Injured Outdoors? No Problem

Being outdoors can come with its own set of challenges. One of the most important things to know when outside is how to bandage or treat some basic injuries. This can be incredibly important as it can help protect you until you can get home or to a hospital.

1. Burns

Treating a burn is not as hard as you might think, but that is also depending on the material and resources you have on hand. As soon as you get burned you should add some ice to the area. If ice is not an option, then make sure to run cold water on your hand. If you still get blisters, make sure to leave them alone and not pop them. Popped blisters are likely to turn into infections which is the last thing you want.

When the blisters pop on their own, you should carefully remove any dead skin and wash your wound. Disinfecting it as best as you can is also a good idea. Finally, make sure to cover the work with non-adhesive bandages. You may also want to keep changing the bandages daily in order to avoid the wound getting infected.

2. Frostbite

If you find yourself outside without proper protection and your boots or gloves end up wet or damp you might yourself getting frostbite. In some weather, just not wearing gloves could be enough for you to catch frostbite. Your hands are not the only area of your body that is at risk though. Your hands might also suffer. To deal with frostbite these are the steps you need to take.

3. Find shelter

Your shelter does not need to be perfect, but anything that can help you avoid the extreme elements and wind could help. As much as possible you should try to get out of the cold.

4. Warm the area you got frostbite on

If available warm water can help you warm up the area. If that is not an option then try to use your body heat in order to heat it up. You should not use a hot pad, stove, or extremely hot water on the spot. This is because the numbness in the area could leave you unaware that you are burning it.

If you want to stay safe you should also keep the frostbitten area elevated. This will help ease any pain you are feeling. Ibuprofen is also your friend in pain relief.