Survival Medicine

Survival Medicine Podcast Reports from Yosemite National Park in California reveal that at least 170 visitors and personnel have experienced a mysterious intestinal ailment. Lab studies have identified a virus called “Norovirus” as the culprit in at least two cases, with most of the rest consistent with the illness. Find out what you need to know about the most common cause of the stomach flu in the U.S. Also, Dr. Alton discusses the first new antiviral flu drug approved by the FDA in years: Xofluza. Xofluza is a one-day treatment that is meant to decrease symptoms and duration of influenza illness. Learn more about a drug that deals with a lot of flu symptoms, usually with one dose. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, find out about norovirus, the flu and 150 other medical topics in the award-winning Third Edition of the Survival Medicine Handbook, your guide for when help is Not on

Health authorities in China are reporting 60-70 cases of a previously unknown viral pneumonia that has put dozens in the hospital. Officials note that victims exhibit fever up to 105(!), difficulty breathing, and abnormal findings on chest X-rays.   Nothing gets my attention like a mysterious, probably viral, pneumonia showing up in some foreign land. The word “pneumonia” is defined as a lung inflammation usually caused by bacterial or viral infection. Occasionally, fungi or parasites may give rise to it. It’s a very general term and doesn’t identify the specific microbe that’s causing the problem.In the last decade or so, killers like Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) have entered the scene.  Dr. Joe Alton discusses the "new pneumonia" and tells you what you need to know about pneumonia in general: symptoms, treatments, how to tell pneumonia from regular flu symptoms, and natural remedies, plus preventative strategies... Wishing you the best of health in

Survival Medicine Podcast You know, the world isn’t getting any safer these days, and that means that, more than ever, you should be prepared for disasters, whether they be natural disasters or man-made. The family medic must assess their level of preparedness well before a disaster occurs, and now is as good a time as any. We refer to this as a "status assessment”. When performing this assessment, a number of questions must be asked and answered that clarify your job description and your level of readiness.   Dr. Alton (aka Bones) and Nurse Amy discuss the survival medic's job description, basic duties, considerations relating to the type of disaster, and misconceptions regarding the number of supplies and people that must be cared for in times of trouble... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe Alton MD     Amy Alton ARNP Hey, don't forget to subscribe to DoomandBloom.net and check out Nurse Amy's entire line of medical kits and individual supplies at store.doomandbloom.net!  

We often talk about trauma and infection, but less so about chronic diseases. We have to face the fact that in some settings, namely those without some of modern medicine’s miracle technology, some people will long-term issues may end up having life spans similar to those of their ancestors a hundred or more years ago. One category of patient that has less options off the grid are those with COPD, also known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis cause real damage to lung tissue from cigarettes and other reasons.Folks with these conditions may have trouble with stamina and work efficiency in tough times, especially in austere settings. In this episode, Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP talk about what you need to know about COPD and what strategies, if any, are helpful for those with severe cough, mucus production, and lack of oxygen intake.  Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Don't forget to check out our HSA/FSA-eligible medical firs

Survival Medicine Podcast #379 Today, we talk about a mosquito-borne illness. What? It’s freezing out there, there’s no mosquitoes! Well, Down here in South Florida, we get outbreaks of tropical infections even in wintertime. A while ago, I wrote about a mosquito-borne virus that strikes warm weather regions: Dengue Fever. At that time, I reported that places as far apart from each other as Singapore, Nicaragua, and Bangladesh had reported Dengue outbreaks. Not since the beginning of the year, but on the same day! This distribution meets the WHO definition of pandemic, characterized by community level outbreaks in different regions.) This week, the Florida Department of Health in Miami issued an alert after two local residents came down with Dengue symptoms, bringing the total to 14 for 2019. These cases were not thought to be contracted in other countries, but locally in the South Florida area. The implication is that local mosquitoes in the area are a reservoir for the disease. Dr. Alton and Nurse Amy di

