Questions tagged [health]
Questions related to staying healthy or dealing with health issues during outdoor activities. Answers given here are not intended as a replacement for professional medical advice. Please do not use this tag to ask for specific medical advice. A Dr should always be consulted to confirm any advice given
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How should I remove a tick?
If I find a tick on myself or a friend, what is the best way of removing it?
I've heard some people say that singeing the tick with a match makes the tick detach and fall off. However I've also ...
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How should I prepare my body for prolonged exposure to heat?
Today I hiked for about 4 hours, and I ended up with sun stroke (terrible headache, trembling etc.). The heat was moderate (about 30°C, 86°F in shade), and the way was half in forest. I had a baseball ...
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How to harden feet to avoid blisters on long hikes
I've enjoyed hiking my entire life but I have one huge problem. The skin on my feet is extremely soft and sensitive. I wear good wool socks with properly fitting boots and change socks during long ...
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Should overweight people ever climb?
I used to be a regular climber, and unfortunately I have put on some serious weight over the last 4 years, and I have not been able to climb as much as would have loved to.
While, I am still working ...
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What essential items should go in a small first aid kit?
Another question asked what survival equipment should be carried in an emergency kit. But very little was about medical or first aid supplies (band-aids, gauze, tylenol, moleskin, etc).
What items ...
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How to treat a severe allergic reaction while hiking?
Suppose you are out hiking, many hours from the trail head and someone has a severe allergic reaction (ie, anaphylactic shock or Anaphylaxis). In this case, what is the best course of treatment to ...
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Had to drink untreated water: Any immediate action to avoid getting sick?
In the wilderness yesterday I ran out of water and did not think I could hike out safely at my level of hydration. Lacking a treatment method, I drank 1.5 liters of water directly out of a small, ...
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How much sea water can I safely drink?
Anyone who has played in the ocean knows getting a little sea water in your mouth and swallowing it will not kill you.
Seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking ...
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What is this knee pain when going downhill?
I can hike uphill practically all day. However as very soon after I start a descent, pain builds on the outside of my knee. What is causing this and can I do anything to prevent/mitigate it (other ...
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Other than good shoes and a stick, what are some ways to preserve your knees on long hikes?
My knees aren’t in the best shape, one in particular. I had a rather devastating 13 hour up-and-down hike on day two of a three day hike, and the last day my knees were hurting every step. What are ...
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What's the UPF of a T-Shirt or jeans?
Many outdoor clothing items advertise themselves with a UPF (Ultraviolet protection factor) of 30 or even 50. How does that compare with a normal cotton T-Shirt or a pair of jeans? Do I have to use ...
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How bad do circumstances need to be before activating a PLB?
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) can be carried during outdoor activities to use in case of an emergency. But are there any guidelines on what exactly constitutes an "emergency"? For example, what ...
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Is it possible to 'live off the sea'?
I've recently become aware of the American 'survivalist' or 'prepper' phenomenon.
The general idea seems to be that 'something bad' (exactly what seems to vary) is going to happen, civilization will ...
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Where in the Alps is it safe to drink the water without filtering?
In some places, the Swedish Lappland for example, it's perfectly fine and even recommended to drink water directly from streams.
Is it also recommended whilst hiking in the Alps, and if so is it only ...
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How do I treat hot spots and blisters when I have no moleskin?
A few times I've been out walking or backpacking and have no moleskin with me. Sure enough, my boots start giving me blisters. How can I prevent or treat hotspots and blisters without using moleskin?...
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