Each of us has had to deal with wounds in life. From early childhood, babies knock down their knees, and in adulthood we have to deal with injuries more than once - some are akin to knocked knees, while others are much more serious.
The topic of our article will be wounds, types of wounds, first aid, which should be provided immediately. We will also talk about how to act when bleeding has opened, because every person needs to know all these rules.
Wound and its types
First, a few words about what a wound is. In medicine, it is considered as damage, with a violation of the integrity of the skin, mucous membranes and with possible damage to deep tissues. There is pain, bleeding, and dehiscence of the wound.
The injuries mentioned can be accidental or surgical. In addition, by nature, they can be penetrating, which is very dangerous, or non-penetrating, that is, superficial.
Depending on how the wound was inflicted and what object, they are divided into:
- stab;
- cut;
- chopped;
- bruised;
- torn;
- bitten;
- scalped;
- gunshots.
But no matter what kind of damage these injuries are, improper first aid for a wound can provoke the development of a wound infection. Damage to the deep layers of tissues and internal organs is especially dangerous. Therefore, first aid for wounds should be carried out with the obligatory observance of certain rules. This will help avoid complications.
General First Aid Rules
First aid for a wound should be given immediately. The faster the damage is treated with an antiseptic, the less microorganisms it will contain, which will contribute to faster healing. So:
- The very first rule when treating a wound: hands must be clean and treated with an antiseptic by the person who provides first aid.
- If there is bleeding, the first thing to do is to stop it. We will talk about this a little later.
- If there are foreign objects in the wound, they must be removed by the doctor. To do this, you will have to visit the nearest hospital.
- For treatment, it is best to use an antiseptic that does not contain alcohol so that it does not cause additional irritation or burns. A great option is hydrogen peroxide.
- Means containing alcohol, it is necessary to treat the area around the wound. To do this, you can use an alcohol solution of iodine or a solution of brilliant green.
- The wound must be closed after treatmentsterile swab. This can be an antiseptic-treated cloth or a sterile bandage.
- If the wound is caused by the bite of an animal, especially a venomous or sick animal, seek medical attention immediately.
First aid for a wound has some features depending on the type of injury.
Bruises, cuts and puncture wounds
First aid for cuts, bruises and stab wounds is to stop the bleeding.
In puncture wounds, a small area of the skin is damaged, but penetration can be quite deep. Therefore, the risk of infection is very high. If the cause was a rusty nail or a sharp, dirty object, of course, after treatment with an antiseptic and applying a bandage, you should see a doctor.
Bruised wounds should be examined by a physician, and damaged tissue may need to be removed.
The chopped wound, of course, will have a divergence of edges. It is also better to consult a doctor with her. Since it may be necessary to remove damaged tissue and close the wound with staples, sutures, although an adhesive plaster may be enough.
First aid for cut wounds is to stop bleeding and treat. It is necessary to contact a medical institution if emergency tetanus prophylaxis is needed. Since most often these are damages received on household plots, during earthworks.
Providing assistance with gunshotwounds
Gunshot injury is a very serious and dangerous type of wound. First aid for injuries, provided in a timely manner, can save a person's life. Therefore, it is very important to act correctly in this situation.
A penetrating wound usually affects internal organs. Of course there will be bleeding. The first step should be to stop it. Then it is necessary to close the wound and ensure complete rest while the victim is transported to the hospital.
It is forbidden to remove fragments of ammunition from the wound!
First Aid for Bite Wounds
bites from animals, insects and reptiles are quite common. This is one of the most dangerous types of wounds, since animals, for example, have a very large number of germs on their teeth and in their mouths. But the bites of poisonous snakes and spiders are especially dangerous. In such cases, the main thing is to provide first aid as quickly as possible and take the victim to a medical facility.
If it is a bee sting, you need to carefully remove the sting, then treat the bite site with an antiseptic. In this case, it is better to choose one that contains alcohol.
When bitten by a venomous snake, it is necessary to close the wound with a sterile bandage and urgently take the victim to the hospital. Doctors recommend applying ice to the bite site and bandaging the limb with a tourniquet so that the poison cannot quickly spread throughout the body.
No matter what kind of wound, it can bleed a lot. In this case, you need to stopbleeding before further assistance. We'll talk about this later.
First aid for bleeding
Bleeding, as a rule, occurs with any damage to the tissues of our body. This is the process of outpouring blood from a ruptured vessel. It can be capillary, venous or arterial.
Arterial bleeding can occur in deep wounds and is the most dangerous.
First aid in this case is to apply a tourniquet or twist. It is superimposed above the wound, so as to compress the bleeding vessel. In this case, the limb must be raised and several turns made. The bleeding should stop.
It is necessary to indicate the time of applying the tourniquet and loosen it every 20 minutes until blood circulation is restored. The tourniquet can be applied for no more than 1.5 hours in the warm season or for 1 hour in winter. During this time, the victim must be sent to the hospital.
Venous bleeding occurs when the walls of the veins are damaged, you can stop it by raising the limb and bending it at the joint as much as possible. A sterile, pressure bandage will suffice. A tourniquet for venous bleeding is prohibited.
Capillary bleeding can also be stopped by applying a sterile pressure bandage. Sometimes it is enough to treat the wound and apply a Band-Aid.
How to give first aid to a child
Children quite often knock down their knees and manage to injure themselves with something. Therefore, consider how first aid is provided to a child:
- Small abrasions and scratches can be washed with running boiled water and laundry soap.
- If the abrasion is deep, wash it with "Hydrogen Peroxide" 3%.
- It is imperative to treat the area around the wound with brilliant green or iodine.
- Deep damage after treatment is best covered with a sterile dressing or bactericidal patch.
- If the wound is not deep and does not bleed, you can not apply a bandage. She will be able to "breathe" and heal faster.
If the bleeding does not stop, apply a tourniquet and seek medical attention.
What not to do when injured
There are several taboos when giving first aid for wounds:
- Do not pour antiseptics containing alcohol into the wound. Such as iodine, brilliant green solution, cologne, vodka or potassium permanganate solution.
- Do not wash the wound with water, powders or apply ointment.
- It is not recommended to put cotton on the wound, it can cause infection.
- Do not advise doctors to remove foreign objects from it on their own.
When you need to hurry to the doctor
Any wound should not be left unattended, so be sure to see a specialist if:
- bitten by a dog or other animal, especially poisonous;
- there is a foreign body in the wound;
- can't stop bleeding for a long time;
- the wound is very deep and does not last longheals;
- the injured place began to fester;
- general condition worsened, body temperature increased;
- if the wound is on the head or in the mouth.
Be attentive to your he alth. If you have received tissue damage, first aid should be provided as soon as possible. Treatment of the wound will promote its rapid healing. Timely access to a doctor in case of a serious injury will preserve he alth.
