Wound Care

A wound is caused by an injury that breaks the skin. Your body will naturally try to heal the wound by forming a clot at the wound site. Once the clot has formed, blood rushes to the area to destroy any pathogens or foreign substances. Your skin cells then multiply and grow across the wound. A protein called collagen provides strength to the wounded skin and the wound will start to heal.

There are different types of wounds that can occur:

• Acute wounds - occur suddenly and are usually caused by an abrasion, puncture, laceration or incision of the skin,
• Superficial wounds - include minor injuries that occur on the surface of your skin such as small cuts, scratches, abrasions, scrapes or bruises
• Bruises - occur after an injury when blood rushes to the injured area leaving a dark painful mark,
• Blisters - are small pockets of fluid that form on the skin due to consistent friction or pressure, and
• Burns - are caused by heat, friction, electricity, chemicals or radiation from the sun, steam, hot liquids, sources of electricity and different toxic chemicals.

Treatment
It is important to treat a wound correctly to avoid infections.

Acute wounds - treatment depends on the location and severity of the injury. It is important to control the bleeding by applying pressure. You will then need to clean and dress the wound.
Superficial wounds - treatment involves controlling the bleeding and then cleaning and dressing the wound.
Bruises - allow the bruise to heal naturally. Depending on the severity of the injury, bruises can take several days, weeks or sometimes even months to heal.
Blisters - allow the blister to naturally pop and let the skin of the blister rest on the part of your body that the blister formed as this provides a natural dressing. Apply antiseptic cream and dressing to the affected area to keep it clean.
Burns - hold the burn under cold running water for around 20 minutes. If the person has burnt clothing, it is important to not remove any clothing that is stuck to the burn. In the case of superficial burns, you may require pain relief, dressing and regular check ups with your doctor. If someone has sustained major burning, you must seek immediate medical attention.

If the wound is serious, it is important to seek medical assistance.

Disclaimer
The content displayed on this webpage is intended for informational purposes and is a guide only. It does not replace or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Information contained on this webpage must be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional before making any decisions or taking any action based on the content of this webpage.

Sources

Better Health Channel
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Wounds_how_to_care_for_them

Better Health Channel
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcArticles.nsf/pages/Burns?open

Better Health Channel
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Blisters

The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
http://www.rch.org.au/rchcpg/hospital_clinical_guideline_index/Wound_care/

Wound Care Centres
http://www.woundcarecenters.org/article/wound-types/acute-wounds

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