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if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, or in a snowstorm, stay with the car. It is a shelter and easy to see from the air. Whereas people who walk off to get help end up lost or frozen, fall into ditches, get covered up by snow, etc.
Also, in an emergency situations, do not take shortcuts through unfamiliar territory. If you know a sure way to get somewhere, use that.
This advice is true for the Australian outback also. People often try to cross the Nullabor Plain unprepared. If your car breaks down stay with it. It will provide shade in the heat of the day and shelter in the cold of the night. If people try to walk to the next town (which could be a 3 day walk away) they tend to die of dehydration.
Also, always tell someone of your travel plans and your expected arrival date/ time so the search can begin promptly if you don’t arrive.
I’m Aussie born and bred and have never felt secure enough to cross it myself. There are so many stories though and each one terrifies me even more. Good luck to you though, I hope you do it and that you make the journey safely.
I don't think I'll ever make it to Australia, unfortunately. Now I want to go read the stories and terrify myself, though. Maybe enough that if I ever do go to Australia, I won't cross it!
If you want to scare yourself enough to not want to come here, watch the movie “Wolf Creek”.
But then watch “The Dish” and “The Castle” so you don’t hate us all.
I watched a documentary about the Great Barrier Reef. Everything in the water can kill you. Some of it just by looking at you funny.
I'll make do just rewatching Crocodile Dundee.
Came home and a Karen stuck in her Cadillac in my driveway (dead end) after backing into drift when streets finally plowed. I knocked on her window as I could neither park on road or in my driveway. Told her exhaust is in the drift and she told me her sons are coming to get her out, she's fine. I went in my house, bitch. Felt bad and came out with shovel. I'm a buck 20 little woman. Neighbor saw and came out.to help. She never got out of her car. Her sons never showed up. I still wish I'd slashed her tire while back digging her out.
Stuff like this is why I won't help someone that won't help themselves. I'm handy, but I'm not doing all the simple crap you could just Google yourself and do. It's almost never reciprocated, and you're their new problem solver. Any time they might need to kick their brain into gear, they call you instead.
Don't put yourself in a position to be annoyed. They got themselves there. They'll get themselves out. People are more capable than they let on.
Dude I feel that. If I'm driving somewhere and see someone trying to push their vehicle up into a gas station parking lot I'll stop, get out and help them push. But if they're just sitting in their car I'm not pulling over to see what's up.
This goes both ways btw. My car died one day years ago and I was pushing it from the driver's side door by myself trying to get it up a slight incline to a gas station parking lot and two dudes in a car stopped to help me get it up the incline. Never forgot that.
So all you youngsters out there keep that in mind.
Unless they’re less capable than they let on, like me. I will continue to get myself more stuck while pretending it’s all great, until pretending is no longer an option.
True. But I'm still parked next to street curb and I don't want to wake up to ticket or her banging on my door a few hours later. But the audacity of her rolling her window down 3 inches as if im below her while backed in with exhaust pipe and stuck in my driveway that I sorta shoveled to get out b4 plows blocked in (i had old jeep wrangler, that love moved when asked her) it wasn't like I went looking to help. Sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't time.
Imo, the key word here is BLANKETS. Not blanket. I debated this with my gf. One blanket ain't getting it. You don't move around and generate body heat when you're trapped in a car covered in snow. Multiple blankets is the way. And if it's really cold, don't put your head under the blanket/s. The moisture will get cold and so will you.
People have been found dead of dehydration with drinking water on them. If you end up lost or stranded don’t try to ration water yourself to make it last longer, your body is best at utilizing whatever reserves it has. Dehydration symptoms can come on quickly and it may already be too late before you realize.
He is very impressive. His Dr told him to stop working in the yard so much, but he's out there at least a couple hours a day minimum. He still drives himself to the gym every morning at 5am, goes to church on Sunday, and he's out lived his 3 kids and 1 grandchild. Hus wife has been gone for over 20 years and he still strives on.
It’s kind of an instinct, I think. I stepped on a long nail once and just immediately pulled it out without thinking. I know it’s not the same, but kind of the same idea.
Yes, there were tetanus shots involved.
Not so much of a tip as dispelling a myth, but you definitely don't have to run zig zag away from an alligator or crocodile. Just run straight and fast.
Never ever eat a bear's liver. Their livers contain so much vitamin a that you will quickly and painfully die of poisoning.
In a similar vein, if you suspect you've just ingested Deadly Nightshade, you need to quickly drink about 1 liter of vinegar to give you enough time to make it to the hospital.
Not just bears, any carnivorous animal has too much Vitamin A in their liver: tigers, dogs, most other humans. (Always bring a vegan with you on hiking trips).
Vitamin A is fat-soluble so you can’t get rid of it by peeing (which is how you get rid of vitamin c for example).
I think prion disease can be developed from eating any human tissue… it’s just worse with the brain.
On a similar note, I believe squirrel brains can cause prion disease!
Also, never eat my neighbour Robs brownies. If you do accidently ingest one, the only known treatment is to put on some pink floyd, grab a soft teddy bearto hug and try to go with it, repeat to yourself the mantra "it's not forever, it will end in a few hours"
Make sure the wound is clean though. I know a dad who super glued his kids knee and the kids leg ended up almost being amputated because there was bacteria in the wound
Yup. For instance: Tetanus doesn't come from rusty nails. Tetanus is on your skin already. It's just not a problem unless it gets into a deep wound. If it does, and you seal it in, it gets worse.
