A wound is a type of injury to living tissue, such as skin, that involves breaking the surface or rupturing a membrane. These are primarily caused by external physical trauma but can also be classified as either an open wound (compound) with exposure to external pathogens or internal injuries where damage is done within body tissues. When your body becomes wounded, it starts to protect itself. This is known as the inflammatory phase. The inflammatory stage generally lasts between 1-4 days. However, it can last much longer if your wound is particularly severe or in an area of constant motion, such as joints. This article looks at how you can treat a fresh wound at home. If you have a more profound injury, you should visit a doctor offering wound care in Humble for more effective treatment.
Do Not Stop the Bleeding Immediately
Bleeding helps clean the area around the affected area. If the bleeding is stopped immediately, this could cause more damage, as it will pull and tug at the wound. If you do not have any bandages available to forgo for a few minutes until you can stem the bleeding with something such as tissues or a towel – then wash your hands and find any clean material that you already have before pressing firmly. However, you should see a way to stop the bleeding immediately if you have a clotting disorder or anemia.
Clean the Area Thoroughly
Immediately after you have stopped bleeding or wounds, cleanse the area with water and mild soap at room temperature. If this is not possible, use cold water as warm water will cause your skin pores to open up, which may increase the risk of infection. In both cases, make sure you dry the area before moving on to step 3 (cleaning).
Cover the Wound
Once you have sterilized your wound, it is time to cover the area with a sterile dressing. If you do not have any of these, use dry cotton gauze cubes to compress the affected area. To remove excess fluid, leave the bandage off for 5-10 minutes before re-applying pressure or use clean pieces of cloth to wipe away the liquid.
Do Not Tear the Skin Around a Wound
It would help if you never tried to drain a wound, as it will only increase the risk of infection. Also, do not remove any clotted or stuck-together blood near your injury. If you have tried to clean it and still have some excess fluid covering your wound, you should make a loose bandage by loosely placing a small strip of cloth over the affected area and securing one end above your heart.
Wash Your Hands Thoroughly
Once you have cleaned your wound thoroughly, it is time to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. This is to prevent infection from affecting the open wound from bacteria from your hands or other sources.
In summary, you can effectively care for an open wound at home. First, make sure your hands are clean before touching the area. If you are not losing too much blood, do not stop the bleeding immediately as it helps clean the area. Clean the area and cover your wound with a bandage. Also, avoid tearing the skin around the wound and wash your hands after touching the wound.
