How to Take Care of Minor Lacerations
Posted on December 11, 2008
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Everyday, we are exposed to things that can cause us injury. It’s just a matter of time before we, or someone we know, suffers a laceration of some kind. When that time comes, knowing what to do can make a significant difference in the patient’s tolerance and perception of the injury. Having some basic skills can also greatly benefit the final outcome of the injury. Here are some important tips for the initial treatment and handling of minor lacerations.
Whether cut by an object, or simply falling on the ground, the first order of business is to control bleeding. A little bleeding isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it can help to push out dirt and bacteria. If the bleeding is pulse-like or streaming, in other words spurting out of the wound, then the wound is deep and immediate control of the loss of blood is important. A little bleeding isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it pushes out bacteria and foreign bodies that can cause an infection.
Try to get out the sand, twigs, pebbles and debris if you can, then apply direct pressure. Do this with a pressure dressing as shown. This technique works on small cuts as well as large lacerations. You can even do this with some strips of clean cloth, (not a tourniquet!) Pressure alone will always work to stop bleeding. Wounds on the scalp or anywhere, can be treated in the same way.
Important! Don’t pull the dressing back to see if the bleeding has stopped, as this will only pull off the newly formed clot and make bleeding continue. If the dressing get saturated with blood, just put another right on top of the whole thing, and keep holding pressure! If bleeding is not controlled after 15 minutes, head to the ER.
After bleeding has stopped for at least 30 minutes, you can look at the wound and decide whether you need to go to the ER. You basically have about 6-8 hours to get it stitched up, if you need it. How can you tell whether it needs stitches? In short, if the wound wants to stay open, or pop open with simple movement, it needs stitches!
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Tags: bleeding, cut, cuts, First Aid, firstaid, firstaid lessons, health, laceration, lacerations, stiches, sutureRelated posts
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