Common Wilderness Diseases

Introduction to Wilderness Medicine

Wilderness medicine incorporates many different methods and practices of medicine. It borrows from emergency medicine, sports medicine, military medicine, and environmental medicine (Backer, 1995) It incorporates a unique spectrum of topics and special perspectives that facilitate it as a distinct field of study. Wilderness medicine can be seen as patient care in a remote environment. This means that anyone who is more than one hour from getting care from a hospital or ambulance crew is under the protocols of wilderness medicine. Wilderness activities such as hiking, back packing, rock-climbing, skiing, snowboarding, all forms of kayaking, and wilderness therapy are often held in places that facilitate the rules of wilderness medicine.

A New Medical Model

   There have been a few discussions on the web regarding the coming collapse of healthcare. More educated people than myself have weighed in with excellent points. Look here and here.

   Peak oil, a falling economy, or even a profound environmental catastrophe could bring about about a collapse of healthcare. It doesn't matter how far in the distance this event might be. It is imperative that we begin to set in motion the changes that will minimize the impact that it will have on the ability to care for the sick and injured.

   On a national level, the monies needed to continue to provide services are no longer within the countries' coffers. Without the ability to purchase petrol for the ambulance, medical supplies for the individual departments, or to pay for electricity to put all of this in motion, providing

   I wish to discuss this on a more local level. It is only a matter of time before each nation will not be able to afford to give medical care to the people. Once again, we will have to rely on our own community and family for medical care.