SEAL Survival Guide (78 page)
Read SEAL Survival Guide Online
Authors: Cade Courtley
SHOCK
Our circulatory system continuously flows like a river through our veins and arteries, distributing blood to all parts of the body, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. If that system fails, resulting in an insufficient flow of oxygen to the vital organs, then the body goes into a medical condition known as shock. If a person remains in this state too long, the vital organs will fail, ultimately causing death. Shock is made worse by fear and pain. Prevention and treatment methods for shock are basically the same.
Causes of Shock
If blood isn’t flowing properly, then the main pump, the heart, is usually not functioning properly. The most common cause of shock is a heart attack. But it can also be caused by a reduction in the volume of blood and a sudden loss of fluids. Some other causes of shock include: external or internal bleeding and fluid loss from severe diarrhea, vomiting, or burns. What’s happening to a person going into shock is that the blood supply is being diverted from the surface of the body, which keeps our bodies at a regulated temperature, and is instead being sent to the core of the body, trying to sustain the vital organs. Sudden redistribution of the circulation can be spotted. Look for the following early warning signs:
• Sweaty but cool (clammy) skin
• Pale skin
• Restlessness, nervousness
• Thirst
• Loss of blood (bleeding)
• Confusion (or loss of awareness)
• Faster-than-normal breathing rate
• Blotchy or bluish skin (especially around the mouth and lips)
• Nausea and/or vomiting
It’s a tough thing to witness when you come upon a guy who just fell sixty feet from a helicopter while rappelling and has two broken legs with bones sticking out of the skin. This requires incredible focus to get into action and help. As horrified as I was to see such a thing happen to a fellow SEAL, I had a job to do. You owe it to the person who needs your help to remain calm and go to work, reassuring him by your demeanor that he is in good hands. If a victim of trauma sees fear in your eyes, it will only accelerate the fear in him and bring on life-threatening panic. Your fear could actually make it worse. If a person is injured and he sees that you are panicking, this, in fact, can cause him to go into shock.
Treatment/Prevention
If you see these early warning signs, you can prevent shock by having the person lie down on their back. Elevate the feet higher than the heart, and loosen clothing, such as a tight belt or the collar of a shirt. Remember: Do not move the casualty if you suspect fractures, and do not elevate the legs if there is a head injury or abdominal injury. If you are in a cold climate, do what you can to warm them up and keep them warm. Use a blanket or extra coats; you can even warm them with your body heat. If in a warm environment do what you can to keep them cool by placing them in shade, but closely monitor this person. Don’t let them cool off too much, which can happen easily with someone who is in or going into shock.
Do not
give the person any food or drinks. Also, if the person is unconscious, turn their head to the side, as this will prevent the possibility of choking if vomiting occurs. In all instances, you must reassure the person that you are in control and show no fear or panic.
Be authoritative by showing self-confidence, because you are now the key to this person’s survival. Commit to this as if the roles were reversed and your life depended on them. Your mental and physical toughness is being shared and your only mission is now this person’s survival.
HEAT INJURIES
Someone can die from heat when they engage in physical activity when the heat production within their body exceeds the body’s ability to lower its own temperature adequately. This results in a rise in inner body temperature to levels that interfere with normal body functions. There are many environmental factors that contribute to this condition, such as air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and sun exposure. Additionally there are individual factors that increase your chance of a heat injury, like fitness level, dehydration, preactivity hydration, higher body fat levels, and the use of some medications. It’s important to understand that a heat injury can occur after walking for 5 minutes in 120-degree weather as well as exercising for 60 minutes in 80-degree weather; it all depends on the factors above.
I’ll never forget desert warfare training in the midsummer heat at the Special Warfare Center facility near Yuma, Arizona. It was so hot that we had to keep our rifles high ported (pointing to the sky) because rounds in the chamber were cooking off on their own. There was no way to drink enough water. My brain and body were in a constant state of “drunken” delusion. My piss looked like orange juice. Unfortunately, when we go to war it’s never at a Club Med. The desert is without a doubt one of the harshest environments on the earth. Like I said, they never send you to war where they serve drinks with little umbrellas in them.
The primary goal in treating a heat injury is to cool down the human body and get it closer to the baseline norm of 98.6 degrees.
Artificially re-regulating an individual’s body temperature until their body can once again self-regulate is what we’ll be doing here.
Dehydration
Dehydration stems from a sudden loss of body fluids. If not enough water is consumed, or there is severe diarrhea, vomiting, or sweating, dehydration can occur. The body can go weeks without eating but only a few days without water. In the short term, you will feel thirsty and hot. In the long term, the best indicator that you are becoming dehydrated will be the color and frequency of urination: Less frequent and darker in color is
bad
.
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
Prevention is simple:
Drink water constantly and not occasionally.
Additionally, avoid beverages that are high in sugar when hydrating.
Electrolyte
-enhanced waters are great, or if unavailable you can make your own by adding a teaspoon of salt and some fresh-squeezed orange, lemon, or lime juice to a liter of water.
Pickles (and pickle juice) are higher in electrolytes than beverages like Gatorade or Powerade and have been shown to reduce cramping caused by exertion in high temperatures. The acetic acid in pickles and pickle juice is considered superior to the citric acid found in commercial sports drinks, at least when it comes to rehydration properties.
Fresh produce has a very high water content, so it’s a great way to hydrate without having to drink a ton of water. For example, an apple is up to 85 percent water by volume. Again, remember to avoid any food that is high in sugar or contains caffeine.
Heat Cramps
This is when you experience a painful cramping in a large muscle. It could happen in your legs, arms, or abdomen. This stems from a sudden and excessive loss of salt, due to heavy sweating or several hours of nonstop exertion.
Heat Exhaustion
This is displayed by a sudden amount of profuse sweating. You may experience a pounding headache or tingling sensation, or feel lightheaded, or vomit. What’s happening is that the body temperature has risen to between 99 and 104 degrees, and it’s attempting to regulate the surface temperature of your skin.