How to Cauterize a Wound

If medical treatment is not an option and supplies are unavailable, using a fire-heated piece of metal to cauterize a wound will help stop the bleeding and close the wound. Cauterizing a wound is a dangerous and painful way to treat an injury. In some extreme cases, however, it might be the best option. Follow these steps to learn how to cauterize a wound.

Instructions

• 1

  Make sure there's no alternative to cauterization. Cauterizing a wound when medical treatment or medical supplies, like bandages and antiseptics, are available is a bad idea. You should only cauterize a wound as a last resort in treating the wound or injury.

• 2

  Find an analgesic. Pain relief of almost any kind will help the patient through the process. Alcohol can be used to minimize sensitivity to pain. In the absence of alcohol or some other painkiller, a stick or something to bite down on can prevent injury to the patient's tongue and mouth.

• 3

  Clean and heat a metal instrument. A flat metal instrument that has some kind of handle will do. Clean the instrument before you heat it. Then hold it over an open fire to get it hot. The metal should become hot, but not hot enough that it begins to glow red or white.

• 4

  Hold the metal to the wound. Hold it long enough to close the wound but not so long that you start to burn healthy tissue. Try to cauterize the wound in one- or two-second spurts so you don't overdo it.