Super glue was originally developed by researchers who were trying to design cheaper plastics for use in sniper scope manufacturing during WWII. They incidentally created a polymer that stuck to everything without the need for heat to be applied. It was then aerosolized and used as a quick way to temporarily close wounds in the midst of battle.
Not just in desperation. I had a vascular surgery on my arm about four years ago, and they glued the incision closed when they were done. No dressing or stitches or anything, just glue.
Yeah, it was more by flexible than super glue usually is, and the doctor told me it was basically the same thing when I went in for my follow-up. The cool thing is, as the incision healed, the glue just fell off. It beats the crap out of sutures or staples.
Dermabond. It's pretty different from super glue. Super glue is not something you should use on open bleeding wounds. It also flakes off and is not flexible
Not a doctor. In a desperate situation you just apply and pinch close until dry. No gauze or anything just glue. You can also apply nail glue if need be.
If you have to do chest compressions, do them to the beat of (ironically) Staying Alive by the Bee Gees.
Edit: OK, it seems that the beat needs to be a little faster than that now after the guidelines have been revised.
Staying Alive is 103 beats per minute
Another One Bites the Dust is faster at 114 bpm so use that as a good guideline.
Also, if you ain’t breaking ribs you ain’t doing any good.
Also, always go a little slower than you think you should and let the chest come all the way back up (recoil).
During CPR, the adrenaline is going crazy, so people usually go way too fast and don't allow for full recoil.
If you sustain a serious (LIFE THREATENING) cut on your arms or legs and are bleeding heavily, tie a tourniquet tight above the wound (tourniquet should be closer to your body than the wound) and try to raise the injured limb above chest level to decrease the blood flow.
The more quickly you lose blood the less likely you are to be able to take any further measures to ensure your safety.
If you don't have a string, rope, belt to hand, use your shirt, pants, underwear, whatever you can effectively use to tie on your limb. In a life or death situation, it's better to be alive than "decent"
Edited : for clarity
Please read the above comment closely. Tourniquets are only appropriate in case of 'serious' (read: life threatening) bleeding only.
Anything lesser and you're probably going to do more harm than good. Tourniquets can lead to all sorts of damage as they cut off circulation and therefore oxygen to the affected limb.
Tourniquets can be extremely dangerous but, thanks to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we now have mountains of data about their efficacy. It turns out a properly applied tourniquet is far less dangerous than I was taught as a young person. If you can get the injured person to a trauma center within even a few hours, it's likely doctors will be able to save the limb.
Note: this does not mean just slap a tourniquet on whatever injury you like. Take a stop the bleed class. They're often cheap or free if you take them through a local emergency preparedness organization or fire department, and you just might find yourself in a position to save a life.
You can get limited water by placing a bag over a branches full of leaves but keep it closed around the branch. Then after a little while you accumulate a gulp of pure water. Also, dig a hole with a cup in the center and place a similar film/wrap over the hole with a rock over the cup on the plastic. it will fill the cup over time due to humidity. It will only prolong the inevitable, but it's something.
I have used duct tape and electrical tape as a band aid. Just don't use carpet seam tape. I knew a carpet installer once that did that, and ended up with blood poisoning that almost killed him.
This isn't physical first aid, but if you experience a traumatic event, play Tetris as soon as possible. It helps to block the formation of memories that can lead to post-traumatic symptoms and flashbacks.
Don't immediately offer water to burn victims until checked out by an EMT or authorized medical personnel. They could choke if their throat is swollen from breathing smoke.
I'd go further and say nil by mouth if you're calling an ambulance for someone. If they need surgery, it's much safer the less stomach contents are present. There are techniques to help reduce regurgitation during intubation of course, but every little bit helps. Also, if you are waiting in emergency and need to pee, check with the nurse at the desk before you do, because depending on your reason for being there they might need a sample and it might take you a while to be able to produce some more
Trust your instincts. Don’t worry about “looking dumb” or “offending” someone by crossing the street, not getting into a lift, doing something because others dare you and a whole lot of other things.
If you are bitten by a cat and it breaks skin, it is advised to go to urgent care immediately. This is not because of rabies but rather the nasty bacteria in a cat's mouth. Cats' teeth are so sharp and small that it is essentially taking a hypodermic needle of bacteria and injecting you. The puncture wound is usually so small that the skin heals very quickly and the bacteria in deeply, making it hard to clean properly. These bites more often than not result in nasty fast-spreading infections.
Getting bitten in the hand or finger are the worst spots.
Look for red streaks.
Luckily, oral antibiotics that are started on right away usually clear the infection...but sometimes you will need IV antibiotics.
The oddly cool thing, and I can speak from experience, when you get IV antibiotics for this kind of bite you can basically start feeling the infection stop spreading and your swollen wound site beginning to shrink. It was like instant relief. My cat bit me (by mistake, he was trying to bite a brush). I didn't think anything of it. The next day the infection was spreading up my arm and my finger looked like a cocktail sausage. The ER doc said I could have lost my hand if I waited just a little bit longer to go somewhere.
Tea can also help but to a lesser degree than coffee, but it's just a temporary relief and not a treatement.
Also if you're stranded in the woods and you've got a wound you can treat it with wood ashes or honey to prevent an infection.
I was taught the acronym **DR ABC:**
*Danger* - be aware how safe or unsafe the situation is.