In the last couple of days, we’ve read about multiple stabbing incidents, one killed a freshman at a NY college, another killed two young men, and others just seem to pop up in the news pretty much all the time. Any incident like this or any kind of natural or man-made disaster puts your people at risk for injury. When it occurs, trauma may be minor or major; penetrating trauma such as stab wounds can be life-threatening, depending on the organs and blood vessels damaged.  In this episode, Joe Alton MD discusses important factors relating to stab wounds and trauma from sharp objects, and how to manage them in the safest way possible in both normal times and survival scenarios... Wishing the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Check out Nurse Amy's entire line of medical kits at store.doomandbloom.net!

This episode is broadcast (poorly) from a hotel room in New Yawk City, where we are visiting one of our daughters who's, well, a city girl. Ignore the police sirens and other "technical difficulties"! Hey, from time to time, old dr. bones or the lovely nurse amy are asked to come on other podcasts, radio shows, and even TV to talk about disaster medical preparedness, and just a few days ago, our good friend Jeff Anderson from Modern Combat and Survival .com asked us to come on his show, which we’ve put on our website if you want to hear the whole show. In addition, he does a little lightning round as well that he calls the 5 in 5, where he asks five questions and the guest has to answer each in a minute or less. You know that it usually takes me a minute just to get a sentence out so it was a real challenge, but I accepted it. Here goes… Plus, a question for Dr. Alton as a member of the Expert Council at Jack Spirko's Survival Podcast about soft tissue infections like cellulitis and more! Wishing you the b

THE SURVIVAL MEDICINE PODCAST #376 Hey, I’ll bet you’ve wondered from time to time if you’re medically prepared enough. Do you have the supplies to deal with the medical issues you’ll face? To know that, you need to know what medical issues you’ll face. In my research, I’ve taken the experience of those in remote locations with limited supplies as guidance. People like medical missionaries  spend months at a time off the grid in communities where infections and injuries occur, and usually assume medical responsibility with very limited equipment. Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP talk about some of those duties, and what you can expect to face in times of trouble. Plus, a basic discussion of infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses and how they differ. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Learn about bacterial infectious diseases and the antibiotics available to the average citizen in Joe Alton MD's book "Alton's Antibiotics and Infectious Disease". And don't for

Survival Medicine Podcast #375 In survival, the medicines eventually run out no matter how well you’ve prepared if the disaster knock you off the grid for long enough. This is especially true for drugs for which you can only stockpile a limited quantity, simply because they’re too expensive. One item that isn’t too expensive is fish oil, commonly available in supplement or in FDA-approved prescription items. The scientific data shows that they can reduce triglycerides in your blood, a factor in coronary artery disease, and perhaps help in other ways. So what is fish oil and is it of any use off the grid? Should you accumulate it in quantity in your medical storage. That's your decision, but you'll know a lot more about it after listening to Dr. Joe Alton of doomandbloom.net! Also, Dr. Alton answers a question from someone suffering from symptoms similar (but not exactly) to carpal tunnel syndrome. Could he have Guyon's Syndrome instead? Learn about it in this episode of the new-format Survival Medicine Pod

Infectious disease is of major concern in good times or bad, and the family medic must be able to identify some of the deadliest. Having just written a book about infectious diseases and the antibiotics that treat them (Alton’s Antibiotics and Infectious Disease: The Layman’s Guide to Available Antibacterials in Austere Settings), we’ve done our research on some of the worst illnesses that can occur even in countries with advanced medical systems. There are infections out there, however, that are often fatal and aren’t in our book, because they can’t be treated with antibiotics. I’m talking about viruses. What are the worst viruses on the planet? Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP, in their new podcast format, give their thoughts on past, present, and future viruses that antibiotics can't cure and could cause a true epidemic apocalypse.... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, don't forget to check out Nurse Amy's Health Savings Account-eligible first aid kits at store.d

