9 crucial field grade medical tips
If there’s one lesson we’ve all learned, it’s that being prepared for a disaster is the single most important thing you can do to ensure the safety of your family when the inevitable crisis strikes. Stockpiling food and water, securing your home against intruders, defending yourself against attackers, preparing a bug-out bag, becoming adept at making fire and constructing temporary shelters…these and many more are all things that you can do, in advance, to give you and your family the best possible chance of survival in what is sure to be a very different world than the one in which we live now.
There is another very important component to survival that most of us haven’t thought much about, and that’s medical care. Sure, you have a first-aid kit in your survival stockpile, but do you know the best way to treat injuries to a variety of body parts?
Even if the emergency itself that you are forced to deal with does not result in any physical injuries to you or your family members, the likelihood of sustaining injuries increases dramatically as you attempt to escape the problem and very possibly find yourself on rough terrain and perhaps in the wilderness.
Chances are, professional medical care will not be available during a crisis as it normally is, especially during the first few days when whichever doctors’ offices and hospitals that stay open could be overloaded with patients. You need to know at least the basics of treating injuries in order to keep your family moving and as safe as possible.
Understanding how to treat injuries affecting the ankle, foot, knee, hamstring, groin, lower back, wrist, elbow and shoulder will not only alleviate pain quicker, but will also speed up the recovery process. How swiftly you or your family members can rebound from injuries that are certain to come will go a long way toward putting yourselves in the best possible position to successfully deal with the crisis you are facing.
Let’s go over some possible injuries you may sustain, including the symptoms you’ll exhibit and the treatment that will help you get back on your feet as soon as possible:
Ankle
The ankle is the body part that is most likely to sustain an injury if you’re on the run in rough terrain. If you’ve ever sprained or fractured your ankle, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. Swelling and tenderness will occur almost immediately, and weight bearing will be a problem. When ligaments holding the bones of the ankle joint stretch, tear or rupture, you will not be a happy camper.
The first thing you’ll want to do is remove your shoe and sock. Then use an elastic wrap to cover the ankle and apply a pack of crushed ice to the area for 20 to 30 minutes every two to three hours over a couple of days to help reduce the swelling. This will at least keep you going until you are able to get professional medical attention.
Foot
The result of doing a lot of running and jumping to escape a crisis situation could very possibly result in a series of micro-fractures in various bones of the foot. This stress fracture can result in a bump over a bone in the foot. Apply an ice pack for 20 to 30 minutes every few hours.
If the pain is coming from the bottom of your heel, you may have a heel spur. This injury is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick fibrous tissue that runs the length of the long arch on the sole of the foot and attaches to the heel bone. Ice the area three or four times a day and massage it as well.
Knee
Often caused by the twisting of the knee while running on uneven terrain, a knee cartilage injury can cause a significant amount of pain. Chances are, the medial meniscus has been injured, which will cause pain on the inside of the knee. If you’re also feeling a “locking” in the joint, it could be that a portion of the meniscus has been torn.
Use an elastic bandage or wet towel for a knee injury, and apply an ice pack as soon as you can. The ice will not only help reduce swelling by constricting the blood vessels, but will also dull the pain and relieve muscle spasms. Remove the ice temporarily once the area becomes numb because you don’t want to add frostbite to the problem.
Hamstring
If you feel a pull in the area behind your thigh, usually while accelerating while running, you may have sustained a hamstring injury. You will probably experience tenderness, swelling, stiffness or pain, and perhaps all four. That’s because you have probably stretched or torn one or more of your three hamstring muscles.
Wrap a compression pad under an elastic bandage around the hamstring area. Ice the area as well. During the first night following your injury, periodically stretch the injured muscle gently.
Groin
If you experience a sharp pain in the groin, followed by tenderness, swelling and bruising, you may have suffered a groin muscle strain. The pain is particularly intense when you draw your leg inward. This injury is a stretch or a tear of the muscle that runs from the pubic bone to the inside of the thigh. As with the hamstring injury, use a compression pad with an elastic bandage over it. Ice it and occasionally stretch the injured muscle slowly and carefully.
Lower Back
Unless you’ve been consistently doing lower back muscle stretches, there’s a very good chance that increased physical activity will result in lower back strain and soreness. The discomfort you’ll experience – from low grade to sharp – will limit your activities, especially when it comes to bending down. You’re probably experiencing inflammation of one or more of the back muscles or ligaments, so ice the area off and on for a couple of days and then gently stretch those muscles.
