Wound Care Clinic
Wounds
Cleaning a Wound
Bleeding
Bandages
When To Seek Medical Attention
If you have a sore that won't heal, you could require the
services of Mercer Health Wound Care clinic. Opened in 2001,
this specialty center is the only comprehensive wound care
facility in Mercer County, offering state-of-the-art treatment
for all types of chronic, non-healing wounds. (A wound is
considered non-healing if it's persisted for six weeks without
significant improvement.) Rather than treating an isolated
wound at Mercer Health Wound Clinic, we treat the whole person.
We look at physical, mental and social factors. We study
your diet, hygiene habits and level of activity. Then, in
cooperation with your doctor, we develop a treatment plan
that can involve anything from simple dressings to Wound
Vac therapy.
Wounds
Cuts and scrapes are a common problem.
But are you doing
the right things to ensure safe healing? Here's a list of
what you should know:
Cleaning a wound
The best way to clean a cut, scrape or puncture wound (such
as from a nail) is with cool water. You can hold the wound
under running water or fill a tub with cool water and pour
it from a cup over the wound.
Use soap and a soft washcloth to clean the skin around the
wound. Try to keep soap out of the wound itself because soap
can cause irritation. Use tweezers that have been cleaned
in isopropyl alcohol to remove any dirt that remains in the
wound after washing.
Even though it may seem that you should use a stronger cleansing
solution (such as hydrogen peroxide or an antiseptic), these
things may irritate wounds. Ask your family doctor if you
feel you must use something other than water.
Bleeding
Bleeding helps clean out wounds. Most small cuts or scrapes
will stop bleeding in a short time. Wounds on the face, head
or mouth will sometimes bleed a lot because these areas are
rich in blood vessels.
To stop the bleeding, apply firm but
gentle pressure on the cut with a clean cloth, tissue or
piece of gauze. If the
blood soaks through the gauze or cloth you're holding over
the cut, don't take it off. Just put more gauze or another
cloth on top of what you already have in place and apply
more pressure. If your wound is on an arm or leg, raising
it above your heart will also help slow the bleeding.
Bandages
Leaving a wound uncovered helps it stay dry and helps it
heal. If the wound isn't in an area that will get dirty
or be rubbed by clothing, you don't have to cover it.
If it's in an area that will get dirty (such as your hand)
or be irritated by clothing (such as your knee), cover
it with an adhesive strip (Band-Aid) or with sterile gauze
and
adhesive tape. Change the bandage each day to keep the
wound clean and dry.
Certain wounds, such as scrapes that cover
a large area of the body, should be kept moist and clean
to help reduce scarring
and speed healing. Bandages used for this purpose are called
occlusive or semi occlusive bandages. You can buy them in
drug stores without a prescription. Your family doctor will
tell you if he or she thinks this type of bandage is best
for you.
When to seek medical attention
Call your family doctor or get to the emergency room if any
of the following things occur:
• The wound is jagged.
• The wound is on your face.
• The edges of the cut gape open.
• The cut has dirt in it that won't come out.
• The cut becomes tender or inflamed.
• The cut drains a thick, creamy, grayish fluid.
•
You start to run a temperature over 100°F.
• The area around the wound feels numb.
• You can't move comfortably.
• Red streaks form near the wound.
• It's a puncture wound or a deep cut and you haven't had a
tetanus shot in the past 5 years.
• The cut bleeds in spurts
•
Blood soaks through the bandage
or the bleeding doesn't stop after 10 minutes of firm,
direct pressure.
Return to top
|