After a brief hiatus, Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy try out a new format that removes a lot of the up front "housekeeping" and get to the meat of the medical topic for the week immediately. They plan to put out more frequent shows lasting about 15-20 minutes each and stay on one topic to delve into it more deeply. This week, Dr. Alton discusses the Ebola epidemic from the standpoint of the health workers that are being killed by armed rebels in the area. Even the local population seem to hate medical personnel out of fear and superstition, blaming them for the civil unrest and spread of the epidemic, which was waning at last report. Now, health workers are being told to stay home out of concern for their safety. This situation can be extrapolated to fit survival scenarios. When the group medic is in a hostile situation, what should be their priorities? Dr. Alton and Amy give their thoughts on when good medicine may become bad, even dangerous tactics.... Wishing you the best of health in go

In the midst of a break from their podcast, Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP are interviewed by good friends Glen Tate and Shelby Gallagher from the Prepping 2.0 podcast. The topic is pandemic disease, what infections can become the next major epidemic to push society to the brink, what to do to keep your family safe, and the supplies you'll need to avoid infectious disease from running rampant among your people. Keep an eye out for future podcasts with Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy, we'll be back soon! And don't forget to check out our medical kits and supplies at store.doomandbloom.net! Sign up at our website to get special coupon codes for the Thanksgiving shopping days!

A fractured femur or a gunshot wound to the chest are major injuries that affect your chances of survival in disaster settings, but not all injuries are so extreme. “Minor” injuries can also impact the efficiency of a group member off the grid.  Of these, nailbed injuries are some you’ll commonly see. You can imagine that nailbed injuries will be more common when untrained (and perhaps careless) people perform tasks to which they’re not accustomed. Joe and Amy Alton describe various types of trauma and their treatments. The journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) reports that 33.5% of the population lives below an elevation of 100 meters above sea level. That means that there’s a possibility that you might have to abruptly relocate from a home at sea level to a “bug-out” location in the mountains. Too abruptly, though, and you can get sick. Joe Alton MD discusses acute mountain sickness and what to do to prevent and treat it. Also, the second greatest cause of death from protozoal par

#369 SURVIVAL MEDICINE PODCAST The world is on the brink of destruction and you have all your preps together; You’ve got water, food, you can start a campfire, you’ve got your knife or knives, and you’ve provided for the common defense. You can sterilize water, your vehicle ready for the road if you need to go and your ducks are all in a row. Duck is good eating, by the way. Well, how about some baking soda? Joe Alton MD goes solo this week to talk about just some of the medical and other uses of this versatile item. Plus, how to identify, treat, and prevent common trail mishaps like blisters and splinters off the grid. Add to that some news about the invasive species the northern snakehead, which has reared its ugly, well, snakehead, for the first time in Georgia! And Tokyo is hit with a typhoon and an earthquake on the same day! Ouch! Lastly, a history of bacteria and human knowledge, as well as some amazing (and a little scary) development or two with ramifications for our future! All this and more on

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Hour, Amy Alton ARNP takes over the show! She's got a lot to say about some important medical problems that all of us have to care about: Heart disease, hypertension, and kidney disease. She'll describe risk factors, diet, prevention, treatment, and more. Did you know that frequent ibuprofen usage damages your kidneys? I'll bet you didn't, and Nurse Amy will tell you a lot more that might just surprise you.  These are issues she cares deeply about in good times or bad, so do yourself a favor and listen in as she gives you strategies to live a healthier and longer life in any situation. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Amy and Joe Alton Hey, have you put together that medical kit you'll need in survival scenarios? I know where you'll find some of the best on the web at Nurse Amy's store at store.doomandbloom.net!  