Wrist
A common injury on uneven terrain occurs when someone falls backward and tries to lessen the impact by putting his hand down behind him. A sprain or fracture to the wrist, with a stretch or tear to a ligament around the wrist, will result in swelling and bruising. Your grip strength and the flexibility of your wrist will be affected. As with most injuries, apply compression and ice. If pain persists, get medical attention if you can.
Elbow
If you fall on your elbow, there’s a good chance you could inflame the bursa sac. This sac is normally filled with a lubricating fluid for the elbow joint, but if it becomes swollen, it will hang from the bottom of the elbow and may feel warm and tender. It can also affect the elbow’s range of motion. Apply ice three to four times a day.
Shoulder
A direct hit to the shoulder can cause ligament damage severe enough to result in the bones of the joint separating from each other. This combination of a contusion and a sprain is called a shoulder separation, which is extremely painful. Keep your arm in a sling and ice it carefully until you can get professional medical attention.
If we get to the point where mobs are everywhere and you are an older person as are my wife and I, you had better have as much cash and silver/gold as possible so you can buy protection and what you need to survive. All of the food, supplies and generators will be of little use if you cannot protect yourself. Having both is the best bet for the short run.
If you have enough 5.56 and .233, you don’t need to run!
If you have “enough”, you can’t carry it all anyway, let alone run!
Well that’s wishful thinking for ya
Garbage in garbage out if it is not down loadable or printable
Select All, copy, open TXT file, paste, name file, close file. From there you can print at will.
ALL GOOD ADVICE. THIS SON TO BE 83 YEAR OLD IS NOT DOING ANY RUNNING. I WALKED WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE AT THE AGE OF 58 AND ENDED UP HAVING A HEEL SPUR. FOOT DOCTOR WANTED TO DO SURGERY. I DID NOT HAVE TIME WHILE IN SCHOOL. WENT TO ANOTHER DR. WHO SAID YOU DON’T NEED SURGERY JUST BUY THE JELL HEEL CUPS AND WEAR THEM ALL THE TIME AND HE GUARANTEED THE SPURS WOULD GO AWAY. I DID AND I KEEP THEM AROUND AS MY HEEL SPURS WENT AWAY IN JUST A FEW MONTHS AND I GRAGUATED IN 4 YEARS GOING SUMMES, THE TWO SEMESTERS EACH YEAR AND WINTER INSTITUTE, WALKING ALL THE WAY.
This is great information on what to do in a crisis situation when you get injured. One thing that might be better for everybody who reads this is to prep yourself prior to something like that happening.
Pick up the book Pain-Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain by Pete Egoscue and do the exercises for different body parts.
It’s like prepping a race car for a race and making sure that everything is aligned. The premise of the book is to get your joints and alignment so that when something like a crisis happens your body is ready to go.
I know that many police and firemen, as well as military, utilize the Egoscue method…I would know because I work with them directly and hear their comments that it is absolutely change their life.
I’m not here to promote business for Pete Egoscue, I am here to give you a preparatory set of exercises so that you’re prepared, along with all your material goods that you have around your house in a crisis situation.
BE READY
BB
A few months ago I fell on our patio and injured my shoulder. I couldn’t move my arm more than a few degrees. After an MRI, two sonograms, and screaming in pain as they positioned arm for CT scan doctors declared a broken bone in shoulder and slapped me into a sling and said it would take months to heal. Then I saw a physiotherapist. She gave me exercises to perform and I put the sling into drawer. A week later, I could dress myself again with minimal pain. Another week and I had almost full movement with no pain. Since other medical conditions rule out taking OTC pain pills, and I don’t want the narcotics doctors are willing to give me, I’m a great fan of ice packs. I also believe in the “use it or loose it” philosophy.
I have an impressive selection of wrist, ankle and knee braces. Since I’ve gotten older, I have more lower back pain after any task that involves bending. I got a back brace from sporting goods store that is a regular feature under my clothing — it’s studier than what we found at drug store. My husband has a similar brace he got at hardware store that has suspender-style straps to hold it in place. These things are good as gold because, if you’re not physically injured, they prevent muscle strain rather than trying to fix it later.
If I have spare ice (not suitable for consumption ) for every injury, then I’m not out in the “rough”?
OK if I am in snow, I guess …
Make sure you have some NSAID WITH you
You noticed that too. Since almost all his advise involves using an ice pack I guess he anticipates escaping through a forest of freezers where ice is always readily available or in the middle of a winter north of Mississippi.
