Overall, the future looks relatively bright, as long as the tampon can adjust to our higher standards about health, safety, and greenery. The use of tampons in treating gunshot wounds during war times has had a profound impact on the medical community. Have you ever had to open an Israeli bandage in a crisis situation that is in 2 separate packages? I can't tell you how many guys, with a straight face, will tell me that a tampon will plug a bullet hole. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Yes, tampons can get stuck but don't panic! One medic with years of combat experience said that after absorbing the blood from a bullet-wound, the tampons leave something like a tail protruding from the wound which makes it easier and convenient for medics to . Your email address will not be published. The bullet entered the inner elbow and exit the back. Cache was mentored in survival by a Delta Force Lt Col and a physician in the US Nuclear Program and in business by Stephen R. Covey. Note how they are packaged and able to be stored in a range bag, not just on a shelf in a hospital closet. In no world would the 9g of absorption be beneficial tostop an arterial bleed, capable of pumping out 1000 mLs in just over 3 minutes. The biggest issue with that is the limited sites that it can be used in. >People ought to stop spreading these retarded ass myths. 18th century: The tampon was used as a medical device. The reason for this was because if a person is hit in the chest or back during fire fights, you dont want to strip their flake vest or body armor off them to bandage the wound. It was nearly 50 miles away! London's Science Museum displayed a medicated tampon made of cotton wool that was used in the mid-1900s, but the practice of using tampons as contraceptives dates back to ancient Egypt.. But for the record blood-letting was a good idea back in the day too. It is unclear exactly how the idea of using tampons to treat gunshot wounds originated. Little known fact quick clot will actually burn the exterior muscles of the bullet wound making infection much more probable. Tampons are sanitary products, but theyre not packaged and sealed as sterile products. r/todayilearned Join 5 days ago The whole thing comes out, and the process begun again. This article will explore the history of tampons and how they were used to treat bullet wounds. I know someone that told me he is alive today because his buddies girl stuck one in him after he got shot. you only got so much blood, before you go hypotensive. Is it a end all be all solution, no, are there better products YES however this doesnt make them something that should not be considered. He made the . Because they have many more uses than just shoving them up your cooch. It DOES stop the bleeding. When using a wound packing simulator from QuikClot; it is obvious that a tampon doesn't come close to filling a ballistic wound cavity. Let alone the extra 20-50 miles to the nearest hospital? 1776: A French doctor described a tampon made from tightly rolled, vinegar-soaked linen that was used to stop the flow of non-menstrual vaginal discharge. No a tampon or a small pad is not the greatest thing for preventing an infection long-term.Im now retired from the medical field. On injuries like this, a tampon would just get lost in the damage. The purpose of packing a wound is that while the medium used absorbs, it swells. Other techniques must be used, I.e. You didnt even read the article about how plugging a tampon doesnt even make sense nor helps to stop the bleeding from a gunshot. If you are interested in becoming a member to Personal Defense Network, please click on the special offer below: https://go.personaldefensenetwork.com/C21385. They'll come out eventually. 9g of blood, stop an arterial bleed, capable of pumping out 1000 mLs in just over 3 minutes, https://www.crisis-medicine.com/heavy-flow-is-not-massive-hemorrhage-tampons-dont-belong-in-ifaks/. He said they were administering first aid but couldn't get the bleeding to slow down, and someone said, "Hey use Marine X's tampons". You can catch up with Cache teaching EMP survival at survival expos, teaching SERE to ex-pats and vagabonds in South America or getting in some dirt time with the primitive skills crowd in a wilderness near you. The use of tampons in treating gunshot wounds has also helped to reduce the cost of medical supplies, which has saved the military millions of dollars. Did you get triggered? We'll maintain the "Undetermined" status regarding the story for now because although we can vet where and when the original post was made, to verify the tale itself would entail talking with the Marines or doctors who witnessed the incident. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hours of Premium video content. will pass the info on. Theres no guarantee the tampon []. The severity of the trauma caused internally, the cavitation, is often hidden, especially if there is no exit wound. If your not a woman you have no say in tampon use. