CEN FAQs: Duct Tape Can Help Medically During an Emergency

 

Frequently, I’ve embraced a slogan ‘you can fix anything with duct tape’, while this isn’t exactly true duct tape provides a temporary solution for a number of solutions, including medical. Many of these possibilities are something you wouldn’t necessarily have thought about in advance. But, in a crisis duct tape may make medical situations easier to endure until more proper treatment is available.  

Some surprising uses for duct tape include:

• Bandages, use a sterile gauze pad over the wound and duct tape will hold the dressing in place

• Use as an emergency butterfly bandage strip, by cutting two small strips of the duct tape and add a smaller strip across the center, pulling the sticky side pieces together, which will create an emergency butterfly suture

• Blister treatment - if a blister has affected a foot use a sterile dressing over the blister and hold in place with duct tape being careful to make sure the gauze totally covers the blister

• Splinters or thorns may be removed if you don’t have tweezers by placing a piece of duct tape over the protrusion, and pulling swiftly straight out, removing the irritant

• Sprained ankles may be wrapped with duct tape to provide some level of support

• When a splint is needed you may use a flat surface such as a piece of wood, kitchen utensil or anything suitable and then hold in place by wrapping with duct tape

• Make an emergency sling by taking a piece of duct tape and folding the sticky sides together and cut the size and tied together as a sling

• A makeshift crutch can be constructed by finding a four piece of wood and wrapping the work part in duct tape to smooth the surface so you’re able to utilize as an emergency crutch

• Broken ribs - duct tape can be used over the affected area to provide some additional support and assist in restricting mobility until the patient is able to see a doctor

In most cases duct tape is not the optimum treatment. But thinking in advance of some potential uses will assist you in helping when someone is in crisis. And, a great resource everyone should have is the book Where There Is No Doctor. It is an outstanding guide for diagnosing and treating many situations. “And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…” (Mark 2:17)  Surprisingly, duct tape may help you prayerfully and carefully assist in administering to those hurting during a crisis. For more information on how to pray, care and share the love of Christ in crisis situations large and small go to: ReadyChristian