Category: First Aid/Medical

Hugh, I am a former 0000-8404 (Field Corpsman), and I saw the link to the XStat Dressing on Survivalblog. I followed the link and read about it. It has a radiopaque marker in it so that it will appear on X-ray to ensure it is fully removed prior to wound closure. While this would be a force multiplier in the battle on blood loss in ‘normal’ times, I wouldn’t recommend this to someone in times when you may not have access to modern medicine. When you have an open wound (puncture, penetration, et cetera) it is very difficult to identify …

The time may come when normal medical facilities are not available for any number of reasons. If a family member were sick or injured, would you have the supplies and skills to care for them in your home? After 26 years as a registered nurse (RN) working in a hospital setting with a multitude of different types of patients, I have learned the procedures, tips, and tricks for making patient care easier. I will not attempt to teach you about specific injuries and diseases or their treatments. There are many resources for learning these skills, and I suggest that you …

Many things will change in a SHTF scenario but one of the most life altering will be the lack of 24/7 medical care.  Many people today take little to no hands-on care of their own personal health, and they are more than happy to let the doctors and nurses at their local doctor’s office or hospital take care of it for them.  Unfortunately, the day when local healthcare services will not be available could be closer then a lot of us think.  With the ObamaCare debacle in full swing, it’s high time each and every one of us begins to …

Mr Rawles, I read Meir L.’s “Diabetics in Disaster,” and I found the post very thorough and informative. I just wanted to add a few tips: 1) Cinnamon and Cranberries are a natural way to lower your blood sugar level. Additionally, there is an over the counter supplement called Cinnergen that is a mix of the two in a liquid form. 2) Remember artificial sweetener. Coffee and tea can be bitter and undrinkable without sugar. Also, growing sorghum is a great alternative to sugar, and it can be replaced after the SHTF. Read more at The Mother Earth News and …

With 2014 and the enactment of Obamacare only days away, we’re all wondering what this so-called Affordable Care Act will really cost us.  Will your premiums be higher?  Or your deductible?  Will you lose employer-based coverage?  Will your doctor simply give up and retire?  But Obamacare is not all bad.  I view it as a wake-up call.  In fact, I wouldn’t be writing this article nor teaching people survival medicine skills if not for our current president.  People tend to blame Obamacare for all the upcoming health care woes, but many of the looming hassles (from a doctor’s point of …

Jim, A quick note about regular insulin (either Novolin R or Humulin R):  it is considered a fast acting insulin, which is different from a rapid acting insulin.  From Diabetes.org – The rapid acting insulins, Humalog, Novolog and Apidra, "begin to work about 15 minutes after injection, peak in about 1 hour, and continue to work for 2 to 4 hours.  Regular (or short-acting) insulin usually reaches the bloodstream within 30 minutes after injection, peaks anywhere from 2 to 3 hours after injection, and is effective for approximately 3 to 6 hours." This may not be a huge difference, but …

Mr. Rawles, I’d ike to describe a way to flash-freeze insulin for (theoretical) long-term storage. I have had Type 1 Diabetes for 15 years.  I was raised in a house that always had food storage, extra fuel for heating, and tried to prepare as best we could.  After I was diagnosed, I realized that I would not be able to survive long if anything happened to the insulin supply chain.  Meir L. mentioned getting pens instead of vials to get more insulin per month.  I started out by asking my diabetes care provider to write my monthly prescription for a …

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I do not have anything to do with the medical field. This is strictly my personal experiences, and the following does not constitute medical advice.)   Introduction As an 18 year old type 1 diabetic, I am a very active person. I enjoy hiking, biking, climbing, etc. Two years ago, in September of 2011, I started going to the bathroom a lot, drinking like crazy,  becoming very fatigued, and feeling poorly much of the time. Since I am related to multiple Type 1 diabetics, I knew the signs of a developing diabetic, and …

Many SurvivalBlog contributors have discussed storable foods, nutrition, First Aid, health care supplies, supplements, aromatherapy and herbs over the years I’ve been reading SurvivalBlog. But, what will you do if obtaining vitamins and common first-aid ointments will be difficult or extremely expensive? (Think Weimar Germany) So you may have Echinacea growing in your yard. Do you know how to prepare it for use effectively? What is a common source of vitamin C to prevent the debilitating disease of Scurvy and how do you use it? In the middle of winter it will be difficult to find Plantain leaves to put …

Jim, Regarding the recent article “A Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils”:   I was involved in the Essential Oil industry for a while. There are very limited uses for essential oils, however, and this is important, there are so many scammers in essential oil sales. It is very difficult to tell, without actual spectroscopic and chemical testing, if the essential oils are actually pure, what their purity is, if they’ve been diluted, and what they’ve been diluted with. Most essential oil companies buy from farmers or wholesale dealers overseas, pay be wire transfer, and hope reputation will see them to …