Learning about "Airways"

[the-gnole]

Have re-installed some of the photo's for the Airways.

For the benefit of any new members who may have missed them.

[bhakta]

With so much useful medical stuff to learn I would put advanced airway management bottom of the learning needs list in a survival situation. Depends of course on the level of back up available , but unless you have some kind of functioning hospital and rapid means of evacuation to it an airway issue other than choking on a food is very likely rapidly fatal .

[the-gnole]

So the old ABC of emergency first aid is out the way then

Airways
Breathing
Circulation

If they don't have a clear airway they are dead, being able to deal with an obstructed airway is the very basic life giving treatment.

Maintaining those airways can be as simple as using a guedel airway, cheap and very easy to use on unconcious patients.

Yes there are many other things that a first aider needs to learn, I have some band-aids as well

[bhakta]

No I agree ABC is essential , but thats "Basic Life Support " and everyone should get trained to do it . It does not however include intubation / advanced airway techniques which is "Advanced Life Support" . Even with a fully functioning health service and supporting emergency services an airway problem in the community requiring the techniques in the previous photos is touch and go. Without rapid evacuation and a hospital to evacuate to you can't really ventilate for very long or sustain the likely associated cardiac compressions. Better to be really good and slick at ABC & dealing with choking rather than try and intubate etc. which is a technique requiring lots of training and regular updating.

[the-gnole]

When we did the weekend it was training based on "No help available" though.

If the person on the ground was a vital member of the community and the other option was just to walk away and leave them to die I would be glad that I had the training to at least give them the smallest of chances of survival.

I also received training on AEDs the same weekend. Not that I want to have to use one, but because if I need to I at least know how to.

I guess in the "normal" world it is fine to leave it to others, but as preppers the more we learn now the less we need to worry about later

If it becomes a no hoper, then a 9mm to the back of the head is quick and painless to the one receiving it.

[bhakta]

Hi the-gnole, point taken its good to have a go in extremis and I don't wish to deter folk from trying as long as they obey first rule do no harm. At the present time the usual issue is bystanders doing to little rather than to much.

Depending on your scenario folk are going to start dying or get incapacitated by different problems.

If you are dealing with lots of trauma you are going to need particular skill sets for acute and then ongoing management. If you are spared the trauma you are going to start seeing infectious diseases particularly as nutrition and living conditions deteriorate.

This is going to be a lot of reading and then learning by experience.

What do folk regard as the best medical text for Preppers ?

[the-gnole]

There is a link to one in the thread, very good for those of us in the UK.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/s ... e/15819874

The aim of this work is to provide the lay person with the knowledge and skills to deal with a variety of medical conditions and traumatic injuries. Its laid out with clear instructions and using normal language. Starts with a detailed method of patient assessment for Traumatic injuries, Medical patients and minor injuries. Next a review of body systems with common symptoms for each. Other sections include Questioning techniques, Environmental Problems, Bites and Stings, Dealing with Parasites, Foot Care, Fractures, Dislocations, Soft Tissue Injuries, Burns, Wound Closure (Suture & Glue), Wound Healing, Joints, Allergic reactions. Problems with Respiratory, Abdominal, Neurological, Circulatory, Diabetes, Infectious Diseases, Poisoning, Shock, ENT, Eye, Skin conditions, Minor Medical Problems, Medication, Vaccines, Drug Administration, Clinical Skills, Resuscitation, Airway, Medical Kits, Dentistry, STDs, Child Birth, Long term care, Tactical consideration, gunshot, blast injuries, triage and more is covered.

I know what you are saying about "no harm" but in the thread I did make it clear

Just remember that it needs some level of training to be able to do the above on a real casualty, if you haven't received any training don't attempt it.

This is "prepping and survival" at a high end level though, and as lil has said, don't try this at home on the family!

It depends what level of prepping the individual is at, at the bottom end you are at the band aid level, at the other end there is death and mayhem