How to Take Care of Wounds at Home

Accidents may occur anytime and anywhere. But understanding how to properly treat wounds at home can greatly speed up the recovery time. if you know the proper methods and procedures how to take care of wounds at home, then it can help you to prevent infections and speed up the healing whether it is a minor cut, scrape or burn.

How To Take Care Of Wounds At Home:

The average small wound – a scrape, nick, cut finger or skinned knee – can safely and easily be cared for at home. But you need less in your first aid kit than you might have imagined. In this article, I will lead you to know the basics of how to take care of wounds at home. Here are the basics:

Watch the Video to Know About the Basics on How to Take Care of Wounds At Home:

Understanding the severity of wounds:

Before you begin to any wound care at home, at first you must understand the severity of the wound. Different wounds need different care. Here is how to access the wounds:

Superficial Wounds (Cuts and Scrapes):

The superficial wounds can affect the outermost layer of the skin in the forms of cuts, scrapes and other minor injuries. Here is how to take care of superficial wounds at home:

First, Stop Bleeding: Apply pressure with clean cloth, gauze bandage or tissue. The only exception to this is a deep puncture wound as from a nail, needle or tool in the kitchen or garden which should be encouraged to bleed a little as part of the cleansing process.

Second, Cleanse the wound: If possible, hold it under cool running water. According to Dr. Larry Weiss, Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Marryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, “The only thing proven to present infection is irrigation.” Use soap on the surrounding skin, but not on the wound itself. If you see dirt particles, remove them with tweezers.

Third, Apply an adhesive bandage: This will help keep the wound moist and clean. It is a good idea to apply an ointment to keep moisture in. Petrolatum (petroleum jelly) is fine, or you may want Aquaphor or one of its generics (hydrating ointment) in which active ingredient is petroleum. Years ago, standard advice was to keep a wound dry and expose it to air to promote healing. But now we know that moisture is better and helps prevent scarring. For a minor wound, any standard bandage will do – either a store-bought one, or one you make yourself with gauze bandage and tape.

Types of Bandage:

There are scores of adhesive bandages in chemical stores – in every shape and size with many different properties. Some are water-proof, have gel and padding for blisters, are super-flexible, are made for sensitive skin, have long-lasting adhesives, are “stickless” and easily removable, are coated with antiseptics and so on. Some are almost invisible, others are decorative. Children may take comfort from having their favorite cartoon characters on a bandage and there is huge selection. Bandages in different shapes and sizes may be convenient for hard-to-bandage wounds – on toes, finger tips, elbows. But all you need a medicated bandage.

Burns Care:

Burns can be extremely uncomfortable and are prone to infection quickly. It is needed utmost care to access the severity of burn and treat accordingly. Here are the procedures how to take care of wounds at home caused by burn:

Superficial First-Degree Burns:

1. Cool the Burn: To relieve pain and stop more tissue damage, hold the burned area under cool running water for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Apply Aloe Vera Gel or Antibiotic Ointment: After the burn is cooled, apply aloe vera gel or thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the affected area.

3. Cover with Sterile Dressing: Cover the burn area with a sterile gauze or a non-stick bandage so that the infection, dust and dirt may not harm the wound.

Second or Third Degree of Burn:

1. Consult a physician: Second and third degree of burns are more serious and need special attention of medical care. It should not be neglected and if left untreated, you may have to pay bigger for it. So immediately seek medical assistance in the case of second or third degree burns.

2. Keep the burn clean: Follow your doctor’s advice on how to clean the wounds and bandage the area. Do not pop any potential blisters.

General Tips on How to Take Care of Wounds at Home:

Regular Handwashing:

To avoid your wounds get infected, you must look into your basic hygiene system and always wash your hands properly before touching any wound.

Regular Dressing:

Change your dressing as directed by doctor. Use soap on the surrounding skin, but not on the wound itself. If you see dirt particles, remove them with tweezers.

Watch for infection signs:

Always be careful and keep an eye out for redness, swelling, increased pain or discharge. If you find redness and swelling and/or a fever – and/or you experience numbness and loss of mobility in the wounded body part, consult with physician.

When to seek medical help:

Go to the emergency for doctor’s help for a wound if –

Bleeding comes in spurts or you can not stop the bleeding. The former indicates that an artery may have been cut. Apply pressure using compresses (sterile gauze or a clean, folded towel) on your way to get help. Don’t attempt to apply a tourniquet.
The wound is deep, jagged or gaping – especially a puncture wound or facial cut. You will need a tetanus shot if you have not had one in the past five years.
You have a serious animal bite or a human bite that breaks the skin. An animal bite (stray dogs) may pose a rabies risk.
A scrape is very large and has a lot of dirt in it.
You have gone through second or third degree of burn.
You develop redness and swelling and/or a fever – and/or you experience numbness and loss of mobility in the wounded body part.

Topical Solutions Can Be Used on Wounds:

Avoid Harsh Antiseptics:

Harsh antiseptics such as undiluted Dettol, iodine, hydrogen peroxide are not only unnecessary but can actually damage skin and retard healing. Betadine is okay at concentrations of no more than 1 per cent. It is less harmful than iodine.

Treating Wounds with Honey:

Treating wounds with honey is an ancient idea that has been revived in recent years. But not just any honey will do. Manuka honey, made from certain flowers that grow only in Australia and New Zealand, appears to be an effective treatment for serious burns and wounds. It has antiseptic properties but does not damage your skin and promotes healing.

Use of KytoStat Bandage:

One relatively new product is KytoStat which the soldiers carry on active duty in their kits. Impregnated with chitosan (made from crustacean shells) seals a wound and stops bleeding.

Conclusion:

The above mentioned skills and procedures help you to know how to take care of wounds at home. You can provide the right attention and aid in the healing process by according to these instructions for treating various sorts of wounds. Keep in mind that seeking medical help is essential for getting best results in cases of severe burns and wounds. So be careful not get injured and if it happens, then the knowledge on how to take care of wounds at home may help you significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Take Care of Wounds at Home:

Q. What are the five key rules of wound care?

Ans: The five key rules of wound care are:

1. Cleanliness: Always wash your hands before touching any wound.

2. Stop bleeding: To stop bleeding, gently pressure or message the affected area with clean towel or sterile bandage.

3. Cover with sterile bandage: To keep the wound protected from dirt, bacteria cover it with sterile bandage.

4. Maintain moisture: Maintain a balanced amount of moisture inside the wound.

5. Watch on infection signs: Keep a watch out for infection-related symptoms like – redness, swelling, pain or pus-loke discharge.

Q. What is best to clean a wound?

Ans: A wound should be cleaned with gentle, flowing water and light soap. To reduce contamination, use sterile gloves or clean hands. Iodine, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide should not be used as they can harm the tissues. Use alcohol-free tweezers for dirt or debris. use a clean, sterile piece of gauze to pat the area dry after cleaning.

Q. Is Betadine good for wound?

Ans: Betadine is an antiseptic containing povidone-iodine. Betadine has been used for minor cut or injuries for long time with effective result. It can help reduce the risk of infection by killing the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. However, Betadine may cause skin irritation for some individuals. It is not also recommended for deep wounds, second or third degree burns. Consult a health care professional before using it.