It is best to head deeper into the wilderness for better hiking, fishing, and hunting opportunities. However, jungles could pose major risks that most of you do not actually encounter in your daily existence. It is quite natural for accidents to happen in the wilderness and sometimes, medical aid and professional assistance are quite far away from you.
Fortunately, if you have the knowledge of basic medical tips and tricks, you could effectively handle wilderness accidents better and make crisis situations far more manageable and you could rest assured to be back home safe, sound, and healthy. You must have some first-aid skills and adequate knowledge about basic medicinal plants that are usually found in the jungles. Here are a few medical tips for survival in the wilderness.
Stopgap Sunblock
Death due to overexposure to the blazing sun is quite common than dying because of bear or cougar attacks. Excessive exposure to the sun is quite unbearable and may result in sunburn and also, serious cases of dehydration. You need to stay under the shade to the extent possible and try to protect your skin with the help of charcoal, ash, caked mud, leaves or woven grasses. Remember sunburn could prove to be both uncomfortable and dangerous. If you do not have any commercial sunscreens with you, it is important to identify aspen trees. The bark could be used to extract the white powder that is effective as a sunscreen. These are useful things as they help in shielding your delicate skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. You must learn these medical tricks before booking a room in one of the comfortable Tadoba national park resorts.
Burn Treatment
Aloe Vera is still quite a celebrated burn treatment as it works really well. The Aloe Vera pulp is used for the purpose. You just require breaking it open and then pouring the gel effectively on the affected areas. Aloe Vera is also a fantastic antiseptic that could be used on cuts, burns, and scrapes.
Infection Cleanser
There are various medicinal plants you could find in a jungle apart from the Aloe Vera that could function as effective antiseptics. The pressed wild onion and garlic juices really work wonders in this context. The burdock plant leaves are also very effective. If raw honey is available, you could use it for treating the burns. Pure honey has the power to take away the nastiness and pain from wounds.
Antihistamine
You could find instant relief and cure for itchy skin with jewelweed or hazel poultices that are also effective in treating tropical plant poisoning, rashes, and sunburns too.
Scalp Wounds
Scalp wounds such as lacerations have a tendency to bleed. If there is no alternative available for stopping the bleeding, you could consider using your hair for tying the wound. Lacerations that actually require stitching could be effectively closed by using crazy glue. It is best to use medical glue like Dermabond if you are carrying it in your first-aid kit. You must stop bleeding by using force and direct pressure.
You must wash the affected area with saline or sterile water to rule out infection, before closing the wound. Pine or spruce pitch could prove to be handy if no alternatives are available. It is; however, best to refrain from using glue in case of a puncture wound as it would be really difficult to properly clean such a kind of a wound. Moreover, puss would not be able to drain out. This could result in infection.
Conclusion
You must do thorough research before stepping out of home for your jungle excursion. Learn about first-aid skills and various medical tips so that you are able to attend to emergency situations and accidents efficiently.
