Wounds Notes

wound- any break in the skin

includes- abrasions (scrapes), incised wounds (sharp cuts, they tend to bleed a lot), lacerated wounds (jagged), puncture wounds (small and circular)

prevention- keep sharp objects kept away, be careful handling tools and glass

infection- wounds can get infected very easily, so it is important to administer first aid correctly so infections can be prevented in the best way possible

how to spot infection- red, tender, hot and swollen— discoloration. eventually, you may get sick with a fever.

wounds treatment with non-severe bleeding

Because these wounds are usually small, they're not always a cause for concern, but, we still need to be careful to make sure we are as safe and cautious as possible when handling wounds

before touching a wound, no matter how small, always wash your hands with soap and water. Hand sanitizer will work if a sink is not available.

clean the wound using clean water and soap, and apply any sort of sterile dressing (in this day and age, that would usually be a bandaid)

make sure not to cough or rub on the wound, to avoid any sort of infected

wounds with severe bleeding

the first thing to remember if severe bleeding is present is to call 911. after calling 911, or whatever emergency number your country or area uses, then, make sure to apply as much pressure as possible to the wound and the nearby area.

pressure is added because it can decrease the blood flow to the area, making sure that the bleeding decreases.

this is important because too much blood loss can make someone sick, and even lead to death.

Sometimes, if a wound is severe, that will cause a person's blood pressure to drop, which can lead to less bleeding. However, if their blood pressure goes back up, bleeding can start— so even if a severe wound is not bleeding, pressure may still. be helpful to prevent future bleeding if the wound appears to be severe.

Types of pressure- direct pressure (pressure that is directly on the wound, this is usually enough to stop most bleeding, or at least, slow it down) and

pressure to the supplying vessel (our body is full of tunnels that transport blood, called veins and vessels. If we apply pressure to the vessel that is pushing the blood out of the wound, then that can stop the bleeding. this usually isn't used though.)

internal bleeding

internal bleeding is caused when bleeding is occurring on the inside of the body rather than on the outside. This can be deadly, and if you have reason to believe it is happening, you have to call 911 immediately. Some signs are: bleeding from the mouth or nose or ears and shock-like symptoms

Nosebleed

a lot of times, nosebleeds occur spontaneously, but sometimes they can be from an injury. they can also be related to underlying diseases, such as high blood pressure, but that's pretty rare.

if bleeding is profuse, it's best to have the person lying down, with their head and shoulders elevated— this limits the blood flow to the area, and can help slow or stop bleeding.

you can also pack the nostril lightly with tissue, or apply light pressure by pinching the nostril— this can also help stop the bleeding.

animal bites

if a wound is caused by an animal, especially a bite, it is important to get the animal checked out to make sure that the animal is not infected with diseases that could pass on to the person it bit. It is also important to clean the wound and make sure it doesn't get infected, as infection is more likely with animal bites.

tetanus

tetanus is an infection that can be caused by a wound that is caused by dirty material— such as rusty metal or dirty soil. tetanus can cause tight muscle contractions, to the point where muscles can become so tight that people have problems breathing. if you are wounded with a metal object, it is best to go to the doctors so they can make sure that you are vaccinated against tetanus