  A#366 SURVIVAL MEDICINE HOUR PODCAST You may have heard the phrase "Gone But Not Forgotten" but how about "Forgotten But Not Gone"? For some time, The Democratic Republic of Congo has been in the throes of a deadly epidemic: Ebola. I wrote a lot about the Ebola virus during the 2014 epidemic in West Africa and even wrote a book  (published by Skyhorse Publishing) about the disease. In West Africa, more than 28,000  got sick and 11,000 died. This time, more than 2,000 have succumbed to the virus since 2018 but you’d hardly know it with nary a mention in the media.Joe Alton MD tells you about the second deadliest Ebola epidemic in history, even if few others will. Wounds are tough to deal with in any circumstance, but especially if you’re the person taking care of the wound off the grid. Dead tissue doesn’t heal, so you have to make sure you remove every possible bit of it. Debridement is the removal of dead (necrotic) or infected skin tissue to help a wound heal. It’s also done to remove foreign material

Just back from a trip to the United Kingdom, Amy Alton ARNP and Joe Alton MD discuss some topics not recently covered in previous shows. Sleep deprivation is a serious issue: Some researchers believe that it carries health risks approaching that of cigarettes or heart disease. The mental and physical deterioration that sleep deprivation causes can break you: So much so, that it’s been used as a method of torture. The CDC estimates that up to 50-70 million Americans suffer from some kind of sleep disorder. The Altons discuss sleep disorders as an issue that can negatively affect your chances of survival in disasters, and offer some suggestions (might even help you night shift workers). Also, from time to time you'll find  the persistent notion on social media that tampons, the feminine sanitary product, are an excellent addition to your medical kit. Many, usually second- or third-hand, swear that these items saved the life of a soldier because a savvy medic made sure to carry what some call a “tactical tampon

#364 SURVIVAL MEDICINE HOUR PODCAST In this info-packed episode of the Survival Medicine Hour, Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP discuss poisonous plants like poison ivy, oak, sumac, and poisonwood; how to identify, treat, and prevent medical issues related to contact with problematic flora! Plus, how to deal with broken bones off the grid, including reducing deformities, placing casts, creating traction, and much more. In addition, Dr. Alton answers questions in his role as medical expert for his good friend Jack Spriko's Survival Podcast. One involves hair loss and one listener's concerns about dietary causes, and another from someone with frequent soft tissue infections from insect bites and minor trauma. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Hour with Joe and Amy Alton! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, don't forget to fill those holes in YOUR medical supplies with kits and individual items from Nurse Amy's store at store.doomandbloom.net. PLus, ge

SURVIVAL MEDICINE HOUR PODCAST Our thoughts and prayers go out to the citizens of the Bahamas affected by the recent hurricane; we have been fortunate enough to escape its wrath here in South Florida, but many are still suffering. We ask our readers, listeners, and viewers to consider donating to the various relief funds aimed at helping our Bahamian friends. In this episode, Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP discuss the phenomenom known as the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and how the U.S. is poorly prepared to withstand even a small-moderate event without chaos. Also, Dr. Alton discusses the factors that go into deciding whether a wilderness wound should be closed or not; the answer isn't simple and might surprise you. Also, in long-term situations where the medicines run out or even in normal times, natural remedies such as herbal teas may be helpful tools in the medical woodshed. Amy and Joe discuss a number of different ones that you might consider for your medicinal herb garden. Wishing you the best of

#363 SURVIVAL MEDICINE HOUR PODCAST Outbreaks of hepatitis A are springing up in various parts of the country, leading us to want you to know all about this inflammation of the liver, plus the other types of hepatitis that can cause damage. Learn how to identify and prevent this disease which has been found in homeless populations in variouus cities. Also, Joe and Amy interview post-apocalyptic fiction author Jeff Motes of "Once Upon An Apocalypse" fame. The three books in the series has been Amazon bestsellers in several categories. His Books: !:  The Journey Home 2: The Search 3. Gathering Storm Check them out, they're bona fide good reads! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Don't forget to subscribe to our website to keep up on all our content and to get special offers on medical kits and supplies from our store at store.doomandbloom.net!