This week Lisa and I have Kevin back on to finish off our list of 16 prepping medical myths. Last week in part 1 of this 2 part podcast we went over myths about dead bodies, suturing, and some snake bite myths.

As I mentioned last week, there is a lot of misinformation out there, and it’s our responsibility to figure out what is correct, and what is misleading. A survival situation is no place to find out the person in that video you watched was full of crap.

SPP261 Prepping Medical Myths Part 2

People Fainting: in the show Lisa and Kevin talked about how to treat someone who has fainted. Lisa talked about the Trendelenburg position which is basically elevating the feet, and Kevin talked about laying someone on their left side may be effective.

Cough When Having Heart Attack: I personally have never heard this myth, but the thought behind it is that is that is sort of “kick starts” the heart for lack of a better term. Always look for the signs of a heart attack, and know what to do.

Drinking Your Own Pee: This is a myth made popular by some of the survival shows on TV. The truth is, if you find yourself in the situation where this becomes an option, you are in dire straights. Drinking your own pee does nothing for hydration, and there is a reason your body is getting rid of it.

Tampons For Bullet Wounds: this is one that I see all over the place, and while some people are bound to disagree, it’s not a good idea. Read this thread on the SurvivalistBoards which explains why.

Be Cautious of Facebook Posts: This may very well go without saying, but I see it all the time, and I know you have too. People on social media post things they have no idea about. If they see something that “looks like it would work” they hit share button.

Something in Mouth For Seizure:  A popular myth about seizures is someone can choke on their tongue. Not only is this untrue, it’s a good way to lose a finger. Your main concern should be protect their head from being injured.

Poke the Finger for Stroke Victim: This seems like old school blood letting to me, but the theory behind this is reducing the blood pressure. The problem with this is that you are wasting valuable time, and it is completely ineffective.

Eating Snow for Hydration: This one isn’t so much a myth as a misconception. Eating snow can cause small cuts and lacerations in the mouth, and also decrease your core body temperature. While it’s a good idea to melt the snow if you can, the pro’s far outweigh the cons in a survival situation.

Lean Head Back to Stop a Nose Bleed: Because I was taught this as a child, it’s almost instinctual to tilt my head back when I get a nose bleed. A more effective method is to apply pressure just below the nose and above the top lip. This puts pressure on the part of your nose that’s bleeding and can make the blood stop flowing.

Over the last couple of weeks Kevin and I talked about trauma kits and supplies. This week Lisa and I continue with the not so basic medical skills and supplies. When I say “not so basic” I mean we are not going to go over band aids and gauze pads, We go over the stuff that you may be confused about.

While some of these are fairly basic, some might be the “I know I need it, but I don’t know why” items, or possibly just a couple that you forgot about all together. When it comes to first aid kits at home, the rule “too much is never enough” absolutely applies.

First aid supplies usually have a very long shelf life, and most are fairly inexpensive. You also don’t need to go out and buy everything all at once. You can get started with the basics, and keep adding to it over the course of time. [Read more…]