Survival Medicine

In this special episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton answer some questions posed by viewers, listeners, and readers of our content sites. Dr. Joe discusses a topic that should interest every family medic. Which antibiotics should you have in your survival medicine cabinet? Dr. Bones gives his thoughts.

Also, Nurse Amy discusses what supplies you might want for a pregnancy, including labor and delivery and care of the newborn. 

Plus, Dr. Alton answers a question from a young man with thyroid nodules. What are they, what do they m...

In this episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner cover recent outbreaks of infectious disease on cruise ships: Hantavirus and Norovirus. There's been a lot of panic-mongering regarding these two viruses, but a calm clarity about these viruses will help understanding them in an informed way. Dr. joe Alton tells you what you need to know...

Also, injuries from falls, both on the trail and in the home, account for millions of ER visits and 800,000 hospitalizations every year. If the SHTF, the family or group medic will most certainly be confronted with victims...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton APRN, Dr. Alton tells you what you need to know about a wide range of topics:

Michael Faraday, his cage, and other contributions that essentially changed our world

Basics of body armor: types, protection levels, and what would work for you

Bone bruises: how they differ from fractures and from regular old bruises

Secrets of avoiding injury or worse if cought in an area of civil unrest

and more!<...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton discuss the topic of burns in austere settings. What to do in situations where modern help is not an option  and you have limited supplies. Dr. Alton, aka Dr. Bones, tells you what you need to know. Plus, natural remedies for burn treatment.

Plus, the medic in survival setting may have to deal with chronic problems like atrial fibrillation, a heart condition with serious risks. What is it and what can be done? Finally, Spring is almost here, which means the snowpack is m...

In this wide-ranging episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton, Dr. Alton discusses orthopedic and other injuries that can occur as a result of a fall. Shoulder dislocations, sprains vs. fractures, and traumatic brain injuries are highlighted. Also, all about vision defects, and what can be done to increase survival changes for those that have them.

Plus, winter isn't over, and cold-related injuries such as frostbite and immersion (trench) foot are seen in ERs throughout the areas in the U.S. that experience extreme cold. How to recognize and treat these conditions...

In this episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy switch roles in the intro, with hilarious results. Seriously, Dr. Alton talks about basics of ballistic trauma. It's more than just a hole where it enters, a lot more is happening here. Also, eye injuries like foreign objects and corneal abrasions, how do you deal with these off the grid?

Plus, it's a pretty bad flu season, and there's a lot you can do to decrease the risk of getting it and keeping it mild. Dr. Bones tells you what you should do. Finally, what...

In this expanded episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton discuss wide-ranging medical topics, including how to avoid radiation sickness and the good news(?) about nuclear war: You might just survive it (I guess that's good news), Plus, some strategies on how to boost immunity in both normal or troubled times.

Dr. Alton also discusses how to deal with eye infections off the grid, definitely something that the family medic will face in good times or bad. And winter is most definitely here, and even in Florida, some pretty cold weather could possibly...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton discuss chest trauma and its consequences. Topics include how to deal with rib fractures, collapsed lungs, and more off the grid. A practical guide to needle decompression and chest tubes in improvised settings that will increase the chances of survival in long-term survival scenarios.

Also, Nurse Amy discusses some of her favorite essential oils that are useful in integrative medicine, including clove, eucalyptus, arnica, and others.

All this and more in the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton discusses some important basics as to why it's important to be medically prepared and some hard truths the average citizen should understand.before beginning the journey as a survival medic.

Plus, all about essential oils as a tool for the practitioner of integrative medicine. Natural substances are especially important for the survival medicine cabinet, as your regular meds will eventually be expended. You'll have to rely on Mother Nature's plants with medicinal benefits in a true long-term survival scenario. Dr. Alton gets you started.

Plus...

In this episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton, we go back in history to find out how doctors functioned during the Civil War in an era where there weren't even electric lights, no antibiotics, and rudimentary knowledge of bacteria's connection to disease.

Also, a discussion of commercial and natural antiseptics, plus how antiseptics differ from disinfectants and antibiotics, and the unusual mixture of sugar and iodine to make "Sugardyne." Also, how to make sterile saline solution for wound care.