This is almost totally useless information, use ice, use ice ,use ice ? Like several of you have noticed, where in the world would you find ice? even at home after a few days with out power there will not be much. give us some REAL solutions please!
Absolutely stock up on Aleve and Advil. There won’t be ice for long when the power goes out or if you’re on the move. Painkillers (tests have shown that after 40 years opiods still have pharmaceutical strength so don’t ever throw them out) icy hot patches and elastic bandages. Extra orthotics, benedryl (insect and snake bites) and anything else you might need.
Your local Boy Scouts of America office has manuals for First Aid merit badge. They have photos to illustrate application of bandages and splints in a wilderness environment.
The Red Cross has manuals and courses for first aid. They also have first aid kits designed for automobile use. Others also offer courses from licensed trainers. The 911 First Aid course is a half-day event. Students get a certificate that gives them legal protection as a first-responder.
I’ve managed to retain a CLS bag and my FAK while I was in active duty.but the saline pouch has expired. Is there a way to make more at the house or on the run?
Grainger sells saline tablets you can mix with distilled water.
3 items I won’t leave or be dug in without are
1. Vet Wrap. It’s an ace bandage wrap that is adhesive to itself. Stretches like ace wrap but no clips to loose.
2. Bag Balm, I was raised around livestock & bag balm is hands down the most universal ointment I’ve ever used. Cuts, Scraps, Bruises, Rashes, Stings. The antibiotic additive also promotes clean healing & greatly reduces the chance fof infection.
3. Ichthammol, this it a black tar looking salve that has amazing properties for drawing infection from a wound, burn or bite. If you have a sliver that you can’t get out without cutting tissue use this first. Apply liberally, cover with bandage and it will draw the infection, splinter, whatever from the area in 1-2 days. Keep area clean & change dressing every 12 hours if possible.
ALL 3 Items are available at any feed & grain store that caters to large livestock, cows horses, etc.
One last note. Getting a prescription for antibiotics from your healthcare professional for a dig-in, bugout bag can be difficult. The antibiotics & many severe pain relievers used for animals are the exact same as those used on humans. These may be beneficial in an extreme emergency case where professional healthcare is impossible to reach.
Just “food for thought” from an ole man raised on the farm.
Agree with these items — great for treating people as well as livestock.
Additional item not mentioned, which is available in almost every state north of FL is COLD WATER…immersing an injured, but not broken, limb in cold water for 15 minutes, then wrapping with ACE bandage secured with vet wrap makes a good improvised cold pack to reduce swelling.
Insulin-dependent preppers should learn to re-use syringes rather than trying to stockpile thousands of them. I figured out a workable, safe technique:
When you start with a new syringe, first take a piece of Scotch tape and wrap it around the numbers on the syringe, in the area you usually use. This is because the numbers will quickly wear off from alcohol and handling. Since they’re designed for single use, they use really cheap, thin ink.
1. Take a regular 16-oz alcohol bottle, pour the cap about 2/3 full, set it aside.
2. Load the syringe with insulin & use as usual.
3. After “shooting up,“ stick the needle into the capful of alcohol and draw up somewhat MORE alcohol than the amount of insulin you used. This sterilizes the inside as well as the needle.
4. Squirt the alcohol back into the alcohol bottle, leaving a tiny amount in the syringe (about one or two units, at most).
5. Point the needle upward and depress the plunger; you will see a few drops of alcohol trickling downward over the needle, coating the outside.
6. Stick the safety cap back over the needle, being careful not to stick the cap with the needle (which blunts the sharp tip).
7. Pour the alcohol in the cap back in the bottle; this may take a bit of practice to keep from spilling much of it.
Your syringe is now ready for the next time. I used to get a lot more uses, but when the VA switched over to B-D insulin syringes, the quality dropped a lot. Now I get only about 18 uses, on the average, before the tip pulls out of the needle when withdrawing it from the insulin bottle.
No doubt I’ll get a lot of hysterical flak for this, but much of the “alternative” treatments mentioned here are pure nonsense, and you should NOT believe them — particularly the ridiculous homeopathic remedies. For every “home remedy” or herbal treatment that actually works, there are hundreds out there that do NOT, or actually do harm.
-Since, as several people have pointed out, ice may or may not be possible if everything goes downhill, especially it if lasts a LOOOONG time, the ACE compression bandages may be the only practical treatment for swelling-type injuries, and we should keep those elastic bandages handy.
