Wounds and Wounds Management

  

Date Posted: 6/11/2012 12:28:27 PM

Posted By: MASYA  Membership Level: Bronze  Total Points: 35

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A wound is a break in the continuity of skin tissues. There are many causes of wounds which may include: gunshots, accidents and even assaults with sharp objects like knives.
Open wounds-wounds in which the outer layer of the skin , the epidermis, is broken. Open wounds are characterized by bleeding whose severity depends on the intensity of the skin break up.

Examples of open wounds are:
•Scrapes-these are also called abrasions . They occur when the skin undergoes friction with a rough surface like a wall . An example of a scrape is a skinned knee or elbow
•Cuts are wounds caused by sharp objects like razor blade
•Crush wounds occur when the skin is crushed , as the name suggests . The underlying structures are shuttered. Imagine a tree branch falling on your head.
•Velocity wounds are also called missile wounds .They are as a result of high speed/velocity objects that pierce into the skin . An example is a bullet wound
•Punctures are deep narrow wounds caused by sharp objects like nails, knives and needles
Closed wounds-The epidermis is not broken as is the case in open wounds . However, the underlying structures are traumatized. A good example is a bruise referred again as a Contusion wound which is a result of a forceful trauma that injures internal skin structure without breaking the skin . When a blunt object forcefully falls on or hits someone, injuries to the underlying skin tissues may occur without breaking the outer layer of the skin.
First Aid Management of wounds
•Wash hands to prevent an infection
•Flush the wound under running water.Especially if the wound is dirty
•Expose the wound. Do not cover the wound.This will assist in fast clotting and healing.
•Don’t dislodge the wound clot- dislodging may lead to severe bleeding which may endanger the health

of the casualty
•Apply direct pressure to the wound by using a clean /sterile clothing over the wound and pressing the palm of the hand over the entire area.This will help to stop bleeding.If the wound is on the arm or leg which is not broken, elevate the arm/leg above the heart while applying pressure.This gives room to gravity to help ease flow of blood to that area
•Seek medical help-this is especially when the condition is beyond control.You can seek help by calling the police or activating the EMS.

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