Tactical medicine is the provision of medical care to military personnel on the battlefield. They are performed by specially trained personnel. Its tasks include saving lives, transporting victims, preventing the development of serious conditions.
Competent medical support in combat conditions can prevent numerous losses among military personnel and civilians.
Tactical medicine of irregular warfare
This term arose against the background of replenishment of experience and knowledge of domestic military field medicine. Previously, this knowledge was not available to the general public, and methodological manuals were published in limited editions. Today, tactical medicine is a separate branch of knowledge. It appeared as an experience gained in the conditions of irregular wars.
Today, this direction can be found with the help of the book "Tactical Medicine of Modern Irregular Warfare". The manual will be useful not only to military personnel, but also to the civilian population living in places of combat conflicts. Its author is Yuri Yevich. Tactical medicine in his book is presented as a series of simple and understandable first aid measures with detailed explanations. The author summarized his experience of medical practice in a number of military conflicts.
Classification of injuries and tasks
They are described in detail by a manual on tactical medicine. The main types of damage received in combat are as follows:
- various injuries;
- injuries;
- fractures;
- burns;
- frostbite.
In addition to providing assistance, a tactical medic has to solve a number of related tasks. Among them are the following actions:
- transportation of casu alties;
- fire suppression of the enemy;
- secret penetration to the rear to the location of the wounded;
- personal evacuation of victims using military equipment.
Basic damage can be complicated by bleeding, states of shock, impaired breathing and cardiovascular activity. These conditions slow down the process of providing assistance and can cause complications if not addressed in time. All necessary measures are carried out at lightning speed, directly at the scene. The Tactical Medic does not retreat until he has secured the wounded.
Aid for injuries
It can be inflicted by any type of weapon - cold or firearms, and also be the result of a mine-explosive wave. By the nature of the application can be:
- through in the presence of an inlet and outlet;
- blind,when there is only one hole;
- tangential applied to the surface of the body without deep penetration;
- penetrating, having different depths.
Any injury can have dangerous consequences: bleeding, violation of the integrity of internal organs, nerves, infection. The tactics of providing assistance in this situation depends on the severity of the injury. But there are general principles that apply to any injury. Namely:
- stop bleeding;
- bandaging;
- antimicrobial wound treatment.
The need for other activities is determined according to the complexity of the situation. If necessary, a person is given anesthesia in the form of an intramuscular injection using a special syringe-tube.
More complex manipulations (stitching of wounds, drainage) should be carried out only in case of emergency. The best solution would be to transport the victims to the nearest medical facility.
What to do with injuries?
Injuries mean bruises, dislocations and sprains. Tactical medicine in combat involves the adoption of the most basic and important measures:
- pain relief;
- immobilization (tiring, fixation);
- evacuation.
If the situation allows, it is additionally necessary to provide the victim with plenty of fluids, to ensure the elevated position of the injured limb. For bruises, a tight bandage is applied, localanesthesia by means of external use, provide further immobilization and evacuation. In case of injury to tendons and ligaments, as well as dislocations, the actions are similar. You can not set the dislocation yourself, as it is easy to confuse it with a fracture.
Types of fractures
This is the most common damage. There are the following types of fractures:
- complete when the bone is completely broken;
- incomplete - broken bone;
- open - with violation of tissue integrity;
- closed when tissue integrity is preserved.
Fracture is one of the most severe and dangerous types of injury. It is characterized by an unnatural shape of the limb, soreness when touched, swelling, decrease or lack of mobility. In addition, the crunch of rubbing broken bones and their fragments is heard. The injury is complicated by severe pain.
Help for fractures
When helping with fractures, the following tactics are used:
- pain relief;
- immobilization;
- evacuation.
For open fractures, it is necessary to pre-bandage and stop bleeding. Fixing the broken bone, a splint is applied, capturing both joints, ensuring their immobility. If there are no improvised means and splints, you can bandage the injured arm to the body, and the leg to the intact limb. Fracture care depends on the severity of the situation.
In case of a fracture of the spine, no treatment is carried out in the field!The victim is placed on a solid stretcher (the so-called shield). At least three people are involved in this: one takes by the neck, supporting the head with the forearms, the second by the lower back, the third by the legs. Raise at the same time. The victim is then transported to a medical facility as soon as possible.
Main types of burns
A burn is tissue damage caused by several types of exposures:
- high temperature;
- chemical means;
- electric shock;
- radiation.
There are 4 degrees of severity of burns:
- I - redness of the skin at the site of the burn;
- II - formation of bubbles filled with liquid;
- III - the formation of necrotic (dead) skin areas of various depths with the appearance of a scab;
- IV - complete necrosis of the skin, soft tissues, muscles, bones, charring.
As a rule, 3rd and 4th degree burns pose a real threat to life. Burns 1 and 2 tbsp. called superficial, they heal within 2 weeks and do not pose a threat to life. Unless, of course, they affect more than 50% of the skin area.
How can I help?
First aid for burns is to eliminate the traumatic factor: you need to put out the flame, take off the burning clothes (but do not tear it off if it is baked to the skin), take the victim out of the burning room, etc. If the flame has engulfed the person, you need to press it with a burning area to the ground or throw it with earth, cover it with a dense cloth and press it, fill it with water. Remember that the action of napalm and whitePhosphorus cannot be neutralized with water!
Further first aid for burns involves immediate cooling of the burnt area. It is best to use water at room temperature, the cooling time is 20 minutes, regardless of the area of the burn and its depth. Then you need to provide anesthesia. For example, give the victim an antihistamine: Suprastin or Claritin. In addition, it is necessary to assess the degree of burn and the depth of the lesion, apply a bandage and evacuate the victim. To treat the injury, special means are used: Panthenol, Bepanten, Apollo anti-burn dressings.
Important! If you have to operate in a heavily smoky area, you must breathe through a cloth bandage moistened with water. Such a barrier will not last long. Either wet the bandage frequently with fresh water, or (based on combat experience) soak it in blood, which can bind carbon monoxide, allowing it to last longer in the smoke.
Help with frostbite and hypothermia
Most often, hands, feet, fingers, ears, nose are exposed to frostbite. First, there is a tingling sensation, slight pain, the frostbitten area turns red, then turns white, sensitivity is lost. If the frostbitten part of the body is immediately warmed, it will take on a natural appearance after 3 hours. Long-term frostbite is a great danger. Depending on the depth of the lesion, they are divided into 4 degrees:
- 1 tbsp – the skin turns white, loses sensitivity, then turns blue, swelling and itching appear.
- 2 tbsp. – the appearance of blisters with a clear liquid, necrosis of the upper layers of the skin.
- 3 tbsp. – the appearance of blisters with bloody fluid, necrosis affects deep tissues.
- 4 tbsp. – necrosis affects muscle and bone tissue.
Tactical medicine for frostbite provides for the elimination of the traumatic factor - low temperature. The victim is delivered to heat or wrapped up, dressed in dry clothes. Mandatory action is to apply a bandage that isolates heat and transport to a medical facility.
It is forbidden to rub damaged areas with snow, wool gloves, alcohol, give alcohol inside, warm with open fire from a fire or torch. Symptoms of hypothermia are drowsiness, fatigue, apathy, decreased vitality. In the future, a person may lose consciousness with oppression and cessation of vital functions. The tactics of behavior in these cases is similar to the actions we have already described.