However, keep in mind that there are some cheapie generic versions out there that will lose their stretch much sooner than name brands like ACE. Since this bandage is something you are likely to use again & again over a period of (perhaps) years, you should stock up on MANY rolls of name-brand stretch bandages, plus some extra “hooks” since they get lost easily. In a pinch you can use medical tape, or even electrical tape, to hold them.
Too many preppers don’t look out into the future far enough when they stock up. For each item, ask yourself, “Will this last my family ten years, or 20?” For cheap stuff, like generic aspirin, it costs very little to stock a very large supply Ditto with rubbing alcohol, toothpaste, Betadine or sunscreen.
For items like Clorox that do not store well for long periods, look for alternatives, like the pool chemical HTH (in granule form), In the case of HTH, it’s actually a lot cheaper than Clorox, too. Google up the specifics online.
For your first aid supplies, consider stocking up on bulk 4×4 bandages in the non-sterilized version. Much, much cheaper, and since it’s most always just to hold on something like Triple Antibiotic cream or Betadine, the actual sterility of the bandage is unimportant. For the same reason, when I apply Dakin’s Solution to a scratch or cut, instead of wetting a sterile 4×4, I just moisten a piece of paper towel with the solution & stick it on the wound area. After all, the Dakin’s will kill almost any microbe, so any of them on the towel aren’t going to survive either. Save the high-priced bandaging for more critical uses.
Ace bandages are good but must be checked often, if swelling gets to high the elastic may cut off blood supply and need to be loosened, Don’t forget to elevate the injured area above the heart……
we quit using many of the wound cleaners in ER, many cause more tissue damage than good, ivory soap or any just plain soap and water work better for cleaning wounds, just keep it clean and dry..Medic and RN
One simple thing that I know from personal experience.
Every first-aid kit should have a container of Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer. The papaya extract in it will neutralize the venom of stinging insects such as bees, wasps, hornets. Make a thin paste with water and apply to the sting as soon as possible after the sting, it will seem like sting never happened. This can save the life of someone truly allergic to these stings.
Arnica gel or Traumel and homeopathic arnica pellets by Boiron are excellent for bruising,strains,trauma to the body or even over exertion. I always carry a tube with me in the car or bag.
Also Bach flowers, “rescue remedy”, is good for any emotional crisis it helps to calm the nerves so you can be more clear headed and present in the situation at hand.
SOLUTION WITHOUT ICE – This needs to be public knowledge:
This works miracles in almost all non-broken-bone injuries. My family and friends have used this process MANY times over the years, and I am always amazed at how incredible it is.
Hold the bruised area tightly as well as you can for 10-15 minutes. You will feel almost no pain, and swelling will not occur. Blood will not be able to rush into surrounding areas, thus the no swelling or pain, but instead the body will begin the healing process directly at the injury.
At the end of that time, just be gentle with the area.
FRANK – Please check into this yourself, and when you’ve confirmed this to be as wonderful as it sounds, please spread this truth in another similar email to your people.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
A White Knight
I would like to confirm the idea of putting hard pressure on the wounded area immediately after the injury. It does exactly as she said, It does not swell, and the pain is gone. I have used this many times. God has blessed me with 9 children, now 38 grand, and 61 great grand children.
About 1/3 of your solutions require applying ice to the injury. In an emergency situation, especially if you are on the run in the wilderness, ice is a rare commodity. Soak the bandages (after they are applied) and then wet them down. Evaporative cooling will help to keep swelling down. It isn’t as good as ice, but it is better than nothing.
Emergency item list just grows & grows. TX to all for notable suggestion!
My list of emergency items just keep growing Thanks to all the Feedback above. TX to all for the numerous suggestions.
I LOVE ALL THE ADVICE ABOUT GETTING HURT. IT IS REALLY HELPFUL. ANOTHER GOOD THING TO HAVE ON HAND IS CHARCOAL POWDER, IT GREAT FOR STINGS AND PUTTING ON SPLINTERS, IT WILL DRAW THEM OUT. MAKE A MIXTURE OF WATER AND CHARCOAL POWDER, PUT IN A PIECE OF MATERIAL AND WRAP IT AROUND YOUR SPLINTER AND IT WILL DRAW IT OUT. GREAT FOR SNAKE BITES AND IF YOU HAVE EATEN SOMETHING POSION, IT WILL ADSORB IT. ALSO IF YOU GET A BEE STING AND YOU HAVE HONEY PUT IT ON THE STING AND IT WON’T SWELL UP AND THE STING GOES AWAY. ALSO IF YOU GET A CUT THE BEST THING TO USE ON IT IS HONEY. IT WILL MAKE IT HEAL FAST. ANOTHER GREAT THING FOR STINGS IS DOG FENNEL. TAKE THE TINDER TOPS AND ROLL THEN IN YOUR HAND. THEY WILL GET DAMP AND APPLY IT TO YOUR BITE. THE CHARCOAL POWDER IS GREAT FOR SPIDER BITES TOO.
