Trauma bandage

[Rabbit leg]

Not sure if that is the right title.

I have always said -
Take a knife, take a first aid kit.
Take an axe, take a trauma kit.

I have been looking at the 'military' field dressings and thinking about getting one. But research says that a t-shirt does the same job. Sterility doesn't mean much with high blood flow.
I like to travel light.

Your views on this....................

Thanks.

 

[Toddy]

I have a very good friend, who though incredibly capable, is also the one most likely to injure himself. But then he does a heck of a lot more than most so I reckon in the scale of things he really hurts himself much less than the rest of us. The injuries are still injuries though.

Anyhow, everything from an axe through a boot and into an ankle, to nearly slicing off a forefinger with a sickle, he manages to deal with things, until he gets to medical attention, with two handkerchiefs.
Surprisingly effective really
Tshirt and a triangular scarf or a shemagh, I was advised by someone else who really did live the life.

I suppose it depends on just how injured you think might be possible in the worst case.

M

p.s. I have an Israeli pressure bandage, still sealed in it's plastic bag, must have had it ten years now, never used it yet.
Sometimes I think we plan a little too carefully and end up just caring for stuff instead of getting on with living.

 

[lou1661]

Links to the research would be handy, most modern dressings are more to do with application of pressure than absorbing fluids. I personally carry a decent wound dressing. However this is just a product of my training and experience. I’m sure that other people have other training and experience. And may draw different conclusions.

Louis

 

[Robson Valley]

Keep it clean and keep it covered.
I do have a very good First Aid kit that I travel with and a second one in the house.

A good first bandage for an abrasive wound (falling down a scree slope)
is the inside of an unsliced loaf of bread. Most breads are practically sterile.

 

[Janne]

It is very difficult to take care of a serious wound on somebody else in the wild, night on impossible on yourself.

I assume you have taken available Red Cross courses.

A First Aid kit is enough. If you need more bandages, your clothes are fine.

 

[Ruud]

I take an Israeli bandage and a tourniquet. The day I need it, for myself or others, it will have been worth its weight in gold.

Note: I only started carrying a TQ after I got decent training with them. I must carry one every day for my job and had the "pleasure" of having to apply them for real. Don't get paranoid but an artery is easily severed...

 

[Wildgoose]

if you’d feel better having one then get one.
Military dressings are generally the same as normal ones, just the packaging is tougher.
The beige classic first field dressing is just a big pad with a cotton bandage attached, in a brown colour for camouflage.
The newer dressings are a pad with an elastic bandage to apply pressure.
There are some with tension bars and such, but unless you are trained to use them I wouldn’t bother.

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

I'm a nurse, I've been a St. John Ambulance member and have had 'catastrophic bleeding' training.
I have several TQs and pressure dressings in various kits and bags. Never had to use them but I feel prepared if I need to. Dressings are cheap, TQs are not. I have knockoff TQs for training purposes.
If you're using sharps, then you need to be prepared for any serious problems.

 

[Wildgoose]

In most of the serious bleeding incidents I’ve dealt with the first thing used for pressure was not a dressing, it was a tea towel, handkerchief, hat etc

The wound was then dressed with a proper dressing.

In terms of packing light, dressings weigh little bit are generally bulky

 

[Janne]

Practice doing FA and more with only one hand and your teeth.

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

Practice doing FA and more with only one hand and your teeth.

I chose my TQ based on how easy it was to apply to myself!!!!

 

[Janne]

That is the correct way.

In my early teens, dad ( medical dr) taught me the life saving procedures for larger trauma, like bone fractures, arterial bleeding similar. First to perform on others, then on myself.

Very, very difficult.

One damage, cutting the femoral artery, I still remember his advice on.
It was: do a quick confession with God, and then sit back and relax.

He did teach me knife handling too.

 

[Insel Affen]

The old First (Aid) Field Dressings are great but they are designed to take a pint of blood before you apply another. Then you only ever applied two - after that you were pretty much going to bleed out.

The TQ which are issued to the military now are really good - be aware of imitations though. Last time I did pre-deployment training, the medics inferred that using it incorrectly was as bad as not having one so I assume training to use them correctly would be useful.

I guess if you had nothing else, t-shirts and belts would be better than nothing. Training is key, the more realistic the better as when you are confronted with a real accident you will flap more that a pigeon race - trust me I know. Stop, breathe, think, let the training flow through you like the force flowed through Yoda.

 

[tiger stacker]

I have both idf bandage x2 and TQ in my car bag, neither were accessible when i sliced my arm cutting my tendons… luckily my vice like grip with my right hand, stopped the blood loss until the consultant took over. My jackson pollock wall was painted over so i never got to see my artwork. Knowing how to use them correctly is the key to being able to explain to someone else requires patience and practice.

 

[Janne]

Since smashing up a knee one weeks ski sliding on one leg my biggest fear was getting both legs damaged.
I was lucky it happened winter time, as sliding is easier that jumping on one leg with a heavy backpack.

Some traumas you just can not predict. Practice, practice, practice!


Avoiding traumas is an essential 'bushcraft' skill.
Never, ever run. Never put your foot down where you can not see.
And do not be foolish with sharps.

 

[Rabbit leg]

Thanks for the interesting replies.
I think I might get a couple for the car but not for hiking.
As for the torniquet, I always carry an elasticated 'Ace' bandage. Not as good but covers other issues such as ankles, knees, snakes and works as a big bandage.
I have a couple of packets of Celox but they are expensive, short shelf life and worst of all, in big foil envelopes that can't be folded, so a pain to carry/store. There is a good (maybe not) video of a pigs femoral artery being cut then stopped with this stuff.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Whilst my work bag, and my cars each have a CAT tourniquet and an Israeli dressing in them (in the last 15 years, i've only had to use one of the dressings from the car on a motor cyclist), and whilst when I'm outdoors i do carry an Israeli dressing, its massive overkill (perhaps the wrong choice of words!) in every first aid incident i've come across to date - by far and wide these have been cuts to the hands and fingers to which i generally apply an eye bandage to - i've got through tens of them - they are sterile, and basically a mini field dressing - absolutely perfect for fingers!

Probably the most versatile item in my first aid kit is the big wide roll of zinc oxide tape though - it can be pressed into so many uses - plasters, bandages, slings, splinting, and a makeshift tourniquet too....

 

[Toddy]

So long as one isn't allergic to zinc oxide. Stick it on me and my skin will blow up into a blistered red hot mess in minutes.

Duck tape is remarkably good stuff though

 

[Janne]

Rabbit Leg!
You mentioned you have an elastic ACE bandage for a tourniquet.
Maybe not the best? Much easier to use a non elastic one, preferably as strong as possible. This for arterial or heavy bleeds.
Pressure is King then.

I am very sensitive for some plasters. Have been for most of my life. Then after 10 years wearing Latex gloves, I developed a severe allergy. Also became allergic to some plasters ( the sticky part) and was told they were connected.