Top 5 Medical Items for Bleeding Emergencies
No one wants to feel helpless when accidents happen. With a little preparation, you can prevent injury escalations.
Survivalists know that any situation can turn scary quickly. I remember playing with my kids when they were little at a lake when my son suddenly stepped on a fishhook. Caring for the bleeding wound was the first thing on my mind, but I had to keep my child and myself calm to figure out what to do next. Luckily, I had a towel, but it wasn't too sanitary. Fortunately, I had a friend with me who was a nurse and always well prepared. She had an emergency medical kit that was filled with many supplies to treat bleeding injuries. She cleaned up the cut and treated it with antibiotic ointment. She then applied a butterfly stitch and waterproof bandage to protect the cut until we could get proper stitches at the nearby urgent care. I learned that day to always keep emergency supplies wherever I went.
Adventure Medical Sportsman 200 First Aid Kit
Don't risk injuries while having fun
I realized that having sanitary cleaning agents and sterile bandages would have been most important with my son's fishhook experience. But there have been other times while hiking or skiing when I have not been prepared. I got to thinking about the most important items I should have on hand if there was ever another bleeding incident.
1. Clean Water
Whether puncturing yourself on a fishhook at the beach or falling on a jagged rock, you need to flush out debris from wounds. Using water from a lake or stream could introduce bacteria creating infection or sepsis. Carrying spring water at all times would be ideal. If you took your last sip and don't have a spare water bottle, having a portable water purifier would be the next best thing. There are some portable purifiers that allow you to take water from lakes, streams and even puddles, and transform it into fresh drinkable water. Some come with squeezable canteens that can be used irrigation.
2. Antiseptics
After flushing the affected area, antiseptics should be applied to prevent bacteria and infection. Antiseptics can be in the form of wipes or liquid containers using rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and/or witch hazel. Wipes are my favorite since they are small and can be stored anywhere.
3. A Variety of Bandages
Having several types of bandages on hand is crucial to absorb the blood. You never know what type of injury you will encounter. Adhesive and non-adhesive bandages in different sizes, cohesive bandage wraps, and elastic bandages with clips are good assortment examples.
Adventure Medical Molle Trauma Kit 1.0
4. A Clotting Agent
When bleeding won't stop, a clotting agent can be applied in the form of ointments, creams, and sprays. There are also some gauzes infused with clotting agents. Some holistic ideas include using ice, white vinegar, or natural plants like alfalfa or spinach which are high in vitamin K and known to naturally clot blood.
5. Tourniquet
Finally, if there is profuse bleeding, a tourniquet will constrict and compress blood vessels that may have been severed. If you don't have an actual tourniquet, a belt, tee-shirt, rope or anything you can tightly secure above the wound might save you or your loved one from death of blood loss. And get to a hospital FAST!
*Note: These supplies are just suggestions for use and not intended to be used in place of proper medical treatment. Always seek advice or services from a medical provider.
Survivor Filter Squeeze Water Filter with 2 Canteens
Fortunately, there are medical kits that include all of these items and much more. After lots of research, I concluded that Adventure Medical Kits had the largest variety of medical kits for different types of injuries, have great reviews and come in compact, waterproof packs that can easily be stored in your car or backpack.
While all injuries can't be avoided, they can be prevented from getting worse. If you like this post, check out my other blogs on preparations for survival.