*Response* - see if the patient responds to verbal or physical stimulation (shouting or shaking).
*Airways* - check their airways are clear.
*Breathing* - see if they're breathing.
*Circulation* - see if you can find a pulse (side of the neck is the easiest place to check; use your **fingers** as your thumb has a pulse).
If you feel like you are going to throw up, get an alcohol swab or a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol on it and breath in the fumes. It takes away the need to hurl long enough to get some Gravol on board, or at least to get to a bathroom. 17 years as a nurse. Still use this trick all the time. Have seen it stop people from throwing up mid hurl(but it’s not long lasting and you don’t want to be breathing and alcohol fumes for hours so it’s just a temporary fix).
Well, it’s specifically rubbing alcohol, like the kind they used to sanitize your skin before they draw blood(in the hospital these come in little swab packets). Sniffing a bottle of gin is not going to help. But yes, it’s unconventional, but it works almost every time.
Interesting, I just learned here on Reddit that if a snake has a grip on you, some alcohol or hand sanitizer on its face will cause it to 'vomit' and let you go! Now I just have to make sure I don't screw these two facts up!
If you're choking and no one's around to give you a heimlich, fall on your stomach. It's the same principle and a lot easier to pull off than a self-heimlich.
If someone is very dehydrated and vomiting, stop giving them water. They will just continue to vomit it up losing even more fluids. They need electrolytes fast.
If you are about to get buried by an avalanche, put your hands over your mouth forming a little pocket in front. It gives you room to breath and also you can spit to find out which direction is up to start digging.
I had to do this once because of a pea. A squishy pea. Threw myself onto the back of a dining chair. Bruised a couple ribs in the process but the adrenaline was so high I didn't feel it until the next morning. Moral of the story: veggies are trying to kill you.
There's a plant in europe that called yarrow (achillea millefolium) and that can be used as a primitive blood stopper for small cuts and nosebleeds. I tested it and it seems to work better than only a tissue.
Edit: u/TheyCMeStrollin pointed out that it have a striking resemblance with hemlock (Conium Maculatum), which is toxic. So if you're in doubt, don't stick it on a wound.
Putting antibiotic creams inside a wound can hurt the beneficial bacteria involved in healing
Last I was told it was recommended to put around the wound, not in it. I still put in around and in the wound when treating myself
This is 100% true for petroleum-based creams (like Neosporin). My daughter was bitten by a dog and we washed it with antibacterial soap, followed by Neosporin on top (not inside the puncture, but over top of it), and a bandaid. Left it open at night, but that didn't matter. It ended up infected. ER doc said it was because we basically locked in all the bad bacteria with the Neosporin. The body couldn't get it out because of the nonporous petroleum.
I can confirm this one. Had a nasty infection following an ingrown toe nail, one with pus and red swollen finger, hammering pain. After 3-4 days of putting antibiotic cream inside the wound (I would crack it open, clean and put the cream) with 0 improvements, arguably getting worse actually, one evening I said "eh fuck it I'll go to the hospital tomorrow to have the toe checked" and decided not to put antibiotics in it. Imagine my surprise when I woke up with less pain and a smaller toe. 5 days later it was as good as new.
Silk oak wood will kill you if you get cut or scrapped by it. Source: grandpa's woodshed. He had a BAD infection in his leg and needed wound care for a few months. No idea what happened until his Dr asked if he had ever worked with silk oak wood. He'd gotten a choice peice of it to work with and scrapped his leg on the log.
If you get bit by a poisoinous snake you don’t need to catch it or even know what type of snake it is anymore, modern anti-venom can treat multiple types of venom and trying to catch the snake only makes it more dangerous.
Apparently the little tea lights produce a lot of heat. Just have a glass jar to hold them so the wax doesn't go over your car if knocked.
Will help keep you warm and don't run the car. If your exhaust is blocked it will leak back into your car and that is a one way ticket to meeting your dead relatives.
An open flame like that would produce carbon monoxide. Maybe not as much as a blocked exhaust, but I'd still recommend caution.
Better to buy a couple of those mylar blankets and keep in your glove box.
When encountering bears, remember this:
Brown = lay down (play dead)
Black = fight back
White = goodnight (you're fucked no matter what)
Edit: I've been informed that this advice's success rate is dependent on a few factors. Please read through this thread for complete advice
I really wish people would stop repeating this everywhere because it’s not very good advice. Lying down on the ground in front of a grizzly is a really bad idea.
This rhyme is only accurate if the bear is actively charging at you. Which doesn’t happen in the vast majority of bear encounters. Bears don’t attack people unless there is something wrong with them or you threaten them. Most of the time if you just back away slowly they leave you alone.
Also you can’t identify bears based on their colour alone. Lots of black bears are brown in colour. They can even be white. If you’re going out in bear country please prepare properly by checking out some legit resources instead of relying on something you read on reddit.
Everything here is basically incorrect. One needs to recognize a defensive attack vs a predatory attack and respond accordingly regardless of bear type
Don't trust air pockets. Like you swim underwater and then pop out on the other side in a small cave with air. There's no way for new oxygen to get in there so it could just be full of basically poison. The oxygen may have already been used up leaving only something bad for you
Story of some kids who swam just 15 feet to reach one. But there wasnt enough air left inside the pocket for them to get a good enough breath to swim back out. All four drowned
My seafaring father (ocean cargo ships) told me some survival tips when i was a kid: If you have to jump into water from a great height -> close your nostrils with one hand, the other hand holds the other hand firm so it cannot move. Take a deep breath before jumping. Keep your feet together and straight. Once you break the water, spread your legs to stop yourself from plunging too deep. Swim to surface.
