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Wilderness Medicine - 6th Edition released
I want to let everyone know about the release of the 6th Edition of Wilderness Medicine, the premiere textbook on the subject, edited by our frequent contributor Dr. Paul Auerbach. There are not too...
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Lightning Safety Awareness
by Paul AuerbachThis post relates information learned in a recent issue (Volume 22, Number 3, 2011) of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, published by the Wilderness Medical Society....
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Risk-taking Behavior and Helmet Use in Skiers
by Paul Auerbach, M.D.The general consensus in the medical community regarding helmet use and skiing (also snowboarding) is that helmets should be worn to prevent or lessen head injuries related to...
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Ibuprofen and Altitude Illness
I've been receiving emails about the recent online publication of a study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine titled“Ibuprofen Prevents Altitude Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Prevention of...
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Classroom Medicine
I recently sat through a wilderness medicine class by a well-meaning instructor who, despite decent credentials, had never cared for anyone in the wilderness. This is just after reading a poorly...
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Probiotics and Acute Infectious Diarrhea
by Paul AuerbachProbiotics are live microorganisms that are purposefully ingested by humans to improve their health—the thought is that probiotics improve “digestive health.” The specific...
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Support for Ankle Sprains
by Paul AuerbachSprained ankles are the bane of existence for hikers, trekker, and joggers—indeed for most athletes or anyone who has the opportunity to twist a foot on an uneven service, stepping over...
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Hand Injuries Not to Miss
by Paul AuerbachHand injuries are common in outdoor enthusiasts. Some of these injuries are easy to diagnose, and others are more difficult, usually because the signs and symptoms are subtle or because...
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Treating Rattlesnake Bites in the Field
by Paul AuerbachThere are two excellent photographs of a rattlesnake bite victim that appear in the June 10, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (362;23:2212). Entitled “Rattlesnake...
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Treating Severe Heatstroke with an External Cooling System
by Paul AuerbachHeatstroke is a life-threatening emergency. Therapeutic cooling measures need to be undertaken rapidly in order to prevent the catastrophic organ failure associated with markedly...
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When to Use Tourniquets
Re-posted with permission from Wilderness Medical Associates International.I am not sure that there is a consensus about their use but here is my opinion about tourniquets in remote and hostile...
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Building a Wilderness First Aid Kit
Re-posted with permission from Wilderness Medical Associates International.Walking through the first aid aisle at your local outfitter store can be overwhelming. While there are many excellent prepared...
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Wilderness First Aid Retention Study
Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses are taught by multiple individuals and programs. They have become a standard for people working and recreating in the outdoors. Are they effective? Can the...
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Hantavirus in Yosemite National Park
by Paul AuerbachOur National Parks are a treasured heritage, and one of the ways in which we appreciate the outdoors. Millions of visitors flock to the parks in order to camp, hike, climb, swim and...
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WFA Scope of Practice Document Update
The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course, widely taught by numerous providers, can be burdened with unrealistic expectations of the topics and skills that can be taught in a basic layperson first aid...
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