Preventative Medicine Measures in the Field

1
Preventative Medicine Measures in the Field

• -Heat and Cold Injury
• -Personal Hygiene
• IAW FM 4-25

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Objectives of Field Sanitation

• To provide PMM and to reduce incidence of disease
  or illness
• Educate Soldiers concerning potential hazards in
  field. (recognizing heat/cold injury)
• Promote and maintain physical and mental health
  during FTX.

3
Total Health Concept
4
Personal Hygiene

• Hand Washing
• Foot Care
• Sponge Bath / Baby wipes
• Mouth Care

5
Proper Foot Care

• The Feet should be washed with soap and water at
  least once a day, paying particular attention to
  between the toes and under the nails.
• The Feet should be dried all over and aired
  before putting socks back on. If your feet
  perspire a great deal, it is wise to use foot
  powder on them at least twice a day.
• Apply foot powder lightly and evenly over the top
  and bottom surface of feet and between the toes.

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Proper Foot Care continued

• There should not be any pressure points or
  binding spots while wearing combat boots.
• Nor should the boots be so large that the foot
  moves inside of it.
• Socks should be changed daily and washed

7
Common Foot Conditions

• Blisters
• Avoid by wearing properly fitted socks and boots.
  Also be sure that boots are properly broken in
  before wearing them on long hauls such as road
  marches.
• Ingrown toenails
• Results from cutting toenails to the contour of
  the toe rather than straight across the toe.
• Athletes Foot
• One of the most common fungal infection. This
  disease can be avoided by practicing good foot
  hygiene.

8
Athletes Foot
Ingrown Toenail
Blisters
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Foot Care on Road Marches

• Do not attempt to break in new boots on a road
  march!!!!
• On the march, the feet should be kept as dry as
  possible.
• Tender pressure points should be relieved
  promptly by adjusting gear or applying moleskin
  or adhesive tape.
• Soldiers with blisters or infections should seek
  medical attention immediately.

10
Cold Injury

• Cold injury is tissue damage caused by exposure
  to extreme cold conditions (freezing, or non
  freezing).
• Environmental factors, nutrition, clothing,
  mobility and mental status can all contribute to
  cold injury.

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Common Cold Injuries

• Hypothermia
• Chilblains
• Trench foot
• Frostbite

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Hypothermia

• Classified into mild, moderate, severe.
• Can occur in temp. above freezing, accelerated by
  presence of water. In extreme conditions it can
  be accompanied by frostbite.

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Chilblains

• Common cold weather related injury
• Itchy, painful, and reddish areas of swelling
• Fingers, toes, nose, ears
• Poss. Open sores may occur
• Develop after several hours of extreme cold
  exposure

14
Chilblain
15
Trench foot

• Associated with immobilization, usually due to
  prolonged standing. (guard duty).
• Likely to occur when a soldier wears cold, wet
  boots and socks for extended period of time.

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Trench Foot
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Frostbite

• Early signs of frostbite are the cessation of the
  sensation of cold followed by a pleasant feeling
  of warmth and non-blanching.
• Correction for this cold injury should include a
  gentle re-warming process. This is best
  accomplished through skin on skin contact. NO
  RUBBING!

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Frostbite
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General Preventative Measures

• Proper clothing for climate. Non-constrictive
  clothing and foot gear, lots of layers.
• Proper ventilation to avoid accumulation of sweat
  in uniform.
• Avoid immobility and excessively strenuous
  exercise in extreme temperatures.
• Proper gear for climate and weather. (WWT, WWP,
  gortex).
• Intake. Proper hydration and calorie intake, stay
  away from alcohol and tobacco. ( decreased PC).

20
Heat Injury

• Due to bodies inability to adapt and regulate
  core body temperature.
• Environmental factors, clothing, hydration,
  temperature, activity level, weight.

21
Types of Heat Injury

• Heat cramps- painful cramps of skeletal muscles,
  excessive loss of salt from body. Usually
  accompanied by normal body temp.
• Heat exhaustion- result of peripheral vascular
  collapse due to dehydration and excessive salt
  loss. Symptoms include profuse sweating, HA,
  SOB, nausea, vomiting, rapid pulse, low BP.
• Heat Stroke- Medical emergency, results when
  thermo regulatory mechanisms cease functioning.
  Symptoms include, HA, dizziness, delirium,
  sudden onset, collapse and loss of consciousness,
  and/ or convulsions.

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Prevention of Heat Injuries

• Hydration- sweating may account for 1 quart of
  fluid loss per hour. Know WBGT index when in the
  field.
• Monitoring activity level Work Rest Cycle.
• Allow proper time to acclimatize.