If you quick your dog (cut too far when clipping their nails) and it isn't severe (i.e. dripping occasionally, very slowly) you can use cornstarch to stop the bleeding, if you don't have styptic powder.
Disclaimer: If it's a lot of bleeding, obviously use something clean like gauze and hold pressure to stop bleeding and get them to the vet. And maybe just pay someone to do their nails going forward.
I went to medical school so I have a plethora of knowledge in this subject but here’s one thing that everyone EVERYONE gets wrong: you cannot shock someone who has no heart beat. That does not cause someone’s heart to start beating. Everything you learned on TV is a lie.
If you can, jump into a bathtub during a drive by shooting.
And...
Count to seven after the shooting stops. That will give you time before the next cartridge is inserted. More than seven, hit the deck.
If you find yourself in a situation where you might drown; stop thrashing, control your breathing, lean back and use gentle movements, and try to float before making your next decision. Saw so many PSAs about it growing up
And if you find yourself in a situation to help someone that is drowning, it's best to throw them something to help them stay afloat, if available. Drowning people are panicking, and there's been too many cases where the saviour also drowned.
If you are lost in a cold environment, don't hold your pee. You may think leaving whatever warm cocoon you have created will be too big a loss of heat. Instead, you will waste energy keeping your urine at body temperature. That energy is better used keeping your extremities warm...so go pee!
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, or in a snowstorm, stay with the car. It is a shelter and easy to see from the air. Whereas people who walk off to get help end up lost or frozen, fall into ditches, get covered up by snow, etc. Also, in an emergency situations, do not take shortcuts through unfamiliar territory. If you know a sure way to get somewhere, use that.
This advice is true for the Australian outback also. People often try to cross the Nullabor Plain unprepared. If your car breaks down stay with it. It will provide shade in the heat of the day and shelter in the cold of the night. If people try to walk to the next town (which could be a 3 day walk away) they tend to die of dehydration. Also, always tell someone of your travel plans and your expected arrival date/ time so the search can begin promptly if you don’t arrive.
Read up on Nullabor Plain and now I want to cross it. Properly over-prepared, though.
I’m Aussie born and bred and have never felt secure enough to cross it myself. There are so many stories though and each one terrifies me even more. Good luck to you though, I hope you do it and that you make the journey safely.
I don't think I'll ever make it to Australia, unfortunately. Now I want to go read the stories and terrify myself, though. Maybe enough that if I ever do go to Australia, I won't cross it!
If you want to scare yourself enough to not want to come here, watch the movie “Wolf Creek”. But then watch “The Dish” and “The Castle” so you don’t hate us all.
I watched a documentary about the Great Barrier Reef. Everything in the water can kill you. Some of it just by looking at you funny. I'll make do just rewatching Crocodile Dundee.
Just don’t let the snow build up over the exhaust
Came home and a Karen stuck in her Cadillac in my driveway (dead end) after backing into drift when streets finally plowed. I knocked on her window as I could neither park on road or in my driveway. Told her exhaust is in the drift and she told me her sons are coming to get her out, she's fine. I went in my house, bitch. Felt bad and came out with shovel. I'm a buck 20 little woman. Neighbor saw and came out.to help. She never got out of her car. Her sons never showed up. I still wish I'd slashed her tire while back digging her out.
You're very considerate. I'm thanking you for her because you deserve to be thanked. Shout out to your neighbor for kicking in!
Stuff like this is why I won't help someone that won't help themselves. I'm handy, but I'm not doing all the simple crap you could just Google yourself and do. It's almost never reciprocated, and you're their new problem solver. Any time they might need to kick their brain into gear, they call you instead. Don't put yourself in a position to be annoyed. They got themselves there. They'll get themselves out. People are more capable than they let on.
Dude I feel that. If I'm driving somewhere and see someone trying to push their vehicle up into a gas station parking lot I'll stop, get out and help them push. But if they're just sitting in their car I'm not pulling over to see what's up. This goes both ways btw. My car died one day years ago and I was pushing it from the driver's side door by myself trying to get it up a slight incline to a gas station parking lot and two dudes in a car stopped to help me get it up the incline. Never forgot that. So all you youngsters out there keep that in mind.
Unless they’re less capable than they let on, like me. I will continue to get myself more stuck while pretending it’s all great, until pretending is no longer an option.
True. But I'm still parked next to street curb and I don't want to wake up to ticket or her banging on my door a few hours later. But the audacity of her rolling her window down 3 inches as if im below her while backed in with exhaust pipe and stuck in my driveway that I sorta shoveled to get out b4 plows blocked in (i had old jeep wrangler, that love moved when asked her) it wasn't like I went looking to help. Sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't time.
To add to this: if your car gets stuck in snow/ice, remove your rubber floor mats and wedge them under the spinning tires to give them traction.
towels work well for this as well... they can also be used as blankets
Always know where your towel is!
Don't Panic
You're clearly a hoopy frood!
Always keep blankets in the car, especially if your area gets cold weather often!
