medical pearls (Health and Safety)

[greentick]

Greentick,

You advise, regarding an anti-diarrheal treatment (Post #), to drink Gatorade half strength, and that hydration is the key.

...

To better understand the logic, what is the effect of drinking an entire container of gatorade, followed immediately by drinking that same container filled with water? Does dilution affect the absorption rate, or is the additional water simply beneficial?

If you drink a jug of gatorade and immediately follow with a equal jug of water you will pretty much achieve the same effect as cutting it by half. If you don't want to 2 fist your rehydration you can cut it half strength. The logic is that water is not actively absorbed until it hits the large intestine (after the stomach and small intestine). In the small intestine, nutrients are absorbed - in this case, sugar, potassium, sodium, etc. When these are absorbed actively by the sm intestine water molecules go with each passively (we are pushing my memory here). If I remember correctly, half strength gatorade (or other sports drink, not ORS) allows the most absorption (sp?) of water in the sm intestine, therefore getting water into your system quicker. Any remaining water that the body needs will be absorbed in the lg intenstine when it concentrates your poop (non scientific term alert). This is how hydration can be related to constipation. Does this make sense?

For electrolyte maintenance, if you don't want to have all your bottles/hyd bladders/etc tasting like gatorade, you could have a dedicated container of full strength gatorade that you sip off of during the day. You could alternate with water. Putting electrolytes in the water will also lower it's freezing point (dang, there's that multitasking thing again).

[uncas]

Hello,

Tobasco, I found it coincidental that you named da crabs. Mainly because Tobasco is a great anti-crabal ointment. The capaczin in the sauce drives the critters out. Also great for CR, chafing and hemmies...

Greentick, great note. Thanks for the generous info. BTW, what is the latest on wilderness treatment of poisonous snakebite. Though it has been more than twenty years since I have seen a rattler on the AT.

Thanks,

[Vi+]

Greentick,

Thanks for the explanation (Post #21).

You ask, "Does this make sense?"

Maybe. I've rewritten your explanation, as follows, using what has always seemed to me to be a curious "SCIENTIFIC TERM."

**

Food and liquids move from the stomach into the small intestine (which actively absorbs nutrients - sugar, potassium, sodium, etc, along with some incidental water). The remainder subsequently moves into the large intestine (which actively absorbs water).

Half-strength sports drinks allow the most absorption of water in the small intestine, accelerating your absorption of water. Additional water the body needs will be absorbed in the large intestine when it concentrates your stool. This suggests the relationship between hydration and constipation.

**

Does the rewrite keep your meaning, or have I changed it?

And, any ideas regarding the origin of the use of the term "STOOL?"

Thanks.

[greentick]

Vi+: And, any ideas regarding the origin of the use of the term "STOOL?"

You know, I heard that at one time, don't remember now.


Uncas: what is the latest on wilderness treatment of poisonous snakebite

Check out http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/995_snakes.html

Evacuate.

Additional tips from the SOF medic handbook:
-immobilize the limb below the level of your heart (hard to do if you are solo)
-clean the area around the bite
-use tylenol or a narc for pain control, no NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc)
-suction of the site (NOT WITH MOUTH) is reasonable within minutes of envenomation if remote from hospital care. The best device resembles a syringe with the end of the barrel being open. You can make one from a syringe by carefully cutting the end off.
-DO NOT incise bite sites.
-remove all jewelry from the bitten extremity
-if the snake can be safetly killed retrieve the head. Be careful, dead snakes can reflexively bite.
-hydrate, no eating

Many bites are "dry" and though no venom is injected the snake's mouth is home to many unfriendly organisms. You will, at a minimum, be left with a puncture wound which can develop into a nasty tissue infection.

I would advise a pre-hike tetanus booster, unless you have had one in the last 5 years.

[Klezmorim]

And, any ideas regarding the origin of the use of the term "STOOL?"

"Stool" is a case of a noun being derived from a verb. "Stooling" is archaic English for "doin' yer bidness." "Stool" used to refer to that special throne used for this purpose. How or when the transition from comfort furniture to metabolic by-product occured is still a mystery.

[stickman]

I can vouch for the red hot paperclip as a tool to relieve the pain of a crushed nail. A friend closed the car door on my finger nail once at the trail head, and had immediate bad pain, it was instantly turning black, etc. After a minute or so of gently applying a hot paperclip (my hikng buddy did this), the nail spurted blood, and the pain relief was immediate. It looked kind of gross, but worked!

