Rough terrain is an excellent place to go hiking if you love the mountains, hills, and forests. However, it isn’t without its challenges. It typically has large, sharp, unstable rocks, risky water streams, thick bushes, fallen trees and branches, steep slopes, and sometimes wild animals.
Even though you may be careful, you could still slip and fall off or strain your ankles. You can get severe injuries like snake bites, back pain, knee and toe bruises, more extensive wounds, lacerations, eye pricks, shocks, hemorrhages, or burns.
In this case, a first aid kit can come in handy. For instance, it can help ensure your injury doesn’t get any worse, which could lead to a fatality, and help you get better quickly. But first, you must have insight into the rough terrain you plan to visit to know the possible dangers you may face on your journey. It’ll help you include essential items in your first aid kit.
You can purchase your first aid kit from the pharmacy or assemble various tools and supplies at home. With that in mind, below are essential items you must have in your first aid kit:
1. Tourniquet
You can get scrapes or deep cuts on rough terrain. You may start to bleed profusely, especially if the cuts are in a major artery. You’ll need to stop the bleeding because blood loss can lead to death. In this instance, a tourniquet can significantly assist you in stopping hemorrhage. Properly using an emergency tourniquet is essential. Thus, get training on how to use one, preferably from the supplier or a reputable first aid trainer.
A good tourniquet should have safeguarding features and be made from waterproof and strong materials. You can purchase them from reliable companies at affordable prices.
2. Painkillers, Allergy Medicine, And Creams
Injuries like those in your tendons, muscles, and joints, or insect bites, are usually excruciating. Thus, your kit will need over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. It’s also good to have antihistamine medication, such as cetirizine, epinephrine, or an EpiPen.
Additionally, you can carry other medical products like eye drops if you’re hiking in rough terrain or hydrocortisone cream in case you develop rashes on your skin. Creams can help you with insect bites and burns. Consider bringing sunscreen, aloe vera gel, skin rash creams, and anti-inflammatory creams.
Painkillers, allergy medication, and creams can help relieve pain and any reactions you get while in rough terrain. You must also bring current medications with you, especially if you’re required to take these daily. If you’re concerned that your prescribed medications might react with the ones on your kit, it’s best to speak with your doctor.
3. Instant Cold Packs
Ice can be hard to get, if not impossible, while in rough terrain. In this case, it’s best to carry instant cold packs with you. These can relieve pain and swelling from your wound. They can help with muscle sprains, neck or back pain, and other body aches. When applying it, ensure you put a piece of clothing over the cold pack to avoid ice burns.
4. Tick And Mosquito Repellant
Rough terrain with bushes is typically filled with mosquitoes and ticks because that’s their breeding ground. Other than bites, mosquitoes also carry mosquito-borne diseases, especially if you’re in an area with high humidity. When setting up camp near a shrubby area, having a repellent in your first aid kit is best to protect yourself from such bites.
5. Bandages
These are essential because they help hold joints and dressings safe while adding pressure to your injury to keep it from swelling. They come in various types—for instance, the large triangular bandage is best for arm injuries. Another type is the roller bandage, which adds pressure to a wound to stop bleeding. Lastly, the most common type is a Band-Aid, which is also the handiest to carry.
6. Scissors, Safety Pins, And Tweezers
Since some bandage rolls are large, you’ll need to cut only a small portion to dress your wound. This is where a pair of scissors can be helpful. You can also use scissors to cut through your clothes if you need to access the injury. Once you place the bandage, you’ll need a safety pin to hold it, which applies consistent pressure on the wound. Look for ones in assorted sizes and have them in your first aid kit.
You can also use tweezers to get rid of minor splinters. Tweezers can remove splinters from your wound without causing further injury or contamination. They can also be used to remove ticks, stingers, or thorns.
7. Wipes And Hand Sanitizer
You may not always have access to water while out in the wild. However, maintaining clean hands is essential, especially when handling food or cleaning wounds. Thus, you must have wet wipes in your first aid kit. You can use them to clean your wounds and prevent germs from getting into them. You can also use a hand sanitizer to clean your hands before you touch a wound.
8. Gloves
If you’re helping your family member or buddy dress their wound, you’d want to minimize the probability of your body fluids, like blood and sweat, mixing with theirs. Wearing gloves helps prevent transmitting disease, germs, and bacteria into the injury.
9. Splints
Unfortunately, you can get severe injuries such as fractures or ligament tears while in rough terrain. These injuries can be excruciating and can worsen if not taken care of in good time. In this instance, a splint can help keep the area stationary to prevent pain and further injury. There are different kinds of splints: wrist and hand splints, leg splints, and arm splints. Be sure to get the appropriate ones for your adventure.
10. Aluminum Foil Blanket
You can keep warm using an aluminum blanket when it becomes too cold. If your friend or family member is injured and in shock or hypothermia, the blanket can assist in keeping them warm while you wait for emergency services to arrive.
11. Whistle
You can use a whistle to ask for help from other hikers or campers who might be around. An injury may make you too frail to shout, or your fellow campers may be too far for your voice to reach them. A blow from a whistle will alert them, and they’ll come to your rescue in time.
Conclusion
Carrying a first aid kit with all the essentials is necessary when hiking or working on rough terrain. Ensure you purchase all tools and supplies from reliable vendors for guaranteed functionality and safety in the event of an injury. First aid helps keep the wound or injury in check before professional help arrives.