How to treat a wound: general rules. What to do if you have a deep cut on your finger

by Notes of the Wild Mistress

Treatment of wounds necessary to prevent infection of the affected area. Competent provision of medical care involves the correct choice of antiseptic depending on the nature of the injury and compliance with the specifics of applying the disinfectant.

In our article we're talking about on providing first aid in cases of minor and shallow injuries that do not lead to critical blood loss. In case of serious damage to the skin and mucous membranes, it is required qualified medical assistance. Dermatological problems also require prior medical consultation.

General rules for treating wounds

You should start treating wounds only with clean hands. Next you need wash the wound using water and, if the affected skin area allows, using soap.

Most often, the wound is treated only along its edge. Be sure to use this rule when using iodine solution or brilliant green. If antiseptic Fall into open wound, then the person feels an unpleasant burning sensation. The consequences of such an error may be new tissue damage and necrosis.

“The selected antiseptic should not damage the upper layers of the dermis and should not be absorbed into the blood.”

Alcohol and oil antiseptics should not be used to treat injuries to the mouth, nose or eyes. Suitable for disinfecting these areas weak aqueous solutions– they retain antiseptic properties without burning or irritating sensitive areas.

Zelenka

Zelenka is the most common remedy in home medicine cabinet. The disinfecting effect of brilliant green is ensured by the presence in its composition aniline dye. Without losing its destructive power for microbes, brilliant green has a more gentle effect on the skin than iodine, so a solution of brilliant green is preferable to choose for treating children's wounds.

It is worth remembering that if the child’s skin is hypersensitive, the use of brilliant green is contraindicated.

The use of brilliant green is prohibited if there is a heavily bleeding wound or damage to the mucous membrane.

Iodine

Typically used as an antiseptic five percent iodine solution. A higher concentration of iodine can cause quite severe skin burns.

Iodine solution is considered the most dangerous scalding antiseptic, therefore its use is contraindicated in babies under the age of one year old. For older children, iodine should be used with extreme caution.

Like brilliant green, only the edge of the wound is treated with iodine. Iodine ingestion even on a small open area the cut causes a burning sensation.

The iodine solution should not be mixed with ammonia or ichthyol (ichthyol ointment); it should not be used to treat wounds on mucous surfaces.

Due to its strong antiseptic properties, iodine is effective in the presence of inflammatory and purulent processes, skin or nail fungus. Many people use iodine to cauterize “opened” pimples.

If you are dealing not with a simple household cut, but with serious damage skin, deterioration of the wounded area - consult a doctor immediately, otherwise self-medication will result in serious consequences.

When purchasing brilliant green or iodine at the pharmacy, pay attention to their new, more convenient form - pencil. The pencil lead is impregnated with appropriate antiseptics. You get a similar disinfecting tool by dipping a cotton swab into a bottle of iodine or brilliant green. The pencil form of antiseptics allows you to quickly begin treating the wound without getting your fingers dirty.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide solution is suitable even for infants. For example, they are recommended to treat the umbilical wound of a newborn.

The main advantage of hydrogen peroxide in comparison with brilliant green and iodine is that the solution can be applied to an open wound. At the same time, hydrogen peroxide does not “sting”.

After treating the surface of a fresh wound with a solution of hydrogen peroxide, you can notice how the antiseptic foams. At this moment, a disinfection process occurs: atomic oxygen , which rids the wound of germs, pus and dead tissue.

Hydrogen peroxide solution will come in handy for soaking old crusts on wounds and dried dressings. Tearing off a dry bandage is not only painful, but also dangerous - you can completely tear off the lingering skin.

Hydrogen peroxide should not be applied to damaged areas of the mucous membrane.

Chlorhexidine

Chlorhexidine solution– antiseptic with multi-functional action. Today, chlorhexidine can be purchased not only in the form of a solution, but also as a cream, gel, and patch.

Chlorhexidine kills germs, bacteria, some viruses, is effective in purulent processes. An additional advantage of chlorhexidine solution is its affordable price.

Indications for the use of chlorhexidine:

1) disinfection of wounds on the skin and even mucous membranes;

2) course treatment fungal diseases;

3) prevention of sexually transmitted diseases;

4) course treatment of stomatitis, periodontitis and gingivitis.

If to treat a cut it is enough to apply a solution to the wound, then to solve the problem of the diseases mentioned above, the order and frequency of actions is established by the attending physician.

