During a crisis, there’s always an increased incidence of injuries and deaths. When a hurricane strikes there can be several dead with many more injured. The same applies to terrorist attacks that usually take place in crowded areas so as to inflict the most damage.
Panic and chaos are the trademarks of a crisis. Getting help may be difficult. Roads may be blocked preventing an ambulance from reaching you. Time is precious and every minute counts.
What you do while waiting for help is crucial and if the injuries are severe, it could mean the difference between life and death. The good news, however, is that such possibly lethal injuries don’t occur too often.
However, as a prepper, in most cases, you’ll probably encounter 4 types of injuries or medical issues that may occur to you or to people you know. Being able to treat these common medical problems swiftly will ensure the well-being of the casualty.
While not lethal, they can cause discomfort. In this article, we’ll look at what they are and how you can treat them effectively.
Mild food poisoning
This can occur if you eat stale food or food that simply doesn’t agree with you. The best way to treat this problem is to take charcoal tablets, take a few sips of ice water, and avoid eating for a few hours. Rest and do not have heavy meals. Give your stomach a break and time to recover, and then slowly ease back into eating. You’ll get better in a day or two.
Concussions
These are very common especially during earthquakes and hurricanes. Many people try to take cover at home and fail to check their surroundings. When the house shakes, large items may fall.
Cupboards may tip over. The ceiling fan may come crashing down. Items on shelves may get knocked off. When people take cover close to these items, something might land on their head and cause a concussion.
Common symptoms of concussion are dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ears, confusion, fatigue, vomiting, delayed response, etc. If someone experiences a head injury and you notice these symptoms, place a cold compress on the area that was hit. This will reduce the swelling.
Give the affected person some aspirin or other pain killers to numb the pain. Ask them to lie down and rest. Observe them for a day, if problems still persist, you’ll need to immediately seek professional medical help to check if there’s any brain injury.
Lacerations and cuts
If there’s an earthquake and you lose your balance and fall against a sharp object, you may get cut and have an incise wound. If you’re running for cover and fall, you might scrape your elbows and knees. This is a lacerated wound and more prone to infection.
Regardless of the injury, the first thing to do is clean the wound. Run it under tap water or irrigate it with sterile water. Next, you’ll need to apply direct pressure on the wound and hold it till the bleeding stops. Once the bleeding stops, gently wash the wound with warm water and a gentle soap. Apply dressing on the wound and keep it dry.
Bone injuries
Bone injuries such as fractures will require professional medical help. If you can’t get immediate help, you should ice the affected area to reduce swelling. Next, you’ll need to stabilize the fracture. If it’s a fracture in the arm, you’ll need to make a sling with a triangular bandage.
If the fracture is on the leg, it’s trickier. You’ll need to use two splints to stabilize the fracture. Place one splint on either side of the facture and tie a bandage around the leg and splints to ‘reinforce’ the injury. Either use a mop or broom to act as a makeshift crutch and get the injured person to a hospital as soon as possible.
These are a few of the most common injuries that occur. Remember how to treat them should you need to, and always have a well-stocked first aid kit at home. You never know when you’ll need it.