Trail First Aid - Wound Care
First Responder Action While Hiking, Backpacking or Camping
Nothing will ruin a backpacking, hiking or camping trip faster than an injury, illness or emergency situation for which you are not prepared. Now, that's not to say that you must be an EMT, nurse or doctor before venturing into the great outdoors, but a knowledge of basic First Aid could mean the difference between a situation that can be recovered from and one which may not have such a positive outcome.
In the previous articles, First Aid on the Trail-The Basics and First Aid on the Trail-Treatment, the discussion centered on the basic principles of First Aid and the initial actions to take in an emergency situation. This article will continue to cover the basic treatment of common wounds that can occur while hiking, backpacking or camping.
BLEEDING - Other than a compound fracture, bleeding will typically be the most visible sign of an injury. The average adult body contains 5 to 6 quarts and loss of more than a quart will generally lead to shock at a minimum and possibly death. The very first thing to do is to attempt to staunch or slow the bleeding by applying direct pressure on the wound, ideally with a clean cloth or gauze. Then, if possible, elevate the wounded area above the victim's heart, to also reduce the flow of blood to the wound area. Direct pressure is preferable to applying pressure to major blood flow routes (the inside of the upper arm between the shoulder and elbow, or in the groin area where the leg joins the body) because direct pressure stops blood flow only at the site of the wound, but if direct pressure is not successful, there may be no choice but to apply pressure to one of those major blood flow routes. The absolute last resort to control bleeding should be the use of a tourniquet, and then only in the case of a severed limb.
BROKEN BONE - In the case of a simple or closed fracture, you'll need to try and determine if there actually is a break by looking for discoloration, swelling, pain, ease of movement, difficulty bearing weight and obvious differences from the uninjured equivalent (arm, leg, etc) body part of the victim and, if possible, by asking the victim if it feels broken to them. Compound or open fractures are easier to diagnose due to bone pushing against or protruding through the skin and subsequent bleeding in the area because of the protrusion. If the bone is protruding, bleeding will need to be the first part that is treated (see above). If the victim can remain motionless until qualified medical help arrives, that is the best and preferable course of action. If evacuation of the victim is absolutely necessary, then immobilization (binding, splinting, etc.) of the broken area will be needed.
SHOCK - Shock is the medical condition that occurs when the circulatory system (which distributes blood, oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body) fails due to a reduction in the volume of fluid circulating around the body. The most common causes are internal or external bleeding, the loss of bodily fluids through severe diarrhea, vomiting or burns, or a heart attack which causes the heart to pump improperly, reducing the circulation pressure. Whatever the cause, if the condition is not treated quickly, vital organs can fail, ultimately causing death.
The main symptoms of shock are: a rapid and/or weak pulse; paleness and cold, clammy skin; nausea, vomiting, thirst; rapid and/or shallow breathing; and loss of or semi-consciousness.
Treatment for shock includes: keeping the victim still; keeping the victim's head low; loosening any tight clothing to reduce constriction at the neck, chest or waist; keeping the victim warm; possible resuscitation via CPR.
This article is part of the series First Aid on the Trail, with general guidelines for First Aid for hikers, backpackers and campers on the trail. The series articles also include:
First Aid on the Trail-The Basics
First Aid on the Trail-Treatment
First Aid on the Trail-The Kit