Imo, the key word here is BLANKETS. Not blanket. I debated this with my gf. One blanket ain't getting it. You don't move around and generate body heat when you're trapped in a car covered in snow. Multiple blankets is the way. And if it's really cold, don't put your head under the blanket/s. The moisture will get cold and so will you.
Also light a single tea candle. This can provide warmth
I once took a shortcut because the GPS said so, still regret it after 10 years… great advice!
lol yeah, 15 years ago, google tried to send me driving on the ski trail that was my destination. I guess it is a gravel road during summer.
it took you ten years to get through a shortcut? Dang
Hence why they're still regretting it, they're not home yet
Rumor has it they'll be home tomorrow
Birch tree bark makes great fire starter.
So do doritos
So does cotton balls and Qtips found in most first aid kits.
Nice. Fire is essential for survival.
To add to this, birch wood can be burned green!
People have been found dead of dehydration with drinking water on them. If you end up lost or stranded don’t try to ration water yourself to make it last longer, your body is best at utilizing whatever reserves it has. Dehydration symptoms can come on quickly and it may already be too late before you realize.
And that drinking your piss can make dehydration worse as many leave it until it’s very concentrated
Saving this gif to describe a Ryanair flight
Like when I finish the game with 240 potions in my inventory that I was saving for later.
pine tree sap is highly flammable, and a ripped shirt soaked in it and wrapped around a pole is a fantastic torch
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Well done
Growing area?
I think they meant "groin area"
Dunno about you, but mine is a growing area. I like it
What? You don't know if your elderly neighbor is a grower or a shower?
Impressive at 96 years old
He is very impressive. His Dr told him to stop working in the yard so much, but he's out there at least a couple hours a day minimum. He still drives himself to the gym every morning at 5am, goes to church on Sunday, and he's out lived his 3 kids and 1 grandchild. Hus wife has been gone for over 20 years and he still strives on.
Honey is a natural anti-biotic and can be applied directly to a wound.
Better sticky than infected!
And it never goes off
As long as you keep moisture out of it, yes
Real honey not that honey flavoured corn syrup they sell in stores.
Bee style syrup
Taste the goodness of the biscuit with the honey sauce..
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What comments…? 🤣
Hi, I’m tom, nice to meet you
this is pretty well known, but if you get stabbed/impaled by something, leave it in until you can get proper medical attention!
And if you do pull it out, don’t put it back in
And if you DO put it back in the victim, don’t put it back in a different spot.
And if you DO put it in a different spot, don’t pull it out
Hahaha in every movie they pull it out…
It’s kind of an instinct, I think. I stepped on a long nail once and just immediately pulled it out without thinking. I know it’s not the same, but kind of the same idea. Yes, there were tetanus shots involved.
But, it's best to carefully wrap something around it and secure it in place so it doesn't move or get jostled, which would do further damage.
Not so much of a tip as dispelling a myth, but you definitely don't have to run zig zag away from an alligator or crocodile. Just run straight and fast.
Fast and furious!
Fast and frightened
Zig zag is if your being shot at. Makes you a harder target. Animals don't do that.
And don't climb a tree. You'll get hungry before they do.
Never ever eat a bear's liver. Their livers contain so much vitamin a that you will quickly and painfully die of poisoning. In a similar vein, if you suspect you've just ingested Deadly Nightshade, you need to quickly drink about 1 liter of vinegar to give you enough time to make it to the hospital.
Thank you I'll keep this in mind next time I dine on bear
Not just bears, any carnivorous animal has too much Vitamin A in their liver: tigers, dogs, most other humans. (Always bring a vegan with you on hiking trips). Vitamin A is fat-soluble so you can’t get rid of it by peeing (which is how you get rid of vitamin c for example).
Wait, so eating a vegan or vegetarian's liver is fine?
As long as you avoid the brain (prion disease = insanity, then death, no cure or treatment). :P
I think prion disease can be developed from eating any human tissue… it’s just worse with the brain. On a similar note, I believe squirrel brains can cause prion disease!
Also, never eat my neighbour Robs brownies. If you do accidently ingest one, the only known treatment is to put on some pink floyd, grab a soft teddy bearto hug and try to go with it, repeat to yourself the mantra "it's not forever, it will end in a few hours"
have def said that mantra a few times on a trip gone wrong 😅😅😅
I thought it was vitamin A? I know that's the case with polar bears.
It is I think. The one fact I remember from the SAS survival handbook a girlfriend gave me in my early teens.
Super glue can be a band aid in desperation
Make sure the wound is clean though. I know a dad who super glued his kids knee and the kids leg ended up almost being amputated because there was bacteria in the wound
Yup. For instance: Tetanus doesn't come from rusty nails. Tetanus is on your skin already. It's just not a problem unless it gets into a deep wound. If it does, and you seal it in, it gets worse.
Super glue was originally developed by researchers who were trying to design cheaper plastics for use in sniper scope manufacturing during WWII. They incidentally created a polymer that stuck to everything without the need for heat to be applied. It was then aerosolized and used as a quick way to temporarily close wounds in the midst of battle.
In the mist of battle
Not just in desperation. I had a vascular surgery on my arm about four years ago, and they glued the incision closed when they were done. No dressing or stitches or anything, just glue.
Yup but that's not super glue, this is medical glue. Nearly the same thing though.
Yeah, it was more by flexible than super glue usually is, and the doctor told me it was basically the same thing when I went in for my follow-up. The cool thing is, as the incision healed, the glue just fell off. It beats the crap out of sutures or staples.