Finally, Dr. Alton talks about various ways to...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton APRN, they discuss survival techniques when lost in open water with a life raft, life vest only, or without one. Plus, cases of flesh-eating bacterium Vibrio vulnificus have been rising along the Eastern and Gulf seaboard. Find out how to recognize this possibly life-threatening, flesh-eating infection!

Also, some questions from listeners about how to care for and prevent a shoulder injury and how to deal with road rash. Learn about these in detail with Dr. Joe Alton.

Wishing...

In this topic-packed episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton begin by discussing summer near-drowning incidents. Meanwhile, summer is a good time to discuss the rising number of shark attacks off U.S. coasts.

Also, a not-so-new infection has just appeared in China called Chikungunya. Is it lethal, benign, or somewhere in-between? Plus, can the bite of a Lone Star Tick activate a cascade of allergic reactions that can be life-threatening?

All this and more in the latest episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Joe and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton, they discuss everything you need to know about surviving a catastrophic flood like the one that hit Central Texas. Also, severe allergic reactions may now have a fresh tool that skips the auto-injector and uses a simple nasal spray. Learn all about anaphylactic shock and the various ways to deal with it. Also, survival bartering: What are the most useful items to have in quantity when the you-know-what hits the fan?

All this and more on the latest episode of the Survival...

In this don't miss special Independence Day episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton explore the fate of some forgotten founding fathers; signers of the Declaration of Independence, they gave up their fortunes, homes, and, sometimes, their lives to assist in the birth of our country. 

Plus, Summer's here and it's coming in hot! Dr. Alton (aka Dr. Bones) discusses heat waves, a true natural disaster that kills more people than any other short of Hurricane Katrina. Plus, another summertime issue: Bee stings! What do you do to treat and prevent f...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton discuss the proliferation of some invasive species with potential for real damage, including cane toads and a new hybrid termite that is a super wood-chewer. Also, the discovery of two Chinese operatives who smuggled in a fungus that damages entire crop yields of wheat, barley, and other crops, with the possibility of sickening both livestock and humans: Fusarium Graminearum.

Plus, the spread of civil unrest in places like Los Angeles can present real danger to those either participating or just innocent bystanders...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton, the difficult topic of GI bleeding is discussed. Upper and lower GI bleeding will be major challenges for the survival medic, so they should know all about it: causes, symmptoms, treatment, and prevention are covered.

Also, many medics keep essential oils, but after a period of time, the supplies will run out. An easy option is to put together a medicinal garden with herbs that can be made into teas with medicinal benefits. Dr. Bones introduces the topic, while Nurse Amy...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton, our hosts tackle the basics of something every survival medic may face at one point or another: ballistic trauma caused by small arms fire. Learn the basics of how bullets cause damage to the body in several different ways and also about how body armor works to protect the victim from serious or lethal injury. 

Plus, Dr. Joe Alton discusses water contaminated by the microscopic parasite known as Giardia. Even the clearest mountain stream can harbor these organisms, which cause, at b...

In this new podcast format, you'll hear interesting news stories as well as the usual medical topics for the family medic. In the news, A heist involving a gold toilet in England, a Cheeto shaped like a Pokemon goes for a bundle at auction, three little pigs catch a break, and some wit and wisdom from Abe Lincoln. Medically, Dr. Joe Alton discusses Hantavirus and the death of the Hackmans, what to know about liver disease like hepatitis in times of trouble, and while he's there, all about gall bladder disease.  

All this and more in the latest Su...

In this episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton MD and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton,
38 dogs are found swimming a mile offshore in Mississippi, a "corpse flower" blooms in Australia, Measles breaks out in Western Texas, plus more than all you ever wanted to know about parasitic worms off the grid, and more, including a response to a listener with questions about what diseases to watch out during a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia.

All this and more in the Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton and Amy Alton!

Hey, don’t forget to...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Amy Alton discuss dead-of-winter hypothermia, including frostbite and other injuries, the rash of vehicular terror incidents including New Orleans on New Year's Eve, "Rabbit Fever," also known as tularemia, and a question about biochar.

Hey, don’t forget to check out our entire line of quality medical kits and individual supplies at store.doomandbloom.net. Also, our Book Excellence Award-winning 700-page SURVIVAL MEDICINE HANDBOOK: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR WHEN HELP IS NOT ON THE WAY is now available in black and white on Amazon and in col...

