Tips-paramedical

According to the new First Aid rules a tour leader can do little more than wash a wound with (preferably sterile) water and cover it: “no lotions, no potions, no pills”. Nevertheless I want to share some tips from own experience. Do ask your physician or pharmacist for advice!

Calloused feet
Who suffers from calloused feet may benefit from Gehwohl Callus Cream or Gena Healthy Hoof. As the name suggest the latter is originally designed for horses, but works wonders on feet. I rub every other day the hoof cream and every now and then the callus cream. And of cause a regular visit to the pedicure!

Mosquitoes and other blood-sucking riffraff
Who doesn’t suffer from mosquitoes and the such? You’ll find lots of lotions, sprays and creams, most with a rather repelling odeur also for yourself. A tour participant gave us the following tip: Skin so soft by Avon. Even marines seem to use it! We tried and indeed, it’s succesful and makes your skin soft in the process.

Blisters
Of cause you try to prevent blisters by wearing well-fitting shoes and water-porous socks. Cotton socks absorbe liquids, stick to your feet and may thus cause blisters. Wool and synthetics are more appropriate materials.
Tip: a (starting) blister may be soothened by cutting a corn plaster in halves and stick the parts just outside of the blister. This removes the pressure.
A fully formed blister may only be punctured if it really bothers you: the best is to leave this to a medically qualified person. Should you have to do it yourself: disinfect well, make two puncture holes with a sterile needle and carefully press out the liquid. Then cover.
Covering blisters works best with specially designed materials like Second Skin or Compeed. Do not peel off the plaster!! Ask advise at a pharmacy.
After the holiday you best soak off (remnants of) sports tape and plaster in a foot bath with normal salt or bath salt. Sticky remnants in your socks are removed with benzine.

Dehydratation and loss of minerals
Prevent dehydratation and loss of minerals by drinking at regular intervals. A camelback may come in handy, otherwise a small bottle that you can reach without removing your backpack.
Don’t drink just water, because you also consume lots of minerals: you taste it like salt on your skin and see it in the form of white streaks in your clothing. Carry some isotonic sports drink to alternate with plain water.

Sugars
Besides salts you also need sugars; lack of sugars also makes you feel faint.
There are ‘fast sugars’ which immediately rise your blood sugar; dextrose is a well-known article. BUT!! Immediately after this ‘sugar high’ your hormone system gets in action, which may cause an ‑even bigger- drop in your blood sugar.
Slow sugars make your blood suger rise more gradually. You’ll find them in bread, cereal bars and bananas. Dextrose is fine if you feel faint, but combine it