Wound Care
Back to our found person. They may have sustained one or more wounds from the fall that you now need to treat. The goal is to stop any bleeding and prevent infection.
There are some basic principles of wound care to keep in mind:
- First of all, think of your own safety and put on disposable gloves.
- If necessary, call for emergency help. Life-threatening bleeding wounds should be treated before calling for help if you are alone. If another helper is available, they can make the call.
- Do not touch the wound.
- Do not rinse the wound - unless one of the exceptions mentioned below applies.
- Do not remove foreign bodies.
- Do not use home remedies.
Exceptions:
Bite wounds may be rinsed with soapy water. Burns, scalds, or chemical burns may be cooled or rinsed with clean water. In the case of chemical burns, care must be taken not to spread the caustic substance to surrounding tissue, which could cause larger areas to be burned. Burns and scalds should be cooled with water at a temperature of about 20 degrees for a maximum of five minutes.
What to do?
In general, wounds should be covered in a germ-free or as germ-free as possible manner. This is done - if available - with a sterile compress. A pre-packaged dressing consists of a bandage with an integrated compress. If there is a wound that is not bleeding heavily, the compress is placed on the wound and secured with the bandage.
Blisters should not be opened to prevent infection.
For bleeding wounds, the wound area should be elevated if possible - for example, by raising the injured arm or leg. This helps to stop the bleeding. The compress is pressed onto the wound. If the bleeding does not stop, wrap the bandage twice over the compress, then place a closed, plastic-wrapped dressing pack (an opened pack absorbs blood and cannot apply compression to the area) on the wound area and wrap the rest of the bandage tightly over it. Pressure should be applied to the bleeding to stop it. If the area after the wound turns blue, the bandage is too tight and should be loosened, but not removed. If the bandage bleeds through, apply a second pressure bandage over the first. The second dressing pack should be placed on top of the first, already existing one.
If this does not stop the bleeding, press the artery of the injured area at a point closer to the body than the wound area.
On the upper arm, you will find this on the inner side of the upper arm between the biceps and the humerus - recognizable by the pulsation.
For leg injuries, the point to apply pressure is about in the middle of the groin. Kneel on the opposite side and grasp the thigh so that your thumbs press on the point. This will press the blood vessel against the bone and stop the circulation.
On the neck, of course, neither pressure should be applied nor a pressure bandage should be placed. Here, only a compress is pressed onto the wound to avoid interfering with the victim's breathing.
Injuries in the torso area are also treated by pressing on compresses. If possible, a pressure bandage may be applied.
Foreign Bodies
As already mentioned, foreign bodies should not be removed from the wound. Removal can worsen or even cause bleeding. The foreign body is covered in a germ-free manner and bandaged without pressure. Protruding foreign bodies are cushioned and left in place, and the injured body part should be kept as still as possible.
Sources:
By Sabine Croci.
This article is medically reviewed. Last updated (06/2024).
Information on the website and within the app cannot replace a consultation with a doctor, but can certainly complement it.
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