FOR WOUNDS, DISEASE RESISANCE, WATER PURIFICATION AND MANY OTHER MEDICAL USES- A GOOD ADDITION TO ALL EMERGANCE KITS SHOULD BE A COLLODIAL SILVER KIT. STOPS MANY DISEASES.
Collodial silver should be stored in a darkened glass container, cool area and out of the sun or carry a creating kit- (some batteries, wres, two clips and two small pieces of silver, it’s fairly light weight and portable and much lighter than carrying around a quart or gallon of the liquid, you just make it as you need it, it doesn’t take long at all. Kits sold on line. only use as you need, too much and your skin can turn gray/silver and if you try and drink it like soda it can kill you. silver poisoning. a quarter tsp in a glass of water three times a day should be fine. for a few days to a week….like any antibiotic too long can cause diarrhea-it kills all the healthful germs in your intestines- yogurt or Lactobacillious acidophiles will repopulate it and stop the diarrhea.
I’d like to add a book I have used for many years, after directed to it by my doc. It is a self-treatment book based on the expertise of a massage therapist. You would not believe the many things that can be remediated with a very specifically located self massage. It is not a book to just have on hand for emergency, but if you study it ahead, and try out the techniques, the knowledge will prove very valuable. http://www.triggerpointbook.com/
Thankfully, I have been there and done that – most recently last Thursday when a woman fell entering a United Flight from DAL to IAH – dumb old fat cow spoke no English, but fortunately I speak fluent Spanish!
ret expat (10.25 years) MD: NBME; ABIM; ABNM; ABR w/spec comp NR and 46 years in medicine
fmr LCDR MC USNR NUKE – resigned July 1978 after 8.5 years active/4.5 as a LCDR
Dumb old fat cow???? REALLY??? So you speak Spanish – tap yourself on the back – rude
Have mercy on the Doctors, they aren’t trained to actually talk to people, Many see them as patient diseases or insurance numbers- to protect them selves- nurses are trained to see them as human beings not patient diseases, Drs work from their minds’ not their hearts…sorry if they offended you.
Frank, thank you for the great advice and for showing all the above comments which are also informative.
Have a good Veterans Day.
Regards,
LH
Ice packs??? Where will one get ice under survival conditions?
I was wondering the same thing… ???
I have read that mixing water with rubbing alcohol and freezing in a plastic bag will result in an icepack like slushy solution. Pinterest.com
Hi there – water and rubbing alcohol (3:1 ratio) mix cools very quickly! :)
if it’s not cut skin torn, wrap it in a light cloth and put a little alcohol of it and the evaporation will keep it cool, better even don’t for get to elevate it ABOVE the heart (swelling where low is no,) lay them down as much as possible and elevate the limb. When the tissue is torn fluid will drain down into it, elevate it to prevent the swelling into the tissue.
Remember: ACE (compression bandage), ICE (apply cold), and ELEVATE (elevate the limb or
injury above the heart). The ONLY thing you should apply heat to is FROSTBITE–not more
than 102 degrees F or the heat will burn/kill the skin and do severe, irreversible damage.
NSAIDS help pain but actually impede healing as healing if an INFLAMMATORY process. Plain pain meds (Tylenol; opiates, if available; and local anesthetics) are best.
thank you for medical tips
Ice is hard to come by most of the year in a natural, usable state, but wet towels can help especially in a dry climate with a lot of evaporation (think old style canvas water bag technology). Here’s a reply for Debbie-have some DLPA on hand (cheap and available at most health food stores and online, shop for the best price). It is an amino acid supplement I take regularly for arthritis but when you read about it, it aids other pain relief medications from aspirin to serious narcotic pain relievers. Even a few of those left from a toothache or trip to the doc will be invaluable in an injury situation straight from your day bag. Prescriptions have an expiration date, but will still have some needed effect when you need them most.
