The wilderness experience can be quite stressful, and a member of the party might behave in an unusual fashion. This can be directly related to the events at hand or reflect an underlying mental health disorder. It’s imperative that someone…
Overuse syndromes Whenever a muscle is overused—that is, exercised past its state of conditioning—there is actual destruction of the muscle tissue and generation of lactic acid. Given a reasonable rest period, the products of metabolism are carried away in the…
Bruises A bruise is a collection of blood that develops in soft tissue (muscle, skin, or fat), caused by a direct blow to the body part, a tearing motion (such as a twisted ankle), or spontaneous bleeding (ruptured or leaking…
Sunburn The solar radiation that strikes the earth includes 50% visible light (wavelength 400 to 760 nanometers [nm]), 40% infrared (760 to 1700 nm), and 10% ultraviolet (10 to 400 nm) ( Fig. 163 ). Energetic rays (e.g., cosmic rays,…
Diarrhea Although diarrhea is included here in the “minor problems” section, severe diarrhea can be devastating. Diarrhea can be due to a number of causes, including viral infection (most common), bacterial infection, protozoal infection (such as the protozoan Cyclospora cayetanensis…
Common cold Most “colds” are upper respiratory tract infections caused by one of a host (at least 200) of viruses. It is not true that exposure to a cold climate (“catching a chill”) causes a cold. Symptoms include runny nose,…
Headache In general, particularly worrisome headaches include a single headache that is the “first” or “worst” of a person’s life; headache with a fever that is not explained by an obvious illness; headache with vomiting that is not explained by…
Fainting Fainting is defined as sudden brief (usually less than 1 minute) loss of consciousness not associated with a head injury. The medical term for fainting is “syncope.” The term for feeling like you are going to faint, but remaining…
Wilderness enthusiasts and travelers are exposed to numerous pathogens, vectors (carriers, such as mosquitoes or ticks) and diseases that are not indigenous to their home, placing them at risk of exposure to infectious diseases. This section addresses some of the…
You’re Reading a Preview Become a Clinical Tree membership for Full access and enjoy Unlimited articles Become membership If you are a member. Log in here