| Climbing is a sport that is exhilarating and | | | | more serious altitude sickness. It's also |
| exciting. When you're climbing, professional | | | | beneficial to know basic first aid which is |
| medical aid is usually too far away. It's | | | | usually covered in climbing classes. These |
| important to be aware of how to treat minor | | | | classes will cover various topics; everything |
| injuries and ailments so they do not become | | | | from the Heimlich maneuver to how to make a |
| serious. First off, make sure you pack a | | | | sling and carry a fellow climber with an |
| first aid kit that is lightweight but still | | | | injured ankle. They will even show you more |
| contains the essentials. Antibiotic ointment | | | | complicated first aid such as how to tell a |
| and gauze is lightweight and can prevent | | | | fracture from a compound fracture and what to |
| minor scrapes and cuts from becoming | | | | do in each case. Knowing Cardiopulmonary |
| infected. An anti-inflammatory such as | | | | Resuscitation or CPR can be the difference |
| aspirin or ibuprofen is not only good for | | | | between life and death. The procedure is |
| inflammation but also headaches. It's | | | | simple and short classes are offered in most |
| important to carry a small amount of sterile | | | | areas and are many times free. They may be |
| water with you so you can clean scrapes and | | | | available through a YMCA, an employer, or a |
| cuts. Many climbers drink sport drinks to | | | | community center. Treating common climbing |
| keep hydrated but these can not be used to | | | | ailments such as heat stroke, AMS (Acute |
| clean wounds. Natural water sources may not | | | | Mountain Sickness) and frostbite is also |
| be in close proximity and many of them | | | | important. It doesn't require a great deal of |
| contain bacteria that may cause more | | | | medical knowledge but learning some simple |
| problems; water from these sources should | | | | prevention and treatment methods will go a |
| only be used as a last resort. Sunburn is not | | | | long way. For example, frostbite can be |
| only painful but since your skin blocks | | | | treated by simply covering the exposed tissue |
| against invasive organisms, it's imports to | | | | and heating it with warm water. Knowing basic |
| use sunscreen. A sunburn can also make | | | | first aid and how to treat and prevent |
| movement painful and dehydrate you. Remember | | | | climbing related injuries and ailments is |
| that you can burn just as easy in cool | | | | important. It will ensure you enjoy this |
| climates or cold weather and if there is snow | | | | exhilarating sport. |
| then your chances are even greater. AMS | | | | |
| (Acute Mountain Sickness) occurs when you | | | | Concentrating recent findings in Calpe, Eric |
| ascend too quickly in high altitudes where | | | | Slarkowski writes almost entirely for . His |
| there is less oxygen. It's important to know | | | | publications on average temperatures benidorm |
| the signs and how to treat it. It can lead to | | | | are found on . |