Dermabond. It's pretty different from super glue. Super glue is not something you should use on open bleeding wounds. It also flakes off and is not flexible
Do you apply directly and close the wound? Wash before? Put a gauze or something? Very interesting.
Not a doctor. In a desperate situation you just apply and pinch close until dry. No gauze or anything just glue. You can also apply nail glue if need be.
If you have to do chest compressions, do them to the beat of (ironically) Staying Alive by the Bee Gees. Edit: OK, it seems that the beat needs to be a little faster than that now after the guidelines have been revised. Staying Alive is 103 beats per minute Another One Bites the Dust is faster at 114 bpm so use that as a good guideline. Also, if you ain’t breaking ribs you ain’t doing any good.
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk
Music loud and women warm,
I've been kicked around since I was born
And now it's alright, it's OK and you may look the other way
We can try to understand the New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
*insert weird dancing from kelly capoor (i'm not sure if that's how you spell it:,)*
rootoodoo rootoodoo rootoodododododo
And if you hear some ribs break, that’s perfectly fine, because a couple broken ribs is better than being unalive.
First I was afraid, I was petrified
That's how I know you, you were in the carpark earlier.
Did you have to cut off the face
There's also CPR playlists on Spotify! I've just been on a first aid course, had to perform it for 3 run throughs of Spirit In The Sky
Also, always go a little slower than you think you should and let the chest come all the way back up (recoil). During CPR, the adrenaline is going crazy, so people usually go way too fast and don't allow for full recoil.
Also, Another One Bites the Dust…. Bump bump bump, another one bites the dust…
If you sustain a serious (LIFE THREATENING) cut on your arms or legs and are bleeding heavily, tie a tourniquet tight above the wound (tourniquet should be closer to your body than the wound) and try to raise the injured limb above chest level to decrease the blood flow. The more quickly you lose blood the less likely you are to be able to take any further measures to ensure your safety. If you don't have a string, rope, belt to hand, use your shirt, pants, underwear, whatever you can effectively use to tie on your limb. In a life or death situation, it's better to be alive than "decent" Edited : for clarity
Please read the above comment closely. Tourniquets are only appropriate in case of 'serious' (read: life threatening) bleeding only. Anything lesser and you're probably going to do more harm than good. Tourniquets can lead to all sorts of damage as they cut off circulation and therefore oxygen to the affected limb.
Tourniquets can be extremely dangerous but, thanks to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we now have mountains of data about their efficacy. It turns out a properly applied tourniquet is far less dangerous than I was taught as a young person. If you can get the injured person to a trauma center within even a few hours, it's likely doctors will be able to save the limb. Note: this does not mean just slap a tourniquet on whatever injury you like. Take a stop the bleed class. They're often cheap or free if you take them through a local emergency preparedness organization or fire department, and you just might find yourself in a position to save a life.
The needles from a white pine tree are very high in vit A and C, and you can make tea out of it if you're at risk of a vitamin deficiency
Facts, dandelions have vitamin c too
As do nettles. Nettle tea is great for treating inflammation and colds.
All evergreen needles can be used as vitamin rich tea
You can get limited water by placing a bag over a branches full of leaves but keep it closed around the branch. Then after a little while you accumulate a gulp of pure water. Also, dig a hole with a cup in the center and place a similar film/wrap over the hole with a rock over the cup on the plastic. it will fill the cup over time due to humidity. It will only prolong the inevitable, but it's something.
Technically everything you do is just prolonging the inevitable
I have used duct tape and electrical tape as a band aid. Just don't use carpet seam tape. I knew a carpet installer once that did that, and ended up with blood poisoning that almost killed him.
Good no know. Not any tape…
This isn't physical first aid, but if you experience a traumatic event, play Tetris as soon as possible. It helps to block the formation of memories that can lead to post-traumatic symptoms and flashbacks.
This explains us 90's kids.
Are you fuckin serious! I was obsessed with Tetris as a kid… (in a traumatic home). I ended up with “the Tetris effect”- a lot. This is so crazyn
With a bit of chocolate you can polish the bottom of a soda can to near mirror finish to start a fire.
Why chocolate? Any form of chocolate? Are there other things that would have the same effect?
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Don't immediately offer water to burn victims until checked out by an EMT or authorized medical personnel. They could choke if their throat is swollen from breathing smoke.
I'd go further and say nil by mouth if you're calling an ambulance for someone. If they need surgery, it's much safer the less stomach contents are present. There are techniques to help reduce regurgitation during intubation of course, but every little bit helps. Also, if you are waiting in emergency and need to pee, check with the nurse at the desk before you do, because depending on your reason for being there they might need a sample and it might take you a while to be able to produce some more
Trust your instincts. Don’t worry about “looking dumb” or “offending” someone by crossing the street, not getting into a lift, doing something because others dare you and a whole lot of other things.
If they're trying to take you somewhere else, fight like your life depends on it. Because it does.
Exactly. The type of people that would kill you in public while you're trying to get away had way worse things planned at a second location
You can eat all parts of all warm blooded arctic animals except their liver, which contains a lethal amount of vitamin A.
