Medical Emergencies (HB)

Many medical emergencies can be avoided by appropriate feeding, hydration, and hygiene. Medical emergencies are not as straightforward as trauma. Illnesses can be confusing, and rarely is there a quick solution like splinting or bandaging.

The nature of illnesses also contributes to a lot of possible diagnoses that you must investigate and rule out. Even in the context of a nice bright hospital, it can be challenging to figure out, let alone in the wee hours of the morning, while it’s cold and raining, and you are depleted from long days in the backcountry. We may just have to live with calling the illness “serious” or “not serious”.

Most people that are mildly ill will be able to perform normal functions just like a healthy person. This means eating, drinking, and eliminating normally. They will take steps to protect themselves from the environment. It is when a person is unable to do these things that we should be worried.