Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

Wounds and around healing

It is very useful for a first-aider to understand both how wounds affect our body as a whole, and how the body heals itself. Remember that any major loss to the Body's constantly Creating blood supply is a potential emergency, as it can lead progressively from a drop in blood pressure through to fainting, unconsciousness, loss of breathing and heartbeat, and death. It is also vital to grasp the basic issues of wound care - including stemming blood loss and preventing infection - and also to be able to tell a minor from a major wound.

Our skin has many important functions. Nerves in the skin let us feel temperature, pain, touch and pressure. We get rid of water, salts and toxins through our skin, and changes to the flow of blood to the skin also help us to control our body temperature. The skin produces vitamin D, which helps to keep our bones strong and healthy. Our skin protects the tissues lying beneath it from infection, trauma, dehydration and the harmful rays of the sun. The skin is our first line of defence and is easily damaged.

The healing process

A superficial wound, such as a surface burn, only involves the topmost layer of skin, called the epidermis. This heals very quickly. in one to two days. A deeper wound takes longer to heal.

As blood rushes into the wound, it clots and effectively seals the wound. The wound then fills with white cells which kill any bugs and absorb foreign matter. However, in a large or dirty wound, the white blood cells may be outnumbered and so infection begins. The wound may also be too big to allow clotting to stop the bleeding, resulting in continual blood loss (and, potentially, shock).

The body does all it can to reduce the bleeding from a wound. Damaged blood vessels within the wound go into spasm, and may stay in spasm for anything up to several hours. At the same time, platelet cells from the blood help to form a "plug" that may be enough to stop bleeding in a small wound. The body also uses a complex series of processes in the blood to produce strands of a substance called fibrin. These stick together to form a substantial protective plug, beneath which new skin tissue forms.

Clotting problems

When someone's blood clots too easily, a clot may form in an unbroken blood vessel. This condition - "thrombosis" - is more likely in people who have had major surgery, in smokers and after long-distance travel. lf the blood is slow to clot - as in people taking blood-thinning medication or those who have the inherited condition haemophilia - severe bleeding may occur after relatively minor injuries.

Minor and major wounds

A minor wound is a small wound that stops bleeding easily and is neither too deep nor infected. A brief look at the wound, and finding out how it occurred, will help you to make your assessment and proceed accordingly.

You should treat it as a major/serious wound, and seek qualified medical aid, if:
The bleeding is not stopped by an adhesive dressing (plaster).
The around looks as if it could be deeper than 1-2mm, or appears to need stitching.
You think that there might be damage to underlying structures such as nerves and tendons - for example, if there seems to be any loss of function or numbness.
There is potential for infection.
The wound may leave ugly scarring, as in facial wounds.
The wound covers  large area.
Stitching is needed on some wounds, to stop bleeding or prevent infection. Never use steri-strips (paper stitches designed for smaller wounds) unless you are medically qualified, as incorrect use can lead to abscesses.

Keeping wounds dry

A wound must stay fairly dry in order to heal. Wounds kept enclosed and damp are more likely to become infected and can take longer to heal. If the pad of a plaster becomes wet, it should be carefally changed for a dry one. Some small, minor wounds, grazes and open blisters respond well to exposure to the air - provided dirt dust are unlikely to get into them.

First and for minor wounds

Wash your hands thoroughly. Avoid touching the wound, in order to prevent infection. Wear gloves if you have them.

Take a brief look and find out how and where the wound was caused.
Wash the wound under running tap water, or bottled drinking water/boiled and cooled water If you are somewhere where the tap water is unsuitable for drinking.
Dry the wound and appiy a sterile adhesive dressing (plaster). For wounds over a larger area, it may be better to use a non-adhesive dressings sterile dressing and bandage, if you have these to hand. The casualty must keep the wound clean and dry for the next few days.