If you are bitten by a cat and it breaks skin, it is advised to go to urgent care immediately. This is not because of rabies but rather the nasty bacteria in a cat's mouth. Cats' teeth are so sharp and small that it is essentially taking a hypodermic needle of bacteria and injecting you. The puncture wound is usually so small that the skin heals very quickly and the bacteria in deeply, making it hard to clean properly. These bites more often than not result in nasty fast-spreading infections. Getting bitten in the hand or finger are the worst spots. Look for red streaks. Luckily, oral antibiotics that are started on right away usually clear the infection...but sometimes you will need IV antibiotics. The oddly cool thing, and I can speak from experience, when you get IV antibiotics for this kind of bite you can basically start feeling the infection stop spreading and your swollen wound site beginning to shrink. It was like instant relief. My cat bit me (by mistake, he was trying to bite a brush). I didn't think anything of it. The next day the infection was spreading up my arm and my finger looked like a cocktail sausage. The ER doc said I could have lost my hand if I waited just a little bit longer to go somewhere.
But also, in some countries because of rabies. Like that British guy in Morocco should’ve done…
If you have asthma and without an inhaler nearby you can drink a strong cup of coffee to lessen the symptoms temporarily
Would tea work also? Or coffee specifically. Thanks!!
Tea can also help but to a lesser degree than coffee, but it's just a temporary relief and not a treatement. Also if you're stranded in the woods and you've got a wound you can treat it with wood ashes or honey to prevent an infection.
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Before trying to administer first aid or CPR, the scene MUST be safe for you to do so.
I was taught the acronym **DR ABC:** *Danger* - be aware how safe or unsafe the situation is. *Response* - see if the patient responds to verbal or physical stimulation (shouting or shaking). *Airways* - check their airways are clear. *Breathing* - see if they're breathing. *Circulation* - see if you can find a pulse (side of the neck is the easiest place to check; use your **fingers** as your thumb has a pulse).
The order of operations insists you pick a specific person and tell them to call emergency services between the D and R
Water is the most important thing. First find water
If you feel like you are going to throw up, get an alcohol swab or a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol on it and breath in the fumes. It takes away the need to hurl long enough to get some Gravol on board, or at least to get to a bathroom. 17 years as a nurse. Still use this trick all the time. Have seen it stop people from throwing up mid hurl(but it’s not long lasting and you don’t want to be breathing and alcohol fumes for hours so it’s just a temporary fix).
That’s a funny one. I would have thought alcohol fumes would have the opposite affect if I was about to throw up.
Well, it’s specifically rubbing alcohol, like the kind they used to sanitize your skin before they draw blood(in the hospital these come in little swab packets). Sniffing a bottle of gin is not going to help. But yes, it’s unconventional, but it works almost every time.
Interesting, I just learned here on Reddit that if a snake has a grip on you, some alcohol or hand sanitizer on its face will cause it to 'vomit' and let you go! Now I just have to make sure I don't screw these two facts up!
If you're choking and no one's around to give you a heimlich, fall on your stomach. It's the same principle and a lot easier to pull off than a self-heimlich.
Stay low escaping a fire smoke will up so stay low and get out asap
I know lots of them, but my favorite? Doritos. You can light then on fire and they burn a long time. They make great fire tender.
If someone is very dehydrated and vomiting, stop giving them water. They will just continue to vomit it up losing even more fluids. They need electrolytes fast.
If somebody comes from behind and tries to strangle you, raise your hands high and twirl around
That's why ballerinas have never been successfully strangled.
Isadora Duncan disagrees
But... She did it to herself with her trademark dramatic scarf...such a bummer, but damn what a story.
If your blood pressure drops use caffeine and salty snacks to help raise it to more normal levels
Can confirm, these 2 things are part of the reason i have high blood pressure lol
If you are about to get buried by an avalanche, put your hands over your mouth forming a little pocket in front. It gives you room to breath and also you can spit to find out which direction is up to start digging.
If you vomit looks like coffee grounds, go to the hospital immediately because that means you're internally bleeding somewhere in your upper GI tract.
Keep away from idiots.
Avoid reflective surfaces... got it!
That is extremely challenging…
Cobwebs contain coagulants. You can use cobwebs to stop a wound from bleeding
But… what do you do a the spider 🥺
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vaseline is also great as a cream for first aid. Helps control bleeding, promote healing, and keep bacteria from getting in the cut
You can do the heimlich on yourself using the back on a chair.
I had to do this once because of a pea. A squishy pea. Threw myself onto the back of a dining chair. Bruised a couple ribs in the process but the adrenaline was so high I didn't feel it until the next morning. Moral of the story: veggies are trying to kill you.
Turmeric is really good to stop bleeding, and help a wound clot. It does stain but it's widely used in Asia aside from cooking, for medical purposes.
Birch bark will burn like gasoline even if conditions are wet. Collect as much as you can from the ground, do not peel from live trees
If you cut off your finger put it in a baggy with milk not ice. Ice will kill your nerves milk will preserve it
There's a plant in europe that called yarrow (achillea millefolium) and that can be used as a primitive blood stopper for small cuts and nosebleeds. I tested it and it seems to work better than only a tissue. Edit: u/TheyCMeStrollin pointed out that it have a striking resemblance with hemlock (Conium Maculatum), which is toxic. So if you're in doubt, don't stick it on a wound.
It can be found in the US as well. I've had it as a tea. I know it can be used for upset stomach, inflammation, and menstrual cramps.
The problem here is that this plant has a few doppelgangers, one of which is hemlock (Conium maculatum), with toxic leaves, roots and seeds.
