List of wilderness medical emergencies
The following is a list of symptoms and conditions that signal or constitute a possible wilderness medical emergency.
Injury and illnesses
- Arthropod bites and stings
- Appendicitis (leading to peritonitis folkloric "what if" for long distance sailing)
- Ballistic trauma (gunshot wound when hunting)
- Eye injuries (such as from branches)
- Flail chest associated with ice climbing and snowclimbing falls
- Hyperthermia (heat stroke or sunstroke)
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite
- Poisoning
- Food poisoning associated with warm weather expeditions
- Venomous animal bite
- Botanical from mushrooms or "wild greens""
- Severe burn (forest fire)
- Spreading wound infection
- Suspected spinal injury from falls, falling rock, ice
- Traumatic brain injury from falls, falling rock, ice
Infections
Neurologic
- Subdural hematoma, associated with rockfall, icefall, falls while climbing, glissade crashes with rocks, mountain bike crashes
Respiratory
- Altitude sickness
- Asphyxia
- Drowning
- Smoke inhalation (related to Forest fire)
- Pneumothorax
- Pulmonary edema associated with high altitude (HAPE)
- Respiratory Arrest associated with neurotoxic bites
Shock
- Anaphylaxis associated with stings
- Hypovolemic shock (due to hemorrhage) associated with climbing falls, kayak crashes, etc.
- Septic shock
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