and Critical Care Group	Blogshot:	CC / VA

Skin wounds

Head and neck

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot	Cochrane Corner (CC) / Visual abstract (VA)
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) with or without an antiemetic for acute migraine headaches in adults	2013 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Diclofenac with or without an antiemetic for acute migraine headaches in adults	2013 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Aspirin with or without an antiemetic for acute migraine headaches in adults	2013 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Ibuprofen with or without an antiemetic for acute migraine headaches in adults	2013 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Pharmacological interventions for acute attacks of vestibular migraine	2023	Cochrane Ear, Nose and Throat Group
Non-pharmacological interventions for prophylaxis of vestibular migraine	2023	Cochrane Ear, Nose and Throat Group
Ibuprofen for acute treatment of episodic tension‐type headache in adults	2015 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Aspirin for acute treatment of episodic tension‐type headache in adults	2017 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for acute treatment of episodic tension‐type headache in adults	2016 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group	Blogshot:
Interventions for managing halitosis	2019	Cochrane Oral Health Group	Blogshot:
Prehospital stroke scales as screening tools for early identification of stroke and transient ischemic attack	2019	Cochrane Stroke Group		CC / VA
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) or non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, alone or combined, for pain relief in acute otitis media in children	2023	Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group
Blue‐light filtering spectacle lenses for visual performance, sleep, and macular health in adults	2023	Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group

Chest

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot
Honey for acute cough in children	2018	Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group	Blogshot:
Breathing exercises for adults with asthma	2020	Cochrane Airways Group

Stomach and back

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot
Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs for heavy menstrual bleeding	2019	Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group
Interventions to prevent or treat heavy menstrual bleeding or pain associated with intrauterine-device use	2022	Cochrane Fertility Regulation Group
Interventions for heavy menstrual bleeding; overview of Cochrane reviews and network meta-analysis	2022	Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group
Probiotics for treating acute infectious diarrhoea	2020	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Fly control to prevent diarrhoea in children	2018	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Hand washing promotion for preventing diarrhoea	2021	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group	Blogshot:
Oral versus intravenous rehydration for treating dehydration due to gastroenteritis in children	2006 (declared stable)	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Interventions to improve disposal of child faeces for preventing diarrhoea and soil‐transmitted helminth infection	2019	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Interventions to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene for preventing soil-transmitted helminth infection	2022	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Interventions to improve sanitation for preventing diarrhoea	2023	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Smectite for acute infectious diarrhoea in children	2018	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group	Blogshot:
Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs for acute low back pain	2020	Cochrane Back and Neck Group
Pharmacological treatments for low back pain in adults: an overview of Cochrane Reviews	2023	Cochrane Back and Neck Group, Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group
D-mannose for preventing and treating urinary tract infection	2022	Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Group
Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections	2023	Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Group

Limbs

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot
Interventions for preventing falls in people after stroke	2019	Cochrane Stroke Group
Salicylate‐containing rubefacients for acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults	2014 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Topical NSAIDs for acute musculoskeletal pain in adults	2015 (declared stable)	Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group
Magnesium for skeletal muscle cramps	2020	Cochrane Neuromuscular Group
Interventions for treating wrist fractures in children	2018	Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group
Non‐drug therapies for the prevention of lower limb muscle cramps	2021	Cochrane Neuromuscular Group
Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community	2023	Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group
Interventions for preventing falls in people with multiple sclerosis	2019	Cochrane Multiple Sclerosis and Rare Diseases of the CNS Group
Oral non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs versus other oral analgesic agents for acute soft tissue injury	2020	Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group	Blogshot:
Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for trigger finger	2021	Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group
Running shoes for preventing lower limb running injuries in adults	2022	Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group	Neutral/cushioned shoes: Soft & motion control shoes:

Bites and stings

Poisoning

Specific injuries and conditions

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot	Visual abstract (VA) / Policy Brief (PB)
Compression stockings for preventing deep vein thrombosis in airline passengers	2021	Cochrane Vascular Group	Blogshot:
Calcium supplementation for prevention of primary hypertension	2022	Cochrane Hypertension Group
First aid glucose administration routes for symptomatic hypoglycaemia	2019	Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group	Blogshot:
Day care as a strategy for drowning prevention in children under 6 years of age in low- and middle-income countries	2021	Cochrane Public Health Group	Blogshot:	VA / PB
Electric fans for reducing adverse health impacts in heatwaves	2012 (declared stable)	Cochrane Gynaecological, Neuro‐oncology and Orphan Cancer Group
Antihistamines for motion sickness	2022	Cochrane Ear, Nose and Throat Group
Interventions for preventing high altitude illness: Part 3. Miscellaneous and non‐pharmacological interventions	2019	Cochrane Emergency and Critical Care Group
Interventions for treating acute high altitude illness	2018	Cochrane Emergency and Critical Care Group
Pool fencing for preventing drowning of children	1998 (declared stable)	Cochrane Injuries Group

Allergy

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot
Interventions for preventing occupational irritant hand dermatitis	2018	Cochrane Skin Group	Blogshot:
Saline irrigation for allergic rhinitis	2018	Cochrane ENT Group

Infectious diseases

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot
Oral antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold	2022	Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group
House modifications for preventing malaria	2022	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group	Blogshot:
Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children	2022	Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group
Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses	2020	Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group	Hand hygiene:
Rinse‐free hand wash for reducing absenteeism among preschool and school children	2020	Cochrane Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group
Quarantine alone or in combination with other public health measures to control COVID‐19: a rapid review	2020	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
Hand cleaning with ash for reducing the spread of viral and bacterial infections: a rapid review	2020	Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group	Blogshot:
Personal protective equipment for preventing highly infectious diseases due to exposure to contaminated body fluids in healthcare staff	2020	Cochrane Work Group
Condom effectiveness in reducing heterosexual HIV transmission	2002 (declared stable)	Cochrane HIV/AIDS Group
Cyclamen europaeum extract for acute sinusitis	2018	Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group	Blogshot:

Pregnancy and delivery

Title	Year	Cochrane Review Group	Blogshot
Oral non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (single dose) for perineal pain in the early postpartum period	2021	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Paracetamol/acetaminophen (single administration) for perineal pain in the early postpartum period	2021	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Immersion in water during labour and birth	2018	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Bed sharing versus no bed sharing for healthy term neonates	2021	Cochrane Neonatal Group
Hand hygiene for the prevention of infections in neonates	2023	Cochrane Neonatal Group
Relief of pain due to uterine cramping/involution after birth	2020	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group	Blogshot:
Local cooling for relieving pain from perineal trauma sustained during childbirth	2020	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy	2020	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamping and other strategies to influence placental transfusion at preterm birth on maternal and infant outcomes	2019	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Aspirin (single dose) for perineal pain in the early postpartum period	2020	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Massage, reflexology and other manual methods for pain management in labour	2018	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Relaxation techniques for pain management in labour	2018	Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group

General pain

Overall health

Mental health