Survival Medicine

In normal times, once you have stopped the bleeding and applied a splint or dressing, the emergency is “over.” You sit and wait for an ambulance or rescue helicopter to arrive and your part is over. In an austere setting, however, the medic must follow the status of the wound for more than a few minutes or hours. You’re in charge until the person is fully recovered. Constant, diligent wound care is your responsibility. It’s important to understand that a wound is not just a “hole”; it’s part of a person who should be informed of your plan of action and participate, if possible, in their care. Most wounds will heal completely over time, but some may never achieve full recovery. Due to massive injuries or complicating conditions such as diabetes, the best care may sometimes yield a less-than-optimal result even in good times. The medic’s duty is to care for the patient the best they can with the limited supplies and technology available off the grid. In this episode, Dr. Joe Alton discusses daily wound care in austere settings, including the removal of non-viable tissue using sharp debridement. It ain't pretty, but if you're the medic, it's you that has to do it. Also, questions that preppers should ask their doctors when told to take a new drug or get a serious diagnostic test. All this and more on the Survival Medicine Podcast! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad,  Joe Alton MD Hey fill those holes in your medical knowledge and supplies with award-winning books, kits, and supplies at store.doomandbloom.net!

A world weary of one viral pandemic is now experiencing the early stages of another: In the last three months, more than 88 countries have reported a total of more than 30,000 cases of the disease called monkeypox, which was previously restricted to parts of Africa. That’s more than we saw in the 2014 Ebola epidemic, so the survival medic should know about it. Plus, flooding in Kentucky takes more than three dozen lives. Flooding is a common disaster, and anyone who doesn't live on a mountaintop should be prepared to deal with one. Flash floods, burn scars, ice jams, snowmelt, dam failures, and more are discussed so you'll know what to do to keep your family safe. Lastly, one of the most common problems the medic will see in survival scenarios is mundane: constipation. At least, it's mundane until you get a bad case of it! Dr. Joe Alton discusses all you need to know to help your people stay at 100 percent in times of trouble. Bonus: What about MREs and constipation? All this and more in the latest episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton NP.... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad! Hey, don’t forget to check out our entire line of quality medical kits at store.doomandbloom.net. Also, our Book Excellence Award-winning 700-page Survival Medicine Handbook is now available in black and white on Amazon and in color and color spiral-bound versions at store.doomandbloom.net.

t’s summer, and this is the time that people head out to the shore and take in the Great Outdoors. Millions will do just that, and the vast majority of beach-goers will experience nothing but a great time. On occasion, however, a person may run afoul of a sea creature during their time in the water. It’s their home, after all, and some can get pretty aggressive when disturbed or when looking for a meal. In this podcast, we discuss everything from encounters with jellyfish to sharks. Also, we review everything you should know about preventing summer drownings everywhere, including pools, rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Finally, Nurse Amy introduces a new first aid kit meant for minor wound care, and Dr. Alton discusses how to deal with minor soft tissue infections like cellulitis. All this and more in the latest survival medicine podcast with Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton NP!  Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy Find out more about animal encounters, survival at sea, and 200 other medical topics off the grid in the Book Excellence Award winner in Medicine, The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide For When Help Is NOT On The Way. Plus, check out quality medical kits for beach outing and other scenarios at store.doomandbloom.net.

Well, it’s summer and a lot of folks are heading out into the great outdoors. In a disaster or any other situation that knocks us off the grid, we’ll be exposed a lot more to things like insect stings and poison ivy, as well as strange food items that we aren’t accustomed to. Being in contact with all this stuff may cause Allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. When we develop an allergic reaction, it might be mild or it might be severe. If severe enough, we refer to it as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. Dr. Joe Alton discusses what you need to know and options on how to get epinephrine auto-injectors at a discount.. Plus, a discussion all about lightning in summer storms, and what to do to avoid being a victim. Even if you’ve medically prepared, and have a big stockpile of conventional medications, hey, they’ll eventually run out. If you’re gonna be the family medic in a survival setting, you’ll need to find alternatives if you want to keep your people healthy long-term. What's the difference between alternative, complementary, integrative, holistic, and other types of care? Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Learn about 200 medical topics off the grid with a copy of the 2022 Book Excellence Award winner in medicine, The Survival Medicine Handbook's 4th Edition. Plus, check out our entire line of quality medical kits and individual supplies at store.doomandbloom.net

Today Nurse Amy and Dr. Bones talk about the health benefits of chamomile.  Yes, a regular MD and nurse practitioner touting the benefits of herbal tea, how about that?  Hey, in times of trouble, you gotta use all the tools in the woodshed! Plus, a thorough discussion on the basics of IV therapy, with emphasis on essentials and practical tips to get fluids into a dehydrated patient. Learn how to recognize signs of dehydration and an ancient, but useful off the grid, method of rehydrating an unconscious patient: rectal rehydration. Yes, that's a thing... All this and more in the latest episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton NP! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, don't forget to check out our entire line of quality medical kits, educational books, and individual supplies at store.doomandbloom.net! You'll be glad you did.