In this episode, Joe and Amy discuss how to evaluate the victims of a mass casualty event, concentrating on your actions with each individual patient using the START and SALT protocols. They also update you on the latest in Bird Flu news, is it heading for pandemic status? Short answer: unlikely. Plus, Dr. Joe Alton talks about your options when transporting patient with a team and equipment or just by your lonesome self and with bare hands! All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy! Wishing you...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton discuss the basics of mass casualty events, where the number of casualties exceeds the available resources. What do you do in these circumstances, especially in survival settings?  But it's not all mass casualties, lesser issues can affect work efficiency and make things hard for a mutual assistance group after a disaster. What do you do when someone breaks a tooth? Medically prepared people also need to be dentally prepared if they're worried about a long-term event. Plus, a discussion about tonsillitis in an off-grid s...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Amy Alton talk tips on how to get through the next hurricane. Hurricane Helene caused major destruction even in inland areas of North Carolina and other points south. Dr. Alton gives his thoughts on how to make the next one a bump on the road, not the end of the road, for you and your family. Also, a discussion on how to deal with migraine headaches on or off the grid. They may not kill you, but they can affect all-important work efficiency in times of trouble...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton discuss the Monkeypox, now called Mpox, and it potential, if any, to be an issue on this continent in the future. Also, some basics about suturing in survival scenarios, including what materials are used. Plus, how to put together a reasonable sick room for epidemic infectous disease cases without getting healthy people sick.   All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe Alton, MD and Amy Alton, APRN! Hey, don’t forget to check out our entire line of quality medical kits and indi...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton discuss wound infections, how to diagnose, treat, and prevent. Also, multiple warnings by the FDA regarding contamination of meats and vegetables with the bacteria listeria monocytogenes, a common cause of food poisoning. Plus, Nurse Amy talks about sinusitis and various natural herbal remedies that can help speed recovery, and a question from a reader about beating the heat, both for you and your dog. All this and more in the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Nurse Amy and Doctor Joe Alton, aka Dr. Bones...

Lately, there have been a lot of angry young people carrying flags that aren't red, white, and blue. One day you might find yourself in the midst of these unhappy folks, which is what we call "cruising for a bruising." Dr. Joe Alton tells you strategies on how to stay safe in times of civil unrest. Plus, the medic in times of trouble must have the knowledge and ability to close wounds when it's appropriate. We've talked about this subject many times, and how important it is to cultivate the judgment related to when to and when not to close...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse PractitionerAlton discuss the recent outbreak of tuberculosis cases on the West Coast, and how to prevent it from affecting your family in good times or bad. Don't worry, it's not an epidemic in the U.S., even though it accounted for more than a million deaths in Africa and Asia in 2022! Also, everything you need to know about tornadoes! We're in tornado season for a while yet, and much of the country has experienced the kind of weather that spawns them. Here's how to keep you family...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton discuss important tips on controlling bleeding wounds (18 tips, as a matter of fact!), The cover-up (alleged) of the true origins of COVID-19 by the powers that be, biologic weapons in warfare, the pros and cons of the LifeVac dechoking device, and how to prevent lightheadedness and fainting when donating blood. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Hey, don’t forget to check ou...

You know, we talk a lot about medical supplies that you have to get serious training for, like tourniquets, hemostatic dressings, decompression needles, and the like, but there are important supplies you probably have right now in your medicine cabinet that are also very important for the survival medic in long-term disaster settings. Dressings, bandages, antiseptics, and much more are discussed in this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast. Also, internal injuries:  What you need to know, with Dr. Joe Alton. Also, the benefits of raw honey in wound care, but a discussion of mold and its risks and remediation. A...

