Tips to Bandage Wound while Administering First Aid.

Bandaging the wound occupies the most significant part of first aid. Open wounds and bleeding of integumentary system are common in the athletes. The integumentary wounds tend to range from blisters and minor scrapes to serious lacerations as well as arterial wounds capacitated to threaten life.

Proper dressing helps to protect the wound as well as prevents infections. The dressings need to be large enough to cover the wound totally and come with a safety margin of around 2.5cm on all the sides. The sterile dressings are used for controlling bleeding from the major wounds as well as absorb discharge from the minor wounds. Dressings tend to vary both in nature as well as the size and thus it is important to select the right dressing to be used on a specific wound. When a wound is present, bandages are used in combination with dressing. The roller bandages are used for securing a dressing in its place. The triangular bandages, on the other hand, are used as pad or arm sling for controlling bleeding.

Clean the Wound

Make sure to wash hands for avoiding infection before dealing with the wound. Before cleaning or bandaging the wound, it is crucial to control the bleeding. Use a clean and dry bandage and apply pressure gently over the wound for controlling bleeding. Application of pressure on the wound promotes blood clotting, eventually allowing the bleeding to stop though it may continue oozing a little. After the bleeding stops, use water to rinse the wound. Make sure to clean around the wound using washcloth and soap. Keep soap out of the wound since that may lead to irritation. If there are traces of dirt and debris even after the wound is washed, tweezers that are disinfected properly can be used for removing the particles. However, if the dirt particles remain even after the wound is cleaned, it is better to get in touch with a doctor as soon as possible.

Use a Bandage

It is crucial to cover the wound to avoid infection. If the wound is not in areas that get dirty or have high chances to be rubbed by clothing, there is little need to cover it. A first aid course can offer proper guidance on this.

If the wound is in an area that tends to get dirty or rubbed by clothes, it is advisable to cover it using an adhesive strip or a sterile gauze and adhesive tape. This bandage needs to be cleaned daily to help the wound dry.

Bandaging the wound in some instances may be tough. This includes the ear wounds. However, it is crucial to bandage the ear since bandaging the wound protects the wound from infection, stops bleeding and provides with a commendable environment to ensure faster healing. To bandage wound in the ear, it is crucial to determine the location and the type and depth of the wound. The bandage type needs to be determined here. If the wound is present on the ear lobe, cotton gauze can be used. However, if the wound is located at a point where the ear joins the head, it is better to use sterilised adhesive dressing.

Watch for Signs of Infection

It is crucial to see a doctor as soon as possible in case the wound does not heal, redness is noticed or there is an increased pain or warmth in the area. In case the injured did not get a tetanus shot in the last 5 years, it is crucial to get a booster shot fast.

The above-discussed tips were just the tip of the iceberg. Several other steps are involved in providing the basic first aid. A first aid refresher course can be enrolled in for more details.

Above author loves to blog on health and first aid related issues. He already have taken a first aid training courses from Assist First Aid last year.