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Its also best to use the lowest absorbency necessary. While the use of tampons is not the ideal solution and there are some better alternatives out there, given the necessity of the nature of puncture wounds, gsws, even large gashes, anything is better than nothing. Is it perfect by no means, but in a SHTF ya gotta do what ya gotta do. If women are on oral contraceptive agents (the pill) their periods often shorten and lighten. Scan this QR code to download the app now. I would use a tampon and or sanitary pad in a gsw if thats all that was available. Photo: author, Which of these three products do you want to use to save your life or your loved ones life? Finally, we discussed the role of tampons in treating gunshot wounds during war times and the impact this has had on the medical community. As luck would have it he grabbed the tampons, and my son said everyone was teasing him about "not forgetting his feminine hygiene products". If it is arterial wound then you best get a TQ on or your buddy is going to die. so there are restaurants, post offices, and stores known as exchanges that sell hygiene products (among other things), including tampons and sanitary pads. When shtf your gonna use what you have. However, the military continued to experiment with the idea and eventually found that it was a safe and effective way to treat gunshot wounds. Youll do just about anything to help stop bleeding from a potential stray bullet wound! Carry the correct stuff purchased from a medical supply store. BUT! Photo: author Bleeding from a Gunshot Wound It was marketed as an invisible device even with the most perfectly fitted gown. Gertrude Tendrich bought the patent and launched the now-familiar brand. Deep packing with Gauze accompanied with pressure is a standard method for controlling bleeding in gun shot victims. They come on a stick that seems like it should fit into a bullet wound track, so why wouldn't it be effective in a gun shot wound for hemorrhage control. 2. My son said they had to go on a mission and Marine X wanted the chapstick and lotion for the trip. Nor are these menstrual fluids needed to sustain life to other organs of the human body, for example the brain. Cutting up potatoes for a pot of stew. We examined the evolution of the medical application of tampons, uncovering the surprising history of these products and exploring their innovative use in treating gunshot injuries. That increased oxytocin can help to reduce your stress levels. It is the pressure that stops bleedings, and there are additional mechanical and pharmaceutical tools that aid this. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. How long does it take for gun wounds to heal? What might not fly as civilian medics is not the same with soldiers in a combat situation. Then of course, they had the tampons. A tampon is designed to absorb blood [and all those other fluids mentioned in the article]. I seen them used a couple times on my second tour to Iraq in 2004. The tactical tampon is not a fancy, high-speed product fresh from the minds of trauma device developers. Even if a tampon, pad, or diaper can soak up pints of blood, the patient will still die unless the wound clots and stops bleeding. Because thats a different situation where tampons are useful for me . Think about how pads (and diapers) are designed. This means bacteria and mold can grow if theyre not stored properly. Crisis Medicine. It took several years after that for manufacturers to figure out what was even happening. With the wound now wiped out, prepare the hemostatic gauze for packing by opening one side of the package and putting the entire package into a pocket, or tucking it into a shirt so it can be pulled out easily section by section. Even though they are not sterile dressings they are clean. Kim: Your expertise to state that tampons are sterile is? The tampon has been in use as a medical device since the 18th century, when antiseptic cotton tampons treated with salicylates were used to stop bleeding from bullet wounds. Simply sticking a tampon into the bullet hole will do little to stop internal bleeding. Makes sense. I also wouldnt use one to filter debris out of water. The entrance wound is typically where the fabled tampon is supposed to be inserted to assist with stopping bleeding. Later, Gertrude Tendrich produced the first commercial tampon brand . The pads created in that time led to Kotex pads in 1920, when wealthy white women bought them in department stores and bribed the cashiers to make sure they held their tongues. There are better options today, but if you run out of them, a tampon is still a convenient way to get gauze inside a wound. and our He said, "Oh, we divided them up and we all have them in our flak jackets, and I kept two for our first aid kit". In some cases, such as a .20 or .30, theyre smaller in diameter than a regular tampon. 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About American History, 2,200 cases of tampon-related toxic shock syndrome. That was the extent of the IFAK for WWII and Korea. while you do want to stop the bleeding, the bleeding itself does help irrigate the wound channel of smaller debris and contaminates. So whats it going to be? The tampons of today face all-new challenges. The x large roll of gauze would be a MUCH more effective wound packing material but he chose the tampon because the gauze would never fit in his helmet and would take up a lot of space anywhere else in his kit. If a tampon is the only thing you have use it but do not prepare your EDC trauma pack with them. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); As a former nurse LPN I have to agree with a lot of what this article said. They were initially made of cotton and were designed to be inserted into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood. I understand your comment about medicine in the civilian vs combat environment, however, both environments have the same objective which is to keep people alive. Need a safe place to go? It's now pretty commonplace that certain women in. Deryck-Personal Defense Network. Why do American tampons have applicators? The function of the internal tampon is to absorb menstrual blood inside the vagina after it has left the uterus, preventing it from leaking out, and thus providing suitable protection with total discretion.. But thats another article for another time. Depending on the calibre, the entrance hole might be small. If an active shooter breaks out the windows of a hotel and starts shooting into the crowd and you are laying on the ground bleeding, would you want me to yell out Does anyone have a tampon, or, would you prefer I yell out Does anyone have any QuikClot, Kurlex, or Olaes Bandages. Whats most important is to stop or slow the bleeding. If it did stop bleeding women wouldnt bleed for a week. Many thanks for the article. It collects the bleeding . The Ask an Expert section is currently for members of our online community. Ill say maybe in Las Vegas. However, in addition to menstrual blood, the tampon also absorbs the vagina's natural . Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia? We also investigated the origins of tampons and how they came to be used as a medical treatment. There was no need for additional care other than a bandage wrap. But as Helen King notes, this is likely a misuse of the Greek word motos , which basically means the material they used for dressing wounds. For them, however, it seems largely to have been a matter of solving existing gynecological problems, not helping with menstrual flow. The caveat is that wound cavitation from modern ammunition seems only to be cone-shaped in ballistic gel or when you shoot big game broadside in the chest cavity when the shot enters between the ribs. If youre dealing with a gunshot, what exactly and how are you packing it in the field? However, the tale's premise, isn't all that outlandish. Some gunshot victims only bleed a few drops, but some lose pints if left to bleed. As we have in the field started packing wounds in recent years (this is a carry over from combat medics, yes I know its been standard for years in the military, but not so for most US based field medicine). This was the first commercial distribution of menstruation-related items. To answer my own question it looks like it can be done. Throughout history, women dealt with their monthly bleeds in the privacy of their own homes or farms. 18th century: The tampon was used as a medical device. The efficacy of a dressing in saving a life is based on promoting clotting and healing more than absorbency. You are better off packing the wound. It was Nov 2004,in Fallujah Iraq. YOU have to USE whatever is immediately available before someone begins to bleed out and die in the backcountry! 6. Makes no sense to me. Amputation Doctors began sawing off limbs to prevent the spread of infection. 1776: A French doctor described a tampon made from tightly . The tampon was traditionally soaked in whatever antiseptic or anesthetic drug was in general use, before being applied to a wound. Personal Defense Network Video Membership. The idea of inserting a thing that's not a body part into the vaginal canal was actually probably first developed by the Egyptians or at least they're the first ones who wrote it down. Exactly. If the packing is holding (no pooling or seeping), then replace the regular gauze and wrap it TIGHTLY with some variety of elastic bandage. Not all people have penis-in-vagina intercourse. Theres nothing wrong with wearing a bra while you sleep if thats what youre comfortable with. These sorts of concerns have taken tampons into the home-made sector. And even though using a tampon can occasionally cause a girls hymen to stretch or tear, it does not cause a girl to lose her virginity. I really enjoy your writings, and have learned alot. I have been fighting this nonsense ever since the GWOT started. He is comparing a menstrual bleed to and arterial bleed. A tampon is a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation.Unlike a pad, it is placed internally, inside of the vaginal canal. The surgeon at the hospital does not stock tampons because he has almost unlimited space. Step 2: Pack the wound with gauze. One of the first civilizations to use tampons for apparent menstrual reasons may have been the Japanese. Its not like people say hmm, should I carry compression bandages or womens sanitary devices? 'Blood from bullet wounds inflicted by guns in school shootings is the blood of death.' . God bless each of you for your efforts and hard work, and God bless our Marines! It was an effective way to stop bleeding and reduce the risk of infection. You need a fully staffed OR to clean QC out or else your buddy will die of infection, thats if the QC doesnt break apart. He wasn't picky about what it should be made of, though. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Very different kind of bleeding, too. You state over and over that tampons are a bad idea for a trauma kit, but when it comes to the core of why people choose to carry them, you dont actually address *why* they dont work. Example: [Collected via e-mail, January 2005], He told me how wonderful the care packages were and wanted me to tell everyone thank you. It was often administered in the form of what doctors referred to as a tampon - a medical device invented in the 18th century primarily as an antiseptic to clog up bullet wounds.