Basic Wilderness First-Aid 101

Discussion in 'First Aid and Medicine' started by branchd77, Jan 20, 2016.

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  1. branchd77

    branchd77 Administrator Staff Member Gold Supporter
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    Despite having all the necessities of living down-pat, there are some instances where the unpredictable may still occur. In these cases, it is imperative to know how to treat wilderness wounds and injuries.

    Flesh Wounds

    • Scrapes

    • Cuts

    • Blisters

    • Burns
    Flesh wounds are the most common type of wilderness-oriented injury. Despite past advice, never attempt to rinse or clean a flesh wound in an open source of water. If at all possible, always rinse and clean the wound with sterilized/treated drinking water. If there is matter or debris stuck in the wound, it may be necessary to weigh your options. An infection takes approximately a week to fully develop. If you will be without adequate health care for that period, it is best to take precautions and to avoid open-source water in general.

    Shock

    A state of shock results from a combination of unbearable stress (mental or physical) and low blood-flow. Essentially, shock is the opposite of an adrenaline rush, where instead of being increased, all of the body's systems and processes are slowed down and depressed. A state of shock can follow any event or injury (no matter how minor), as it essentially relates to a person's individual stress levels. If there are no serious injuries, it is advised to first deal with any minor injuries. Once this has been completed, position the individual with their head and chest lower than their legs. This will ultimately increase blood-flow to major organs.

    Head Injuries

    • Exterior Wounds

    • Falls

    • Concussions

    • Brain Swelling

    • Brain Injury
    While head injuries are less likely to occur than flesh wounds, it is still important to know the major signs to keep an eye out for. In general, when it comes to head injuries, a person's level (or state) of consciousness is the best diagnostic tool. Periods of unconsciousness and unresponsiveness (or occurrences of black-outs) are the most prominent indicators of severe head injury. Signs of vomiting, restlessness and combativeness may also be indicative of more severe neurological damage. The more alert and aware the individual is following the head injury, the less serious the injury is likely to be. Due to the fact that head injuries may cause the brain to swell slowly (as opposed to instantly), it is important to continuously check on the injured individual for a span of (at least) twenty-four hours before determining a state of good health.

    In the case of a concussion, the individual will often have "watery blood" leaking from the dorsal orifices (such as the nose and ears). Additional symptoms include convulsions, pupil immobilization (neither dilating nor constricting), and the presence of a head ache and vomiting. In these cases, the individual should be kept warm and allowed to rest in hopes of a full recovery.
     
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  2. Arkane

    Arkane Master Survivalist
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    A few years ago I completed a 5 day "Wilderness and Austere Medicine" course worth $4,000.
    Run by a hospital Accident and Emergency senior doctor!

    Awesome course
    Basicly shows what is and is not feasible in an accident when there is no ambulance or helicopter coming or hospital available in the near future
    What you can fix and what you can't!
    If you have scant resources it lets you guage where to use those resources to aid recovery and where not to waste the resources on futile aid!
     
  3. Kirkscape

    Kirkscape New Member
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    Last edited: Oct 20, 2016
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