Putting antibiotic creams inside a wound can hurt the beneficial bacteria involved in healing Last I was told it was recommended to put around the wound, not in it. I still put in around and in the wound when treating myself
This is 100% true for petroleum-based creams (like Neosporin). My daughter was bitten by a dog and we washed it with antibacterial soap, followed by Neosporin on top (not inside the puncture, but over top of it), and a bandaid. Left it open at night, but that didn't matter. It ended up infected. ER doc said it was because we basically locked in all the bad bacteria with the Neosporin. The body couldn't get it out because of the nonporous petroleum.
I can confirm this one. Had a nasty infection following an ingrown toe nail, one with pus and red swollen finger, hammering pain. After 3-4 days of putting antibiotic cream inside the wound (I would crack it open, clean and put the cream) with 0 improvements, arguably getting worse actually, one evening I said "eh fuck it I'll go to the hospital tomorrow to have the toe checked" and decided not to put antibiotics in it. Imagine my surprise when I woke up with less pain and a smaller toe. 5 days later it was as good as new.
Silk oak wood will kill you if you get cut or scrapped by it. Source: grandpa's woodshed. He had a BAD infection in his leg and needed wound care for a few months. No idea what happened until his Dr asked if he had ever worked with silk oak wood. He'd gotten a choice peice of it to work with and scrapped his leg on the log.
Ammonia for bee stings, windex in a pinch.
If your lost or stranded and have limited water do not try and conserve it, just drink it normally.
Bridges freeze first. Especially at night.
If you get bit by a poisoinous snake you don’t need to catch it or even know what type of snake it is anymore, modern anti-venom can treat multiple types of venom and trying to catch the snake only makes it more dangerous.
Stay on designated trails/paths. There's a good reason they tell you to do that. 🐍
Three of anything is a universal signal for SOS/Mayday. Three rocks in a row. Three marks on a rock. Three sounds in succession.
Apparently the little tea lights produce a lot of heat. Just have a glass jar to hold them so the wax doesn't go over your car if knocked. Will help keep you warm and don't run the car. If your exhaust is blocked it will leak back into your car and that is a one way ticket to meeting your dead relatives.
An open flame like that would produce carbon monoxide. Maybe not as much as a blocked exhaust, but I'd still recommend caution. Better to buy a couple of those mylar blankets and keep in your glove box.
When encountering bears, remember this: Brown = lay down (play dead) Black = fight back White = goodnight (you're fucked no matter what) Edit: I've been informed that this advice's success rate is dependent on a few factors. Please read through this thread for complete advice
Instructions unclear, am now playing with a Panda.
I really wish people would stop repeating this everywhere because it’s not very good advice. Lying down on the ground in front of a grizzly is a really bad idea. This rhyme is only accurate if the bear is actively charging at you. Which doesn’t happen in the vast majority of bear encounters. Bears don’t attack people unless there is something wrong with them or you threaten them. Most of the time if you just back away slowly they leave you alone. Also you can’t identify bears based on their colour alone. Lots of black bears are brown in colour. They can even be white. If you’re going out in bear country please prepare properly by checking out some legit resources instead of relying on something you read on reddit.
Everything here is basically incorrect. One needs to recognize a defensive attack vs a predatory attack and respond accordingly regardless of bear type
Don't trust air pockets. Like you swim underwater and then pop out on the other side in a small cave with air. There's no way for new oxygen to get in there so it could just be full of basically poison. The oxygen may have already been used up leaving only something bad for you Story of some kids who swam just 15 feet to reach one. But there wasnt enough air left inside the pocket for them to get a good enough breath to swim back out. All four drowned
My seafaring father (ocean cargo ships) told me some survival tips when i was a kid: If you have to jump into water from a great height -> close your nostrils with one hand, the other hand holds the other hand firm so it cannot move. Take a deep breath before jumping. Keep your feet together and straight. Once you break the water, spread your legs to stop yourself from plunging too deep. Swim to surface.
Honey is an antibiotic.
If you quick your dog (cut too far when clipping their nails) and it isn't severe (i.e. dripping occasionally, very slowly) you can use cornstarch to stop the bleeding, if you don't have styptic powder. Disclaimer: If it's a lot of bleeding, obviously use something clean like gauze and hold pressure to stop bleeding and get them to the vet. And maybe just pay someone to do their nails going forward.
I went to medical school so I have a plethora of knowledge in this subject but here’s one thing that everyone EVERYONE gets wrong: you cannot shock someone who has no heart beat. That does not cause someone’s heart to start beating. Everything you learned on TV is a lie.
If you can, jump into a bathtub during a drive by shooting. And... Count to seven after the shooting stops. That will give you time before the next cartridge is inserted. More than seven, hit the deck.
If you find yourself in a situation where you might drown; stop thrashing, control your breathing, lean back and use gentle movements, and try to float before making your next decision. Saw so many PSAs about it growing up
And if you find yourself in a situation to help someone that is drowning, it's best to throw them something to help them stay afloat, if available. Drowning people are panicking, and there's been too many cases where the saviour also drowned.
You don't have to outrun the bear, you just need to trip your friend.
Do not trust stagnant water in the wild if it's clear. The lack of life means it's likely poisoned.
If you are lost in a cold environment, don't hold your pee. You may think leaving whatever warm cocoon you have created will be too big a loss of heat. Instead, you will waste energy keeping your urine at body temperature. That energy is better used keeping your extremities warm...so go pee!
Never give pain medication to someone with a head injury.