Use what you have at any given moment to alleviate a medical emergency in the backcountry.
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Published August 9, 2011 07:35PM
Medical MacGyvers
Stop bleeding
Apply direct, firm pressure with a bulky dressing and the heel of your gloved hand for 10 to 20 minutes.
Tie a wide, flat wrap around the wound to keep pressure. Knot it directly over the dressing.
If possible, elevate the wound above heart level.
Apply pressure to the nearest supply artery: the upper arm (brachial), leg (femoral), or knee (popliteal).
Promote clotting: Keep the victim still and leave wound-contacting padding in place.
Last resort: Tighten a wide-bandage tourniquet above the wound. Loosen hourly to check for clotting and limit application to six hours.
Close an open wound
Clean and dry the injury.
Use adhesive strips to pull skin together: Adhere two strips simultaneously to either side of the wound and pull them across the cut, closing the skin. Strips should be one half-inch apart.
Reinforce strips and cover the wound with antibiotic ointment and a clean, dry dressing.
Don’t close these wound types: gaping, infected, or open for 18 hours or more.
Soothe burns
Remove hot/burning material.
Flush with cool water for at least 10 minutes. Do not use ice.
Leave blisters intact; disinfect and treat wounded skin to prevent infection and fluid loss.
Hydrate the patient; dehydration is a complicating side effect.