Ice is great for bringing down swelling and deadening pain, but I really would like to learn more about natural, herbal home remedies to relieve pain, speed healing, prevent infection, etc. Do you know of any good references on this topic?
Ice, compression, and elevate injured area if possible Remeber (ICE).
M. Worley, LPN
With that sprained or broken ankle, taking off your shoe may not be the best move . the injured part may swell so much that you cannot get the shoe back on. make a supportive wrap (the boy scouts know how), use ice, limp and/or use a crutch. Don’t forget pain treatment: aspirin, tylenol, other NSAID.
good info Frank I will pass it around jim
For wood splinters that will not come out or are too painful to get, oragel will temporarily numb the spot, so you can get it with a needle or tweezers. Wood glue (or Elmers) can help pull out a larger splinter. The glue will absorb into the wood splinter and when it dries can help pull it out.
Fabrics can be treated with a special bugspray that will last 20 or more washings. This can be done ahead on clothing, socks and hats to keep biting insects at bay.
As a trained EMT and a boots-on-the-ground combat veteran (11 engagements) of the Vietnam conflict, I have seen plenty of trama and I was wounded 4 times. All the advice is good, but needs to be expanded upon. No consideration or advise is given to broken limbs or major wounds to the head, limbs, or torso. Study a good medical trama manual such as the EMT training manual, or the Emergency War Surgery N.A.T.O. Handbook (Delta Press).
The best survival book I have ever seem is “Hawke’s Special Forces Survival Manual”. Strangely enough, the “Boy Scout Field Handbook” is also very good and would be a great suppliment to the Hawk’s manual.
When on the run, ice will be impossible to obtain or carry. Get chemical “cold packs” from your local pharmacy or a Wal-Mart, Carry pain medication in your First Aid Kit, also.
Remember, only those who prepare will survive.- TAZ
Good advice, Taz. I carry a Special Forces Field Medical Manual in my main first aid kit, and make a habit of reading it every several months, just for the knowledge.
For many years, I taught CPR, Advanced Coronary Life Support, and Advanced and Beginner First Aid for the Red Cross. I also trained and served with county search and rescue teams in various locations while I was active duty for 2 decades.
Gee….Everyone sure is obsessing over the ice thing. You all need to look for an ice hole that is hiding behind the tree deep in the forest under-story. Don’t get lost. Take a compass. Also… Buy a Wilderness First Aid book to keep in your bug out bag. Go to Youtube and search “The Patriot Nurse”. She has some amazing first aid videos for all you preppers.
Please remember that when they say ice they don;t always mean ice..I.C.E. also stands for I-ice or cooling, C-compression bandage-ace wrap and E-elevation above the heart. They have a special cloth that if one gets it wet, spin it around and wrap the area with it and it feels like ice. I carry two of them in my survival back pack, it also helps to activate then wrap ones head when it’s hot-really cools you off.
Helpful article, but I have to agree with the others about where to find so much ice and how to store it. Also I noticed that “ice the area” was the main remedy for every injury. I wasn’t expecting this article to cover open heart surgery, but at least something more than simply using ice.
I see everyone has questions about where to get ice. I keep the ice bags you squeeze and believe me they get cold, are not expensive, are small also, easy to store! But some of your advice about icing can make matters worse, on small areas, such as toes, shoulders, ankles, etc, 10 max or your body will think it is frostbitten and produce MORE, fluid. 10 mins on & 1 hr off, 5Xs straight, your body will have absorbed the fluid and you will be much more mobile.
Dennis, last week I went to Aldi’s (grocery store) and they had on clearance chemical ice packs. Two in each box for a dollar. Of’course I bought 20 of them to use for my kiddo and family, and to put in our backpacks. Just look around, you’ll find them. Don’t go to the pharmacy and buy theirs, you’ll send too much money.
Also another great book for survival is the SAS Survival Handbook, it’s on Amazon. I’m going to get this one and compare it to the US Army’s Survival book.
These books tell you everything you need to know.
Good advise…in normal situations, but where are you going to find ice every few hours to apply to an injury when you’re on the move and stores are closed or sold out? Even if you find ice occasionally, you can’t store it unless you’re carrying a cooler…and that’s not a typical bug out supply item. And if the power is out, no one will have ice for more than a few hours ( unless its below freezing temperatures outside.) Thanks for keeping us thinking!
