Here are some questions that people reading our blog have submitted recently…

Q: How do I verify the expiration date on your oral rehydration salts?

A: The manufacturer of the oral rehydration salts we use does not include and expiration date on the package, as rehydration salts aren’t classified as a drug by the FDA.  Because this product is fairly inert (unlike a pharmaceutical), I wouldn’t have a problem stocking a packet that was a few years old in one of my own kits.  However, if you are concerned that your product is too old to be used safely, you can contact our customer service department and arrange a replacement.

Everyone has had a toothache at some point in their lives, but what do you do when you are in a remote area, traveling in a developing country, or on a back-country expedition?  Below are some tips from AMK’s Founder, Dr. Eric A. Weiss about what to do when you find yourself with a dental emergency far from the nearest dentist…..

Excerpt from A Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness & Travel Medicine, by Dr. Eric A. Weiss.

DENTAL EMERGENCIES

TOOTHACHE

The common toothache is caused by inflammation of the dental pulp and is often associated with a cavity. The pain may be severe and intermittent and is made worse by hot or cold foods or liquids.

Treatment

1) If the offending cavity can be localized, a piece of cotton soaked with a topical anti-inflammatory agent such as eugenol (oil of cloves) can first be applied.

2) Place a temporary filling material, such as Cavit® or zinc-oxide and eugenol cement, into the cavity or lost filling site to protect the nerve.

ʻWEISS ADVICEʼ [IMPROVISED TECHNIQUE]

Quick relief of dental pain and bleeding.  Bleeding and pain from the mouth can often be relieved by placing a moistened tea bag onto the bleeding site or into the socket that is bleeding.

FIRST AID AND SURVIVAL DOWNLOADS

Sept 21, 2009

Dear AMK:

Question:
I’m back packing through Asia for 6 weeks and would like to know what you would recommend for a first aid kit in case of an emergency.  Thanks, Dan R.

Answer:
Dan,
For 6 weeks in Asia, I highly recommend our World Travel kit plus a Suture/Syringe Medic. The World Travel kit is designed for trips like yours, with comprehensive wound-care supplies and a large suite of medications for pain, flu, and stomach maladies.

Question:

I really like your wilderness first aid book but am wondering if you are going to update it soon to include things like new CPR techniques.  Beverly F, MD

Answer:

Beverly,

Thanks for the kind words about the AMK Comprehensive Guide.  We are working on a 4th edition of the book that will be available sometime in the next year; we have also updated our Wilderness Medicine and Survival pamphlet to include the recent CPR guidelines and will be educating consumers about updated CPR techniques via our blog.

The arts, culture & news weekly San Francisco Bay Guardian has named Adventure Medical Kits’ Women’s Edition Outdoor Kit tops in its ‘Best of the Bay’ issue. The annual feature, in which the paper’s senior editors highlight the most prominent people, places and things in the Bay area, singled out AMK’s Women’s Edition Outdoor kit in the ‘Sports & Outdoors’ category for its high quality components, superior organization and tasetful, decidely non-girly design. Wrote the editors:

Content from AMK’s A Comprehensive Guide To Wilderness & Travel Medicine, 3rd Edition, penned by Eric A. Weiss, MD, is now available for download via a new iPhone application called iMedjet.

Developed by MedjetAssist, a Birmingham, Alabama-based company offering emergency medical evacuation services to travelers, iMedjet includes The Guide’s easy-to-access info on diagnosing and treating fractures and dislocations, allergic reactions, altitude sickness, insect stings, snake bites and heart attacks, among other potentially life threatening emergencies.Like the book, the app also features helpful illustrations and special sections on preparing for foreign travel and treating common travel-related diseases.

Question:
FAKs rated by people/days (2-3 people, 5-7 days) frustrate me. I think a more useful measure might be people/”time to help”. I bought the Field Trauma kit because I was looking for a kit to use where assistance was 1-2 hours away, I want the kit to answer “What will kill the victim in 1-2 hours?” – Bleeding, not breathing. If a 1″x3″ bandage will stop it, you won’t die today from it. We’re within 2-6 hours of aid, so what do I need to keep a victim alive till we get help?

Answer:

Question:
I want to build a first aid kit for our Drop Zone and would like your recommendations on contents for skydiving related incidents. I know all the basic items but would like your thoughts on splints and slings etc.While small cuts and sprained ankles etc are what we see most, we should be prepared for more serious incidents to include broken bones, puncture wounds (in the event of a tree landing)etc. If you could email me a list I would greatly appreciate it.