Ideally, if you are facing a survival situation, not having to deal with an injury or another type of wound is preferred. Realistically, however, those scenarios probably make it more likely that something will go wrong.
Whey they do, 911 is probably not going to be an option. Knowing basic wound care for a variety of conditions will make your chances of getting through that much better.
Natural Antiseptics
First, let’s go over some resources you can utilize as antiseptic ointments if you don’t have the good fortune to be carrying some, or if your supply runs out. They include:
Iodine tablets
Often stocked in survival kits for their ability to purify drinking water, these can also be used to cleanse a wound and guard it against bacterial infections.
Mix 5 to 15 tablets in a liter of water and rinse the wound completely. Repeat this process a few times a day until the wounds are healed.
Related Article: “How to Use Iodine for Survival”
Wild Garlic
Wild Garlic has excellent antibiotic, antibacterial and antiseptic properties. If you have the good fortune to find it, press a section into a paste to extract the oils. Apply it to the wound. If a slight irritation occurs, rinse with purified water.
Raw Bee Honey
Fresh honey can be used the same way you would a topical antibiotic/antiseptic ointment. You can use it full strength or dissolve some in hot water then let cool to keep as an antiseptic rinse. Check out more amazing benefits of Raw Honey
Sphagnum Moss
Found across the entire planet in boggier areas, this moss is a natural source of iodine. Rinse it of debris and use it as a dressing to get its full properties.
The Doomsday Medicine Chest — how to deal with a disaster using alternative medicine. Check it out here>>>
How to Treat the Different Types of Wounds
Burns
Try to cool the burned area with cold water, ice or snow (obviously you will be somewhat restricted according to your environment).
Create a boiling tannic acid solution using tea, acorns boiled in water, or the inner bark of hardwood trees)
Soak any dressings available, or clean rags for 10 minutes in the solution and let cool.
Apply directly to the burned areas. Or, apply a layer of honey. Honey is especially good for burn treatments. Use full strength for the fasted healing effects.
Frostbite
Ideally, the best treatment for this type of wound is prevention, but that isn’t always possible.
Hands, feet and facial areas are especially vulnerable to getting frostbitten. Try to take care to keep warm enough that your body doesn’t cut off the heat supply to your extremities. Keep as much of your face covered as possible.
If frostbite does occur, gently rub the area, preferably in lukewarm water, to let the tissues’ temperature rise slowly, then dry the area and place it next to your skin to continue the warming process.
Do not attempt to thaw the areas by holding them close to open flame.
Open Wounds
Open wounds not only cause blood loss and tissue damage but can lead to infection of the tissues and even the blood.
If you become injured with an open wound of any kind, start by thoroughly cleaning it. Make sure you remove any foreign material and debris that may be present.
Once cleaned, your best bet in a survival situation is the “open treatment” method.
Once any bleeding has stopped, cover the wound with clean dressings and place a bandage on them to keep them in place.
You’ll want to leave the wound open instead of trying to close it with sutures. By keeping it open, you will let any pus from infection drain easily. Good drainage will help the healing process and usually prevent the wound from becoming life-threatening.
Change the dressing daily to check for infection.
If you have a “gaping” wound, you can “set” the edges using adhesive tape or butterfly closures spanning across the wound area. This will help keep the wound from getting larger while you are waiting for it to start healing.
Related Article: “Is Superglue a Good Option for Wounds?”
Rashes
Basic rash care can be determined based on the following observations and treatment methods.
- If the rash is dry, keep it moistened
- If the rash is moist, keep it dry.
- DON’T SCRATCH
To dry out oozing and moist versions, apply a compress of vinegar or tannic acid like the one described in the burn section above. Keep dry rashes moist by applying honey or rendered fat. Treat rashes as an open wound. This means treating daily and watching for signs of infection.
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