Joe and Amy Alton's Survival Medicine Podcast discusses the start of tornado season and how to get yourself prepared, [lus basics of draining boils and abscesses off the grid. Dr. Bones takes a hard look at medical skills needed to survive, listing them out, and giving a reasoned look on how to be a successful family medic in times of trouble. Also, Dr. Alton takes a question from a listener on testosterone replacement therapy, not really a survival topic but you'll learn a lot. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton! Wishing...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy discuss hard realities regarding survival situations, and how the family medic needs a mindset adjustment to be effective in that role. Also, Dr. Joe Alton talks about cold-related extremities injuries like frostbite and immersion (trench) foot. Amy Alton, NP, discuss what you need to know about the basics of essential oils as a tool in the survival medicine cabinet, and Dr. Bones answers a question from a listener of their friend Jack Spirko's Survival Podcast about Dakin's solution, an old option for wound care that has serious...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton discuss cold weather exposure and its ill effects, known as "hypothermia." Plus, the medic has to know how to deal with mundane issues as well as the sensational "prepper" problems like disaster trauma. One of these issues is lice. Dr. Alton tells you everything you need to know about lice: head lice, body lice, and public lice. Plus, scabies! Ugh! Finally, Dr. Bones discusses how viruses change from year to year, and what that means for this year's cold/flu/RSV/Covid season. All this and...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton lament the loss of fish and other equivalent antibiotics due to the actions of the FDA, leaving the family medic in survival settings with one less tool in the medical woodshed. Also, Dr. Bones discusses important strategies to stay safe in your vehicle this winter, even if stranded in a blizzard. Also, natural remedies for respiratory infections, with a special in-depth look by Nurse Amy at the health benefits and uses of peppermint. All this and more in the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton proudly announce their first children's book, "Snowbie, the first snowman," a heartwarming story of how snowmen came to be, great Christmas bedtime reading for little ones! Reading to children helps develop listening, vocabulary, social, and other skills that last well into their teens. Check out Snowbie here: Snowbie: The First Snowman: Alton A.R.N.P., Amy, Alton M.D., Joseph, Crouthamel, Cheryl: 9781510780675: Amazon.com: Books Plus, Dr. Bones discusses pneumonia, whooping cough, epigottitis, and other respiratory infections that come out in the cold w...

Dr. Joe and Nurse Amy Alton discuss dental issues, gouty arthritis, yellow fever, more in this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, broadcast from the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains! You might be ,medically prepared, but are you dentally prepared? Most family medics don't realize that, in survival scenarios, they're bound to come across dental issues with little or no knowledge or supplies. Dr. Joe Alton discusses the basics of the dental exam, tooth anatomy, dental decay, tooth abscesses and more. Also, check out our unique dental kit for off-grid settings... Experts say we're in for cases of yellow fever in...

In this episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Dr. Joe and Nurse Practitioner Amy Alton discuss a wide range of medical topics from tic disorders to acid relux to wound care. Amy gives a thorough overview of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the various treatments used, their advantages and disadvantages.  Dr. Joe Alton discusses wound care and how proper irrigation of an open wound helps healing and increases survival rates. Plus, a news story out of New York City that suggests the government there is asking everyone to carry anti-overdose drugs like Narcan(r) due to an alarming death rate f...

In this episode of The Survival Medicine Podcast., Dr. Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy, discuss upcoming fall season issues like colds, flus, respiratory syncytial virus, headaches, quality control of herbal drugs, and the myth of the popular OTC drug phenylephrine as an effective nasal decongestant in cold and flu season. Also, learn about the basics of protective vests in survival scenarios with Dr. Bones. All this and more in this topic-packed episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe...

Recent hurricanes on the West and East coast have threatened millions, and it's important for you to know what to do if one of these juggernauts is heading in your direction. Dr. Joe Alton tell you what you need to know. Last time, we talked about shark attacks, but many more people are injured by less scary critters like sting rays and jellyfish. Dr. Alton tells you what to do for these injuries, and also talks about the recent spate of cases of marine waters that harbor Vibrio vulnificus, the flesh eating bacteria that has killed several people this summer.  P...

You’d have to look far and wide for someone who hasn’t been stung by an insect at one point or another.  It’s not pleasant in any situation, but bees and wasps especially can inflict some real discomfort if you run afoul of them. In a small minority of cases, allergic reactions to the venom injected can be life-threatening, a condition known as “anaphylaxis.” Find out more about wasp and bee stings with Dr. Joe Alton in this segment. Plus, a lot bigger but, thankfully, a lot rarer, is an encounter with a shark. About 25 species are known to attack h...

It’s true that a survival group needs someone with medical knowledge and supplies to treat heavy bleeding and orthopedic injuries. Indeed, the average survival medical kit concentrates on these issues to the exclusion of much else. Even well-prepared medics don’t realize that they’ll be faced with a quite different challenge much more often: dental problems. In this podcast, Dr. Joe Alton tells you how to deal with dental trauma off the grid. Also, Amy Alton, NP, discusses herbal remedies like tonic wines and syrups, hot-infused oils, and how to make capsules and powders, and Dr. Joe takes note o...