An open wound can cause dangerous complications if not cared for properly. Wound care treatment is critical to one's overall health and goes far beyond the sore that can be visibly observed.
Complications of infection are a real possibility if you don't ensure proper wound care treatment.
Whether it's an accidental open wound injury from a fall or one from a surgical procedure, you need to know how to care for it properly and protect yourself from danger or infection as much as possible.
Keep reading for tips on proper wound care treatment for an open wound.
Immediate First Aid for Open Wounds
If you have a wound from an accident or injury that wasn't part of a medical procedure or surgery, you'll need to perform First Aid to tend to the immediate issues of stopping bleeding, cleaning the wound, and seeking medical attention if needed.
The immediate concern for an open wound is to ensure bleeding has stopped by applying pressure to the wound.
Remove any visible dirt from the opening unless it is an impaled object that is lodged securely in the wound. Taking something like this out without assessing the situation can lead to increased bleeding and injury.
Once bleeding is under control you'll want to make sure the wound is clean and free of debris. Gently washing out the wound with clean water and saline is an effective way to achieve this.
Elevating the affected area can reduce bleeding and swelling. You'll need to wrap the wound to keep it clean and help apply pressure until the person can be seen by a medical professional.
Always use sterile dressings and gauze from a first aid kit or medical supply station when possible. If there is nothing sterile available use whatever you can find that looks clean. It may be a shirt, towel, or another absorbent material.
If the wound is gushing blood and will not stop, you may need to create a tourniquet to decrease blood flow to the affected area. This can be done for an injury to an arm or leg with a belt or piece of material tied tightly between the injury and the body.
What is a Medical or Surgical Open Wound?
Sometimes there are wounds that need to be left open for medical purposes. These are more difficult to take care of than a sutured or closed wound and require attention and oversight on a regular basis.
A wound may be left open to allow treatment for infection or because there isn't enough healthy tissue around the wound to close it without risk of it opening and doing more damage in the process. There may be a need to leave a wound open because of a patient's health status and extenuating circumstances such as obesity, unstable medical condition or being septic.
It may be an incision that the surgeon wants to heal from the outside in or that needs draining. There may also be some medical procedures that require access to the site and it is less invasive and risky to leave it open than to close and reopen each time medical attention is required.
Surgical Wound Care Treatment
When you have a surgical open wound in the hospital, nursing and medical staff will take care of the treatment and be able to observe and respond to any changes in the condition of the wound.
Once you are sent home it may be left up to you, your loved ones or home care workers to take care of it between visits to your health care provider. There are some things you can do to help promote healing.
Cleanliness is Critical
Not only does the wound need to be clean but so do any hands that touch it. You don't want to place gauze over an open wound that has germs or bacteria that will cause complications.
This means any equipment you use should be clean as well. Don't use kitchen scissors to cut bandages after they've cut through something that could contaminate the wound.
Wash your hands, towels, etc. as often as possible and try to make sure the air is not filled with dust or dirt when exposing the wound to it.
Chemical Free
Unless your healthcare professional has prescribed or recommended you use items with chemicals such as disinfectants, alcohol, and iodine don't use them. These products can actually cause more harm than good in some cases because they can irritate fragile damaged skin.
Do not rub or irritate the surrounding skin when cleaning the area. Gently dab it with .a mild cleanser or water on gauze or a sterile cloth.
Cover and Protect
You want to ensure the wound is covered so that no dirt or debris can enter the wound and cause infection or irritation. Clean sterile gauze and bandages are best for this in most cases.
Your nurses or physician should provide you with a demonstration of how to wrap and care for your wound. They will let you know the right amount of pressure for your situation. Usually, it will be to lightly cover the wound without adding undue pressure.
You'll want to avoid tight-fitting clothing as well. They not only put pressure on the wound but can cause tearing and stress on the wound when getting in and out of them.
Is It Healthy?
You'll see signs of whether your wound is healing and healthy or if you need to seek medical attention.
A pink, moist wound with no redness or signs of growing in size is a sign it's healing. The middle of the wound should be deeper and more open than the outer edges of the wound.
If there is an unusually foul smell or strange discharge coming from your wound it is a good idea to seek medical attention to ensure you haven't acquired a new infection.
Wound Care Treatment Takes Time
When dealing with wound care treatment often the biggest factor is time. You'll need to be patient as your body works at healing the injury.
For all your medical supplies and for more information on wound care be sure to connect with us today.