Stickman

[SGT Rock]

Ill get this one moved over too - hopefully soon.

[nurseygurl]

subungual hematoma is a collection of blood (hematoma) underneath a toenail or fingernail. If you don't want to to the hot paperclip method...
Take your sharpest small metal instrument. pass it over a flame to cleanse away the "germs" and drill a little hole thru the darkest spot of the nail creating a 'crater'; when the blood flows the pressure is released.
a tiny drill bit drilled by hand through the fingernail works at the house so does a 16 G needle but who has that on the trail.
disclaimer::
just my opinion i am not a medical doctor and I did not stay at a holiday inn express.


but... I have done this procedure at least 35 times in 30 years and I like it better than the heat or cautery method.

[Jack Tarlin]

Hey Greentick, just wanted to say this is one of best things I've ever seen on this website and it should be required reading for anyone considering a hike of any length on the A.T.

[2Questions]

Great info Greenstick! Sometimes I get all caught up in the hiking and camping, the gear that goes with it, and forget to be just as studious about first aid! And to think that in reality something as small as a toenail can become a deterrent to a trip or at least make one miserable. Thanks again. I've decided to print your article, fold it up, and add it to my first aid kit, but better yet, begin to get a bit more serious about first aid and start reading more about it and letting my obsession on creating the "ultimate alky stove" (or similar constant daydream) go to the back burner for a while.

[Blue Jay]

Your body causes you pain for a very important reason. You are damaging yourself. Slow down or do less miles or carry less weight or do something/anything different from what you were doing. Taking a pill and continue damaging yourself is not the smartest thing to do. I am aware this is a minority opinion.

[Lone Wolf]

Your body causes you pain for a very important reason. You are damaging yourself. Slow down or do less miles or carry less weight or do something/anything different from what you were doing. Taking a pill and continue damaging yourself is not the smartest thing to do. I am aware this is a minority opinion.

i agree. pills are BIG business. doctors are GODS to most.

[take-a-knee]

Your body causes you pain for a very important reason. You are damaging yourself. Slow down or do less miles or carry less weight or do something/anything different from what you were doing. Taking a pill and continue damaging yourself is not the smartest thing to do. I am aware this is a minority opinion.

First I'd like to agree that your opinion is sage advice, but not always the likely or even best course. Greentick was a Green Beret(SF Medic), after which he worked two jobs to get through PA school, guys like that know how to play hurt.

[beakerman]

Something I started doing back when I first moved out west (NM) and started hiking at altitude was take an asprin before the day's hike. Not because of any heart condition but because it tends to thin the blood (with normal levels of hydration)which can increase the blood flow to the extremities. This means a slower onset of muscle fatigue and altitude related headaches.

Not really a trail first aid/medicine but certainly a tip that has helped me out over the years. I still do it as a kind of performance enhancer when I play paintball against the teenagers.

I would not however recomend this for a daily routine as you can get some stomach issues if you are in the least bit asprin sensative.

[kettish]

Greentick-hello from another Army medic, though not SF! One caveat to your snakebite advice: if you're solo, don't bother going after it-those things are freakin' FAST and all you'll do is spread the poison further while you're chasing snakes through the brush and getting yourself lost. LOL!

Also, REI sells QUIKCLOT now!! If it weren't for the fact that I can yoink some from the aid station, I'd be buying it in bulk before some moron eats it and gets it pulled from the shelves!

And, where's the gauze? Didn't they say something about gauze in AIT?

[SMSP]

What about Darvocet (pink/reddish pill with A256 on it)? From what I have found about it...Pink oblong tablet imprinted A256 is 100 mg propoxyphene napsylate and 650 mg acetaminophen - generic Darvocet-N 100.

I have some left over from an injury. Since it's a pain reliever, I have included it in my first-aid kit. Would this be good for last resort till help arrives? Or, could it be used for masking pain in order to get off the trail? I see that it's main side affect is drowsiness, which wouldnt be good when traversing a tricky trail with drop offs.

Is this a good choice? What is it's shelf life before it is no good? Any input or 2 cents worth would be appreciated.

SMSP

[KE4WUT]

What a wonderfully informative article... Thanks for sharing....

[BOBINJAX]

Another remedy for crabs is to just go to the movies, buy a bag of popcorn and a coke, sit down to watch the movie. After a while pour the popcorn into your pants.
Wait a little longer and the crabs will leave to get a drink of water and you just change seats.

[mweinstone]

kerosene is the cure for body lice.

[josefpeter]

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