Wound Precautions

You're riding your bike down the sidewalk when suddenly a stick jumps in your way and makes you crash. You feel that stinging pain on your knee, and within a few minutes, you see blood trickling out of the wound. Without proper wound care, you could end up with an infection or a nasty scar you don't want. But with a few simple precautions, you can get that wound to heal quickly, with minimal scars to show.

Types of Wounds

• All wounds are not created equal. Abrasions are shallow wounds that occur when the skin gets scraped or dragged along a rough surface, which increases the chance of infection. Punctures are caused by pointed objects sticking into you and, depending on what punctures you, can cause tetanus. Lacerations are what most people think of when they hear "wound" and are caused by sharp objects tearing the skin. These wounds often have jagged edges. Skin incisions are similar to lacerations, except that the wound often has smooth edges, as if sliced by a razor blade. Skin avulsions refer to pieces of skin being torn off the body and often cause major bleeding. So, whether you've suffered a laceration or an abrasion, immediate and proper wound care is essential.

Immediate Wound Care

• Initially, you have to assume that all wounds are contaminated and bound for infection. So the first step with all wounds is cleansing. With abrasions, it's important to clean the entire area and remove any dirt or other foreign substances from the wound. A saline solution should be used if available, but regular soap and water work just fine as well. Some sort of antiseptic, such as hydrogen peroxide or betadine should be used to kill microorganisms and further clean the wound. Hydrogen peroxide with its bubbling action will lift dirt and debris out of the wound. With all other wounds, clean the area around the wound, but be sure not to wipe anything into it, as this may cause infection. Depending on the severity of the wound, you may need to see a doctor. If you think you might, cover the wound with a dry sterile dressing and let the doctor finish cleaning and dressing it. If you're going to tough it out yourself, it's time for a bandage.

Follow-Up Wound Care

• Since you must assume the wound is contaminated, some type of antibiotic should be applied to the bandage before it is placed on the wound. Some of the more common antibiotics are bacitracin, neomycin and polymyxin B. Brand name antiobiotics such as Neosporin contain one or more of these and may be used as well. Try to use one that you have used before, though, because it is possible to have a mild allergic reaction to an antibiotic. If you are unsure, consult your doctor. Apply the antibiotic directly to the bandage you will be using to cover the wound and not directly to the wound itself. Make sure the bandage is big enough to cover the entire wound. Be sure to change the dressing and clean the wound daily. Also check for signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, tenderness and warmth around the wound.

Factors That Impede Healing

• The biggest threat with any wound is infection. Bacteria live on your skin, and when a wound occurs, the bacteria have a place to enter the body and cause infection. This can delay healing and cause large, deformed scars. One particularly potent bacteria, MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), is resistive to many antibiotics and can cause a serious, potentially life-threatening infection. Other factors that inhibit healing include separation of the tissue (large gaping wound) and nutrition. Several vitamins play a key role in healing. Vitamin C helps your body rebuild skin, and vitamin K helps your blood to clot quickly to form a scab. Others, such as vitamin A, zinc and amino acids help to fortify your overall immune-system functions.