Main description:

Written by renowned experts Jim Duff and Peter Gormly, this guidebook describes basic first aid techniques for those travelling in wilderness areas. Deals with fundamentals such as preparation, prevention, first aid kits and the use of medications and painkillers; and provides details on how to deal with a variety of accidents and illnesses. Venturing into remote areas involves a degree of risk. Minimizing these risks, while feeling confident in your ability to deal with any potential injury or illness, is part of the challenge and satisfaction of wilderness travel. This book is divided into 3 parts: Part 1. THE FUNDAMENTALS - preparation, prevention, first aid kits and the use of medications and painkillers. Part 2. ACCIDENT AND ILLNESS PROCEDURE - how to deal with any accident and illness, including emergency treatment for life-threatening situations. Part 3. PROBLEMS AND THEIR TREATMENT - specific accidents and illnesses. The authors' wilderness experience was gained as mountaineers in Scotland, Norway, the European Alps, New Zealand, the Himalayas and Antarctica.

Contents:

Diagram: The skeleton; Diagram: The internal organs; Abbreviations and conversion tables; Preface; READ THIS; PART 1 THE FUNDAMENTALS; 1 Prevention; Preparation (hope for the best, plan for the worst); Keeping healthy; Safety in extreme climates; Particular situations; Care of local people; 2 Positioning and moving a victim; Positioning a victim; Immobilization techniques; Ways to move a victim; 3 Medications - what you need to know; The basics; Special considerations; At altitude; 4 Pain management; Painkillers (analgesics); Other medications and techniques for pain relief; PART 2 ACCIDENT AND ILLNESS PROTOCOL; 5 Accident and illness protocol summary; 6 Primary survey - dealing with life-threatening emergencies; Response; Airway; Breathing; CPR or chest compressions; 7 Primary survey for specific situations; Suspected spinal injuries; Life-threatening bleeding; Choking (blocked airway); Near-drowning (submersion); Hypothermic victim; Primary survey for children; Fainting; Triage; 8 Shock management; Common causes of shock; Symptoms and signs of shock; Shock prevention and management; 9 Secondary survey - working out what the problem is; Taking a medical history; Carrying out a physical examination; Checking the vital signs; 10 Evacuation; Sending for help; Evacuating the victim; Helicopter evacuation; PART 3 PROBLEMS AND THEIR TREATMENT; 11 Spinal and head injuries; General management of spinal and head injuries; Spinal (neck and backbone) injuries; Head (skull and brain) injuries; 12 Burns; Burn management; Specific burns; 13 Broken bones and dislocations; General management of broken bones (fractures); Specific broken bones; General management of dislocations; Specific dislocations; 14 Sprains and strains; General management of sprains and strains; Specific sprains and strains; 15 Wounds; General management of wounds; Complications; Specific wounds; 16 Bites, stings and toxins; On land; At sea; 17 Near-drowning and diving problems; Near-drowning (submersion); Diving; 18 Altitude illness - AMS, HACE and HAPE; AMS, HACE and HAPE; Treatment of altitude illness; Going back up again? Treatment of altitude illness (table); 19 Cold weather problems; Hypothermia; Frostnip and frostbite; 20 Hot weather problems; Heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke; Other hot weather problems; 21 Dehydration; Type of rehydration; Amount of rehydration liquid; Rate of rehydration; 22 Diarrhoea and food poisoning; Mild diarrhoea; Severe diarrhoea; Food poisoning; 23 Abdominal (belly) problems; Common abdominal problems; Serious abdominal problems; Specific serious abdominal problems; 24 Respiratory problems; Respiratory tract infections; Non-infective respiratory problems; 25 Infectious diseases; Malaria; Typhoid; Meningitis; Tick-borne diseases; Viral illnesses; Dengue fever; Hepatitis A; Rabies; Yellow fever; Japanese B encephalitis; Other infectious diseases; 26 Eyes, ears and mouth; Eyes; Ears; Mouth and teeth; 27 Skin problems; Rashes; Other skin problems; 28 Gender-specific problems and STIs; Women; Men; Sexually transmitted infections (STIs); 29 Other problems; Allergy; Diabetes; Epilepsy (Grand Mal); Fever (cause unknown); Headache and migraine; Blood circulation (vascular) problems; Mental problems; Insomnia (cannot sleep, poor sleep); APPENDICES; Appendix 1 Chart of medications; Appendix 2 First aid kits; Appendix 3 Lake Louise Score (LLS); Appendix 4 Altitude illness flowchart; Appendix 5 Rescue request forms; Appendix 6 Useful contacts; Appendix 7 Index of diagrams; Index