ruggedcampingessentials

It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Poked in the Eye 

There are 5 common injuries that happen to people while they are camping, some of the injuries happen from kids playing around to weather induced injuries. I am going to provide you with this helpful information, so you will be better prepared to help the injured person.


Fractures or Sprains

DO NOT move the person with the injury. Make clear to the person who is hurt not to move, as they could potentially make a bad injury worse. The only time someone should be moved is when:

• There is a more seriously injured person and you need to get to them. 
• The person is in danger of becoming injured by something else. 
• You need to perform CPR and need to place the person on a hard surface

Make sure that the person can breathe and they have a pulse, then wait for help to arrive. This is the one case where you do not treat for shock! 

A sprain/ strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. You will  apply an ice pack over a barrier such as a towel for 15-20 min to reduce swelling and help ease the pain. Wrap the injured area firmly with an elastic bandage to limit the swelling and to protect the injury. Stay off the injury. It may take up to 3 weeks to heal. 

  Open Wounds and Cuts

Most small wounds, such as cuts and scrapes, can be easily treated when you are camping.

⦁ Apply pressure to the wound to stop any bleeding. 
⦁ Run clean water over the wound to remove any particles or dirt. Wash the skin around the wound with soap and rinse.
⦁ Apply antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage; change as necessary to keep wound clean as it heals.

If the wound has an object embedded in it, such as a fishing lure, do not remove it. Instead, go to the URGENT CARE,

so that it can be removed safely without causing additional damage.

Bee stings and insect bites

Take an antihistamine as soon as possible or aid the person in retrieving their emergency EPI pen.

Seek emergency care immediately if you notice signs of an allergic reaction: 

⦁ Difficulty breathing
⦁ Swelling of the face, throat or mouth 
⦁ Wheezing or difficulty swallowing

You will be able to remove the stinger by scraping it off. Don't pinch it, this will only release more poison into the affected area. Take Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen for pain relief and a antihistamine to help alleviate itching. After washing the bite with soap and rinsing with water you can apply a paste of baking soda and water or for our holistic persons, they will probably use essential oils (tips will be in a future blog) If you apply an ice pack over a barrier such as a towel for 15-20 min it will help reduce swelling and help ease the pain also.

Skin Irritants (Poison Ivy or Oak)  

Before starting treatment remove your clothes and place the garments in a plastic garbage bag until you are ready to wash them, as a separate load.

 Applying rubbing alcohol will dissolve the oils that have been transferred from the leaf to your skin. Rinse the area with cool water for 10-15 min, as warm or hot water will open the pores and allow the toxin to penetrate deeper. I have used Dawn dish soap to remove the oils from the plant, remember to wash everywhere, including under your nails. After you are finished with the wash cloth (men DO need to use a wash cloth lol) take it and the towel you used and place them into the plastic bag you used for your clothes earlier. 

If you have a young child clip their fingernails immediately to prevent scratching. Take a antihistamine, use a paste that consists of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, apply to the rash and leave on to dry. Apply every few hours. You can also apply buttermilk or yogurt, these methods help draw the fluid from your blisters. After the fluid is drawn out, then you can apply topical creams and lotions to reduce the itching you may feel a few hours later.

Weather Induced Injury

There is no way to explain this without much detail, however I can give you tips that may help you to stay alive:

If you hear thunder, it means you should seek shelter immediately. Do not go into your tent, instead go into your vehicle, which will provide you better protection from the current of a lightening strike. When you are seeking shelter avoid large meadows, crests of a ridge, or lone trees. The best place for cover during this situation is in a dense forest, located in a valley or a depression. Try to pick an area where the trees appear to be the same height. Hiding in a dense forest will reduce the chances of ground currents coming in contact with you.