Diagnosing your patient. How do I know that I need to give THIS for THAT?
Over the years we have talked THOUSANDS of times on how to use say Oregon Grape Root for XXX infection or to use Kefzol for YYY infection. But we never told anyone the HOW of the matter.
HOW do you tell if it is strep or staph or MRSA or Pseudomonas or some sort of fungal infection?
How do you tell if a person is Anemic has a non specific infection . If they have a flu or malaria?
But first this: Use of the information on this site is AT YOUR OWN RISK, intended solely for self-help, in times of emergency, when medical help is not available, and does not create a doctor-patient relationship.
The information on this site is meant to be used only during times when improvisational, last-ditch efforts are all that is possible. When writing posts, the author often assumes that if anyone uses the advice, the person will have no access to regular medical equipment or supplies. The author always assumes that the person will not have access to professional medical care. DO NOT USE THIS INFORMATION WHEN YOU CAN GET MORE TRADITIONAL OR PROFESSIONAL CARE I am NOT a doctor. I CAN NOT advise, diagnose or treat injuries or illnesses that are out side of my scope of practice.
For the SHTF medic, one piece of medical equipment is worth its weight in gold. A medic with just bare bones training AND color PRINTED and protected pictures can deduce and treat a HUGE amount of sickness with out guess work
The humble microscope. A GOOD student quality microscope, (Read inexpensive and tough) can be had for under 50 bucks.
The microscope with a bit of training some inexpensive dyes and slides, can be a lifesaver in an extended SHTF situation that is long term with out normal medical care.
The microscope will allow you to enter the world of bacteria. To actually lays eyes on them and tell, with training and guides, what is the bug making your patient sick. You can use inexpensive stains and dye the bacteria and apply the proper antibiotic. No guessing, In this image you have Staphylococcus aureus the purple and the pink rods is Ecoli.
You can look at a urine sample. You already KNOW they have a UTI. But which bug is doing it. You can see cells from the urinary tract, blood cells, crystals, bacteria, parasites and with guides can tell what is going on with your patient
You can look at a smear of blood and again with training and guides if your patient is anemic has a blood infection (Septicemia) has a has a disease, such as Malaria, dozens are in the realm of a medic. This image shows malaria parasites in red blood cells
And here is a blood smear that is labeled. Each cell has its own story on the health of the patient. It is the medics job to learn how to read the book
The little student microscope, again with training has been used in the past to type blood with out the serology items needed.
But what if you do not have a microscope. You have no light to use a reflective one or no more batteries? How do you tell if a patient is infected AND what type?
A old doctor I knew as a kid, who is long gone had a saying. The best surgical instrument ever made is the index finger. The best diagnostic tools are the eyes ears and nose. Look at your patient, LISTEN to your patient and SMELL your patient.
Each type of bacterial infection has a distinctive odor. Our friend
Staphyloccocus aureus: smells like a strong skin like smell with a secondary smell of bread.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: initial smell of grapes with a secondary smell of tortillas
Eikenella corrodens: bleach
Group F Beta Hemolytic Streptococcus: has a strong buttery smell
Alpha hemolytic Streptococcus Viridans group: also has a strong buttery smell
Proteus sp: strong putrid and sour smell
E. coli: starts out sweet then goes into a sour smell
C-Difficle smells like rotten horse manure. Campylobacter smells like rotten tomatoes. T
Clostridium perfringens Gas Gangrene This type of gangrene smells sweet – a little like whiskey, rotting citrus fruit. Then as the tissue dies like any other rotting meat.
These are just a few. Being a medic in SHTF is much more than broken bones and bullet holes. It is tedious hours looking in throats noses ears eyes and other openings.
Also having a thousand dollars of fish antibiotics do you no good at all if you give an antibiotic for strep that was designed for vaginal yeast infections.
So join us for The Medic Shack Live on the Survival Circle and join the discussion on diagnosing SHTF