When using chlorhexidine, individual allergic reactions. Most common by-effect– dermatitis. However, complaints about antiseptics are extremely rare in medical practice.

Women during pregnancy and lactation, as well as children up to adolescence use chlorhexidine with extreme caution.

Miramistin

Miramistin solution is a modern, increasingly popular and positive reviews antiseptic.

The price of the antiseptic is quite high compared to previous drugs. However, many doctors recommend miramistin, so buy this remedy will not be superfluous.

Miramistin solution does not cause allergies. The use of Miramistin is also permissible when skin wounds, and in case of damage to mucous membranes. He's not annoying sensitive skin, does not burn, so it is allowed even for babies.

Miramistin disinfects and kills bacteria and viruses various kinds, resists purulent and inflammatory processes, accelerates wound healing.

Miramistin is used to treat open wounds, burns (thermal and even solar), fungal and gynecological problems, pharyngitis, and sore throat.

Like any medical product, Miramistin solution can be used only after first reading its instructions. When fighting viral and fungal diseases - only as prescribed by a doctor.

Anastasia Bochina

A laceration is characterized by an irregular shape and uneven edges. Such wounds usually occur after a bite from a dog or wild animal, after deep scratches with various sharp objects. Although heavy bleeding This type of injury is rare; severe damage can lead to serious complications. Treatment laceration aimed at stopping bleeding and applying a bandage. However, the wound must be treated before applying a bandage. We’ll talk about how to properly treat a lacerated wound in this article.

If the wound site is not treated, the bleeding will intensify, blood loss will increase significantly, which may even threaten the life of the victim. In addition, various bacteria are just waiting for the opportunity to penetrate our body, and an open wound is an excellent opportunity for them to achieve their goal. When treating a wound, the likelihood of bacteria entering our body is greatly reduced.

So, the main goals when treating a laceration are:

Stop bleeding to prevent large blood loss.
Preventing the penetration of pathogenic bacteria.
Reduced pain, swelling.

First aid for a laceration:

First of all, it is necessary to stop the bleeding. To do this, press with slight force on the wound with your hand (do not forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap before doing this). If the wound is deep, then it is unlikely that you will be able to stop the bleeding with your hands; you will need a tourniquet or any fabric that can be tied as a tourniquet. If the location of the injury is on the arm or leg, then tie a tourniquet above the wound - quite tightly.
When bleeding has decreased or even stopped completely, the wound should be examined to assess tissue damage, the presence of foreign objects, clothing, etc. We carefully remove clothing, but you should not remove splinters, glass fragments and other sharp objects from the wound yourself, otherwise you may increase the bleeding, which will increase blood loss. A specialist must remove sharp objects from the wound, so it is better not to risk it and entrust this matter to a doctor.
Very important stage– disinfection. It is necessary to treat the damaged area with an antiseptic to kill all germs. First of all, wash the wound and the areas around it with boiled water. warm water with soap - this will wash away the dirt and clean the skin around the wound. Then start washing with an antiseptic - hydrogen peroxide, furatsilin solution or a weak solution of manganese. We wash the wound from top edge to the bottom. Movements should be careful, without putting too much pressure on the wound site.
At severe pain We give the victim a painkiller - regular analgin will do.
Apply ointment. An antibiotic ointment such as bacitracin is best. If you don’t have such a remedy at hand, then you need to lubricate the edges of the wound with iodine or brilliant green, or at least vodka or alcohol (I think there is no need to remind you that we treat the edges of the wound with these products and do not pour them into the wound itself, otherwise the pain will be incredible ). Treatment should be done in the direction away from the wound so that the product does not get inside.
Apply gauze bandage. We don’t use cotton wool, because its fibers will stick, and then peeling them off will be very painful. There is no need to apply the bandage too tightly. If blood still oozes through the bandage, then simply wrap additional layers of gauze or bandage.
Don't forget to take the victim's temperature. If the temperature nevertheless rises, then, obviously, an infection has been introduced. This can be fraught with serious complications. You definitely need to go to the hospital.
At the emergency room, a specialist will examine the injured area, ask about the circumstances of the injury and the first aid measures provided. If the wound is deep, you will have to apply stitches. IN severe cases surgery is usually required. At high temperature Antibiotics are prescribed to fight the infection.