Dennis
These are good tips. It’s important for people to think outside the box. No, your nothing to have every supply you need in a crisis situation. Many items can be altered. Duck tape, trash bags,medical grade trauma scissors (cheap), tweezers, alcohol wipes, baby wipes, saline eye flush, and a few good sharp hunting knives are some of the things I keep in all four of our backpacks. Plus two MREs in each bag, and water, extra socks, foot powder, mole skin, solar radios, steri pen, iodine, flint, whistles, etc… And extra meds. I don’t advertise what I have, except to family and those who prep too. If you go to Amazon for instance, buy a book that the US Army put out years ago, I believe it’s called “the survival guide”. I highly recommend this book, it’s an imperative to helping you survive.
Thanks, good info for safe quicker healig.
This is all well and good if you are not in an emergency situation. In a real emergency just where are you going to get ice be real
We should not forget homeopathic remedies. For bruising and swelling, Arnica Montana is a staple to have on hand. Works wonders and can prevent blood clots from a serious injury. You can purchase the coated pellets online in bulk and if 10 are mixed in 2 oz of a good quality liquor like vodka or brandy, it will last virtually forever and be onhand to add to water and take as needed.Belladonna for ears and throat, silicea for toothache. The list is endless and far easier to pack and store. NO refrigeration needed.
Capsicum (Cayenne Pepper) will stop internal and external bleeding and prevent brusing if taken right away. It can save your life. I carry it in my car along with a chemical ice pack.
If you are on the run through rough terrain, where the heck does this ice come from. Or should we have an ice machine in the bug out bag. Seeing how if you are on the run there probably has been a major catastrophe and there wouldn’t be ice either unless it is winter, then you can ice your injury while you freeze your ass.
Thanks for all the great information. I have been studying preparedness and survival for a long time. I headed up a monthly newspaper for awhile with a new article every month. I love this and am still very interested in being self-sufficient and creative. I love new ideas and perspectives on this. Keep up the good work. There are a lot of us very interested in what you are supplying us to prepare us for hard times. Lynne
Hey Frank, thanks for all of the great info, please keep it comming. In reading some of the interesting remarks of others and the problems and concerns of prepping, here is one for all of you out there. I’m a prepper and am working to get off of the grid like so many of you are and in doing so I have to remember that I have had a heart transplant and that with out my meds to stave off heart rejection I’m not going to make it. Two of my most important meds cost me over 2K per month. Just how many months of this do you guys think the average guy can afford to stock up? I am working on it and where their is a will there is generally a way, so for the time being, so far, so good. Happy camping…
There are several good ‘Wilderness Medicine’ books on the market and they actually have lists of medications to have on hand. That said, finding ice to treat most of these injuries may be difficult if not impossible so have numerous chemical ice bags in your kit.
Thank you for reminding us of medical treatments. As usual we think only of food, water and
gas.
i had a friend die in ’78 and i didn’t know what to do. since then i have maintained the highest level training i could get. i have saved 4 lives to date. the most important thing is to know how to heal yourself and others (i’ll leave triage alone for this comment). pharmacuticals are not always available so it is imperative one learns natural medicinal alternatives. get to know which plants help you heal. i know these things work as i smashed my L. hand f.u. finger, middle phalange-crush fracture and finger burst like a stepped on grape. comfrey root healed the injury so well the doctor could not believe what he saw on the xray compared to just under 4 weeks earlier. it works wonders so i urge you to learn all you can. if you live like i do you already would know edible and medicinal plants. so bottom line is learn and know your anatomy, even learn terminology so you can relate to advanced medical personnel. and learn to at least patch yourself up if not heal yourself. i can’t stress this enough. to richard 1941, apple cider vinegar will help wash the calcification away and you will notice results very quickly
were can i get a book or information on edible and medicinal plants that will help when you get hurt. thanks for all the good information very helpful.
What about injuries that are NOT, like arthritis? (I get it in the wrist.) My orthopedist treats it with a three prong attack: cortisone, anti-inflammatory ibuprofen, and immobilization. He advised that two of these three are available without consulting him or getting a prescription.
Therefore, ibuprofen should be part of your prepper stockpile. Like all good prepper stuff it is what we call here in California, “mil usos”, like a Swiss Army knife.
GREAT INFO
Can you run a 2cycle engine on propane,
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SURVIVAL BLANKETS AND REFLECTIVE INSULATION ITCAN MAKE THE DIFFERANCE IN SURVIVAL IN THE COLD WETHER YOU HAVE A TENT OR CABIN IT WILL MAKE IT WARMER IN WINTER AND COOLER IN SUMMER.
