How to Treat a Wound

Most minor wounds, such as cuts and scrapes, can be easily treated at home. However, for more severe injuries or when infection occurs, medical care is essential to ensure the wound heals properly.

Apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Wash your hands thoroughly, then press a clean cloth or bandage firmly onto the wound. Washing your hands helps prevent bacteria from transferring to the wound. The pressure will help reduce and control the bleeding.

• If the wound is on your arm, hand, lower leg, or foot, you can also reduce bleeding by elevating the injured part above your heart. For the arm or hand, raise it upward. For the lower leg and foot, lie down and prop up your leg with a stack of pillows.

Clean the wound. Wash it with clean water. This will remove dirt and debris that could lead to infection. Wash the surrounding skin with soap and a clean cloth. Gently dry the wound and surrounding tissue.

Prevent infection by applying an antibiotic ointment. After stopping the bleeding and cleaning the wound, apply an antibiotic cream to protect the wound from infection. You can buy over-the-counter ointments such as Neosporin or Polysporin at your local pharmacy. Use these ointments for 1-2 days.

• Always read and follow the instructions on the package. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using any medication.
• Avoid using disinfectants like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. They can damage tissue and delay healing.

Cover the wound with a bandage. This will prevent bacteria and dirt from getting into the wound. Depending on the location of the injury, a simple adhesive bandage may be enough. If the wound is larger or near a joint, you may need to wrap it securely.

• Do not wrap it too tightly, as this could restrict blood flow.
• Change the bandage regularly to avoid infection. If the bandage becomes wet or dirty, replace it immediately.
• Use a waterproof bandage or cover the bandage with a thin plastic wrap when showering to keep it dry.

Monitor the wound to ensure it doesn't get infected. If signs of infection appear, seek emergency care immediately. Watch for these symptoms:

• Increasing pain
• Warmth
• Swelling
• Redness
• Pus drainage
• Fever

Go to the emergency room if you have a severe injury. You should not drive yourself if you have just sustained a major injury. Ask someone else to drive you or call for emergency assistance. Medical attention is essential if the injury is bleeding excessively or could result in permanent disability if not properly treated. These include:

• A severed artery. If bright red blood spurts with each heartbeat, call for emergency help. It's crucial to receive medical care before too much blood is lost.
• Uncontrollable bleeding after trying to stop it for a few minutes. This can happen with deep, serious cuts, or if you have a blood disorder or are on blood-thinning medication.
• An injury where you cannot move or feel the affected area. This could be a deep wound to the bone or tendon.
• A wound with a foreign object lodged inside. Common foreign objects include glass, bullet fragments, or stones. In such cases, the doctor will help remove the object and prevent infection.
• A large tear that is difficult to heal. If the cut is over 5 cm wide, you will need stitches to close it.
• A wound to the face. Facial injuries require professional care to prevent permanent scarring.
• A wound at high risk of infection. These include wounds contaminated with feces, bodily fluids (such as saliva from an animal or human bite), or dirt.

Medical treatment for a wound. Depending on whether the wound is infected, the doctor will take different approaches to care. If it is not infected, the wound will be cleaned and closed. Closing the wound early helps prevent scarring. There are several methods a doctor may use to close a wound:

• Stitches. Wounds longer than 6 cm can be stitched using sterile thread. The doctor will remove the stitches after 5-7 days for small wounds, or 7-14 days for larger wounds. Alternatively, if appropriate, the doctor may use dissolvable stitches that break down after a few weeks as the wound heals. Never remove stitches yourself, as this may cause harm or infection.
• Tissue adhesive. This substance is applied to the wound edges as it closes. Once it dries, it seals the wound. The adhesive will naturally fall off after about a week.
• Butterfly stitches. These are not technically stitches but strips of adhesive tape that hold the wound edges together. The doctor will remove them once the wound heals. Do not remove them on your own.

Let the doctor treat an infected wound. If your wound is infected, the doctor will treat the infection before closing the wound. If the wound is closed while it’s still infected, the infection will be sealed inside and may spread. The doctor may:

• Clean the wound to study and identify the pathogens. This may help determine the best course of treatment.
• Clean and bandage the wound to prevent it from closing prematurely.
• Prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.
• Ask you to return after a few days so the doctor can check if the infection has cleared. If it has, they will close the wound.

Get a tetanus shot. The doctor may recommend that you receive a tetanus vaccine if your wound is deep or contains dirt, and you haven’t had a shot in the last 5 years.

• Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria. It is also known as “lockjaw” because it can cause stiffness in the jaw and neck muscles. It can also cause breathing problems and may be fatal.
• There is no cure for this disease, so the best prevention is timely vaccination.

Visit a wound care center if your wound isn’t healing. A wound that does not begin to heal after two weeks or fails to fully heal after six weeks may be a problem. Common non-healing wounds include pressure ulcers, surgical wounds, radiation burns, and wounds related to conditions such as diabetes, anemia, or edema, often appearing on the legs. At a wound care center, you will receive treatment such as:

• Nurses, doctors, and physical therapists will guide you on how to clean the wound properly and perform exercises to maintain circulation.
• Specialized treatments to remove dead tissue, including debridement, using water jets, chemical agents to break down necrotic tissue, and wet-dry dressings to dry the wound and remove dead tissue.
• Advanced treatments to speed up recovery, such as medical stockings to increase blood circulation, synthetic skin to protect the wound as it heals, wound vacuum therapy to remove fluid, growth factors to enhance healing, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy to improve blood flow to the tissues.