List of wilderness medical emergencies

The following is a list of symptoms and conditions that signal or constitute a possible wilderness medical emergency.

Injury and illnesses

  • Arthropod bites and stings
  • Appendicitis (leading to peritonitis)
  • Ballistic trauma (gunshot wound when hunting)
  • Eye injuries (such as from branches)
  • Flail chest associated with ice climbing and snowclimbing falls
  • Hyperthermia (heat stroke or sunstroke)
    • Malignant hyperthermia
  • Hypothermia
  • Frostbite
  • Poisoning
    • Food poisoning associated with warm weather expeditions
    • Venomous animal bite
    • Botanical from mushrooms or "wild greens""
  • Severe burn (forest fire)
  • Spreading wound infection
  • Suspected spinal injury from falls, falling rock, ice
  • Traumatic brain injury from falls, falling rock, ice

Infections

Neurologic

Shock

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (July 2011)

References