Wounds are one of the most common types of
injuries that people experience. Whether it’s a cut from a thorn in the garden,
a burn from a hot kettle, or a scrape from falling off a bike, it’s important
to know what to do when you experience a wound to promote healing and prevent
infection.
Here are some different kinds of wounds and
tips on how to care for them.
Cuts
and grazes
One of the first things that you should do
when you cut yourself is to wash your hands and clean the wound, to prevent
contamination from germs and dirt which can lead to infection. You can use tap
water or, if necessary, an antiseptic liquid.
Most small cuts will stop bleeding on their
own, but you may wish to apply gentle pressure using a clean bandage or gauze
and elevate the cut to help it along.
Covering the wound with an adhesive bandage
will further help to protect the wound from infection. Make sure to regularly
change the bandage to keep the wound clean - once a day should be sufficient,
or whenever the dressing becomes wet, dirty, or begins to fall off.
Burns
If you’ve burnt yourself, it’s important to
immediately run the burn under cold water, or continuously move the burnt area
of skin through cool water for at least 20 minutes.
Similar to a cut, it’s essential to keep the
affected area clean. If your burn blisters, do not attempt to burst the
blisters, as this can leave open skin vulnerable to infection.
It can be difficult to assess the seriousness
and depth of a burn by yourself, so if you’re in doubt, it’s always best to
seek professional help from a pharmacist or doctor - especially if the burn is
chemical, electrical, or there is no pain to the burn.
With any wound that breaks the skin, it’s
helpful to keep your Tetanus booster up to date. Tetanus vaccines should be
done every five to ten years - if you can’t remember when you last had one,
your pharmacist or GP may be able to help.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make
with wounds is to assume that it’s not serious enough to seek medical
assistance. This often means that healing takes longer, scarring may occur, or
the wound can become infected, leading to more serious complications. Capital
Chemist pharmacists are experienced in caring for people with all kinds of
wounds and can help you to identify the best course of action to promote
recovery.
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