Scalp
lacerations: When the hair is longer than 3-4 inches
and an individual has a scalp laceration, one can use the
hair on each side of the laceration to tie it into a knot
to help close the wound before seeking medical attention.
Splinting: There are many types of splints
that can be used for ankles, legs, wrists and arms, if one
is worried about a fracture or severe sprain. These could
include sticks, gun barrels, fishing rods, and paddles from
canoes.
When lost in the woods, one could actually
dismantle their gun, making sure it is unloaded, and use
the barrel turning it around, and you can literally blow
into it like a trumpet to call for help when one doesn’t
have a whistle or other device to call for help.
Wounds and irrigation: One can take a plastic
bag and fill it with water, punch a very small hole in one
end and squeeze it as if you are decorating a cake. You
will have a nice jet stream of water to irrigate the wound.
Safety pins: Safety pins can be used by
attaching the safety pin to a forearm sleeve and attach
it to the chest of a coat or shirt, and you have an automatic
sling that keeps the arm up and elevated.
Superficial
bleeding: Superficial bleeding can be slowed down
as follows: You can take most nasal sprays, spray it on
a bandage, put it on the wound, and it will act as a vasoconstrictor
to help slow down the bleeding with few ill side-effects.
Wounds:
Numbing a wound, when one has liquid Benadryl or Diphenhydramine,
one can pour that on a 4 x 4 bandage and apply it to the
wound. It will act as a nice mild anesthesia which will
numb the area.
Pain
relief: Many individuals are unaware that you can
take 2 Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and 3 Advil or Motrin (Ibuprofen)
which amounts to about 600 mg. of Ibuprofen, and take these
together every 8 hours for
moderate to severe pain. Caution should be advised if you
are an asthmatic as Ibuprofen can exacerbate an asthma attack.
Frostbite: If you are concerned about frostbite
in your fingers, you can perform a windmill technique by
taking your arms and windmilling them around and around
and that will force blood to the small capillaries and help
warm your fingers and hands.
Bleeding in the extremities: Please remember:
Direct pressure for 10-15 minutes with a bandage as well
as elevation above the heart will definitely decrease bleeding
and help it stop.
Nose bleeds (epistaxis): The classic maneuver
is to pinch the nose and hold your head back for at least
10-15 minutes. However this author has also had success
with blowing the nose fairly hard for 4-6 times until the
clots alleviate. Blowing very hard causes intranasal pressure,
clamping off the small vessels. You should then use a nasal
spray which will help vasoconstrict. This is very beneficial.
Caution should be advised that after 4-6 hard blows, if
bleeding does not stop, revert back to pinching and bringing
the head back.
Foreign body in the nose, for example a pea or peanut
or other small item: This is very common in children.
You can close the unaffected nostril while at the same time
with a mild to moderate blow, blow into the child’s
mouth one puff and this should dislodge the item from the
nostril. If it does not work on the first attempt, give
it a second try. By no means should you dig into the nostril
to remove the object, which usually results in pushing the
object farther back. Transport to a medical professional.
Removing small thorns or cacti thorns,
caterpillar quills or tarantula hairs from the skin, these
are usually very fine and difficult to see. You can take
some hot, melted wax and put it on the area and peel it
off after it dries. Or you can use duct tape putting it
over the caterpillar quills or tarantula hairs, and that
usually works quite well to remove them. When using hot
wax, please be advised that there can be some burning to
the skin. However there are usually no secondary side-effects
using this technique.
Always remove rings, watches, and bracelets
from fingers and wrists immediately after any contusion,
sprain or bite to the fingers or hands by any mammals as
well as snakes. This prevents severe problems down the road
as far as possible amputation of digits due to constriction
of blood vessels when the fingers swell.
Blood
under the nail (subungual hematomas), toenails
or fingernails, from dropping a log or rock on these digits.
You can take a paperclip or nail, heat it under a flame
and pierce the nail. This usually melts the nail, removing
the blood under the nail which immediately relieves the
pressure and pain the person is experiencing.
Signaling
for help when stranded in an open area: Mountains,
oceans, large bodies of water: One can use CD’s on
a sunny day as a reflective mirror. Even the holograms on
credit cards can work as a signal mirror.
Life preservers: While in the water, one
can actually remove their pants, tie a knot in each end
of their pant legs, pull them out of the water and pull
them quickly over their head. The legs will inflate and
will stay inflated for awhile, acting as a life preserver.
When they do deflate, you can attempt to do it again as
you tread water. This is a brief but effective technique
to create a life preserver.
Chest pain, history of heart attack or disease:
I usually carry chewable aspirin. The standard of care is
four 81 mg. aspirin which is the first line of treatment.
This would be obviously a first line in the wilderness since
you are going to be short of other treatment interventions.