Propane needs a different fuel-air ratio than gasoline. Unless you can adjust the fuel-air ratio, don’t try it. You may get a dose of some really bad fumes.
I should think that the lack of lubrication (2-cycle engines need oil mixed in with the gasoline) would be a bigger problem. How long will that engine run before it seizes up?
Thank for all the great information Frank. Ive enjoyed all your emails. I have a 11 year old kid with Type 1 Diabeties. Trying to stock up and much as possible. I have some insulin stocked up…. but its a huge issue. She would last maybe 5 months. Its hard to get off the grid when your kid is dependent on medicine. The question would be to die in a consentration camp or out in the woods. :)
Trina
Trina, I know alot of folks worry about prepping with chronic illness. Your daughter could stretch her insulin by eating an all-meat diet, but would still need some basal insulin to stay alive.
The real problem with insulin is that it has a short shelf life. I keep about a year’s supply refrigerated, but i know that once it’s NOT kept cold it will degrade & become less effective. But since I will be eating less I can probably stretch it to a year by using smaller doses & keeping it in a cool basement area.
Over the years I have stockpiles a lot of morphine & Oxycodone for emergencies, plus a lot of antibiotics — which will be extremely important, obviously, and we all need to write down which ones are used for which types of infection … and keep the list with your meds.
Lots of Triple Antibiotic cream are essential, of course — I keep 30 tubes on hand — and you should make an attempt to get silver sulfadiazide cream (trade name Silvadene) for surface infections. It’s an Rx item, about $100 Rx, but since it can’t be abused your doctor may be willing to write a scrip for it as a first aid item.
Another non-Rx antibacterial/antiviral surface treatment is an old medical item called Dakin’s Solution — basically about 15 – 20% Clorox in water. Once mixed it’s only good for a couple of days, so I just mix it as I need it INSIDE A SYRINGE. I draw up, say, 15% of the needle capacity, then fill it the rest of the way with water, then apply it to a paper towel that I stick on the injury. You can Google speciic uses. Once very common in hospitals, now they’d rather charge you for more expensive creams & treatments.
Trina,
Look into Chia Seeds. (No, this is NOT a joke) They help the body regulate insulin among many other healing properties. In addition they are not horribly expensive and they store very well. Also look in essential oils and wild harvest foods as there are several of each that can help with Diabetes.
Best of luck!
Thank you for your survival medical tips. I am on dialysis and have found that styro-foam cups stop bleeding from cuts without pulling off the scabs when you take it off. I have used them applying it first when they pull the needle and have never bled out for over 10 years. I had multiple cuts that was bleeding and stopped immediately when applying styro-foam torn from a cup..Thank you for your website……Randy
If you are on the run and ice is not available iin all of these cases, what do you do?
@Linda H. Throw in some ‘Instant Ice Packs ‘ into Ur B.O.B. {They are available in a lot of sporting good stores and First Aid sections of others.] They are dry and when the inside is activated they form COLD (aka COLD PACKS)
Awesome! Thank you for the MANY important areas of defense we can anticipate.Knowledge/ information will
spell the difference between fear vs. success.
First, thank you both for being so caring for people you don’t even know. To find a human that only want’s to help others and not be selfish or greedy is uncommon for years now. I haven’t recieved my books yet,but I know you are overwhelmed and I will get them when you can send them. I live 3hrs from Phx, Az.I live 40 mins from the mexican boarder in a remote town and haven’t the money to leave,so could you give me any advice about surving in a remote,hot desert? I will have a 8yr old and a 12 yr old granddaughters soon.Their parents are at Ft. Lewis ,Wa.. They can’t leave ,but believe Wa.will be under water before X-mas.Thank you for being a good person.Have a great day.
Tricia,
Why do you think Washington will be “under water by Christmas”?
Thank you in advance for replying.
BTW: Storing water is the first thing to do when beginning to prep. This site has some great articles on the proper way to do so.
JM
This is scary, what would we be running from? and what do we need to defend ourselves?
Obviously from all the how to’s listed, the first thing is making sure you have packed a elastic bandage in your ‘bug-out bag’ What is the alternative ? Wild herbs/plants for pain? splinters ?
The next question is what alternatives is there IF a ice is not available, a running cold stream/creek/river ?
Your article is diffently ‘food for thought’…health matters, and is often left last on the priority list. Thank you for motivating your readers to invest more in their safety.
Please visit http://www.srdcBlog.com as our site is to invest in themselves through education to assure self-sufficiency.