A bill entered in California’s state legislature has gone where President Biden’s “disinformation bureau” couldn’t. Bill AB-2098 gives power to the state’s medical board to investigate and punish doctors whose advice and treatment regarding COVID-19 varies from their perceived “applicable standard of care.” The medical establishment now has “disinformation” authority over others who dare to voice alternative options to their patients or even on social media. Dr. Joe Alton, aka Dr. Bones, gives his thoughts. Also, Nurse Amy Alton tell you about peppermint oil, and its potential as a viable tool in the survival medicine cabinet. Uses and ways to prepare it are included. Plus, Dr. Joe Alton talks about how to deal with wounds from sharp objects like knives in survival settings with limited supplies. Finally, a question from a listener about what to do about leg cramps. All this and more in this episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast, with Joe Alton MD and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad,  Joe and Amy Hey, don't forget to check out our entire line of educational books, individual supplies, and the highest-quality medical kits at store.doomandbloom.net. You'll be glad you did!

It’s a rare individual who has never had a nosebleed and a lot of people have, over the course of their lives, been the recipient of a punch in the nose or other facial trauma. Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton discuss nosebleeds, nasal fractures (broken noses) and foreign bodies in the nostrils of children in this episode. Also, Amy Alton, NP discusses the usefulness of valerian root off the grid for various purposes in the survival medicinal garden. Plus, a listener asks about the heart condition that causes palpitations, irregular beat, and much more: Atrial fibrillation. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr.Bones and Nurse Amy! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Hey, fill those holes in your medical storage with kits and individual supplies from our entire line at store.doomandbloom.net!

More than 20 million Americans experience some form of hormonal dysfunction related to the thyroid gland, so you can bet that the off-grid medic will eventually come across someone with it. You've gott to know  know how to recognize these conditions and improve them, if possible. This can be way harder off the grid than in today's modern world, but you might still be able to do something that helps. Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy explore the topic... Also, Dr. Joe Alton answers a difficult question from a person dealing with issues relating to alcohol use. How to get on the wagon and stay there. Are there ways to get back to full sobriety? If so, how? Dr. Alton explores the possibilities in this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, check out the greatly expanded 4th edition of the Survival Medicine Handbook, the essential guide for when help is NOT on the way, available in black and white at Amazon or in color at store.doomandbloom.net!

How long do you think you’d last when the SHTF if you can’t hear the zombies sneaking up on you muttering something about tasty, tasty brains? The ear is the organ that controls, not only hearing, but balance as well. It’s a rare parent who hasn’t had to deal with ear problems at one point or another during their life. In some cases, It could be a chronic issue that makes an otherwise healthy child (or adult) miserable. Dr. Joe  Alton discusses what the medic needs to know about ear problems off the grid. Plus, a question from a listener dealing with inflammatory bowel syndrome. Learn all about the condition and ways to diagnose and treat the condition. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr.Joe Alton and Amy Alton. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe Alton MD Hey, fill those holes in your medical storage with high-quality medical kits and supplies from our entire line at store.doomandbloom.net!  (We also  have otoscopes at a reasonable price!) You'll be glad you did.

Some of our friends have discouraged us from speaking about the small possibility of a nuclear event in the unstable and uncertain future, but everyone should know about them, not panic, and understand that survival is possible in many cases. Dr. Joe Alton discusses different types of nuclear weapons and meltdowns, types of radiation, percentages and radius of damage, symptoms of radiation sickness, building shelters, treating the sick, and much more. Plus, a question about suture kits from a listener leads to a discussion of why and when to close wounds, and how to developing good judgment is more important than just learning how to throw a stitch. All this and more on the Survival Medicine Podcast!  Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, check out our medical kits, books, individual supplies, and more at store.doomandbloom.net. You'll be glad you did.