In the absence of complications, treatment of a laceration lasts no more than 8-10 days. This includes a course of medications, dressings, and daily treatment. If complications do arise, then the recovery time is quite difficult to predict - it depends on the patient’s condition and the consequences themselves.

In any case, when you receive a laceration, you shouldn’t leave everything to chance. The victim needs first aid, which consists of stopping the bleeding, treating the wound, and transporting to the emergency room. Now you know how to treat such a wound and can provide first aid to yourself and your loved ones.

By a cut called a violation of the integrity of the skin, carried out using a sharp object. Shallow wounds of this nature affect only the dermis and subcutaneous fat layer. Their treatment most often does not require any special means. Deeper cuts are called incised wounds. As a result of such damage, the integrity of the muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves, as well as blood vessels, is compromised. Such wounds can be dangerous, and the patient should definitely see a doctor.

The main factor causing cuts is the careless use of sharp objects both at home and at work. Cuts can also appear due to injury, including an attack.

Also, wounds of this type appear when falling on glass or untreated knotty logs, after which glass fragments or wood chips can be found in the wound. Sometimes cleaning the wound is very difficult, then you need to consult a doctor. IN in rare cases To detect fragments, you even have to take an x-ray. It is prescribed if the wound long time does not tighten, the tissue turns red and exudate oozes from it.

Kinds

Cuts vary depending on the type of object used to inflict them:

blunt objects that leave wounds with ragged edges. Such wounds usually appear in the bone area ( on knees, fingers). The tissues around such wounds become very swollen and severely injured, scarring is more difficult, since their edges are uneven,
sharp objects that leave cut wounds. Such wounds can be quite deep and affect not only the upper layers of tissue, but also deeper ones,
thin and sharp objects that leave puncture wounds,
combined injuries that remain after exposure to sharp and blunt objects.

What symptoms should you look out for?

Most often, bleeding from a cut stops after 10 minutes without the use of any means. If it does not stop for 20 minutes or longer, and also if the wound was caused by a rusty, dirty object, if there is earth or pieces of glass in the wound, you should definitely see a doctor.

In addition, you need to visit a doctor if the antitetanus serum was administered more than 5 years ago, and the injury was caused by a rusty or dirty object.
If the cut is on the face, the wound is long or deep enough, if its edges are not closed with an adhesive plaster, you need the help of a doctor. Deep wounds in the joint area, on the chest, neck, face, and palms are dangerous. You should also definitely show the wounds to a doctor if the victim is a baby, if the tissue around the wound turns red, swells and hurts. These are signs of infection. Attention should be paid if the tissue around the wound has lost sensitivity. If the bleeding does not stop, the victim has impaired motor skills of the limbs or fingers, or if he is in shock, an ambulance must be urgently called.

Complications

trauma to large veins and arteries,
cut infection ( the wound hurts, becomes covered with pus, turns red),
tetanus This serious disease, striking nervous system. It is incurable. The pathogen develops in deep wounds without access to oxygen. To prevent the development of the disease, anti-tetanus serum is administered, which is effective for ten years.

Incised extensor tendon injury

The extensor tendons begin with nail phalanges and end towards the middle of the forearm. It is through these tendons that impulses are transmitted from the muscles to the fingers for their extension. If in the upper part these tendons are quite thick and round, then near the nail phalanges they look like flat ribbons.

These tendons are adjacent to the bone from below, and are covered only by skin from above. That is, it is not difficult to damage them. Even a small cut can cause injury. Often they are torn away from the place of attachment to the bone, while the skin may not even be torn. Once the tendon ruptures, the finger can no longer fully straighten.

For cuts, the tendons are sutured surgical method. Often a tendon injury is combined with a bone injury or extensive soft tissue injuries. In such cases, treatment becomes more complicated, prolonged and may not lead to an absolute cure. Sometimes a whole series of surgical interventions is needed to achieve results.

Treatment and stopping bleeding

Treatment of shallow and non-extensive cuts consists of the following activities that the victim or people nearby can perform without the help of doctors:

cleansing the wound,
blood stop,
sterile wound closure,
antiseptic treatment.

Cleansing the wound carried out using water soap solution. Washing should be done with a piece of cotton wool or bandage. Quickly washing the wound removes sources of infection and prevents suppuration of the wound. After soaping the wound, rinse the soap thoroughly clean water. This procedure must be done daily until the wound is completely scarred.
If the wound is very dirty, you can also use 3% hydrogen peroxide or an antiseptic solution.

The wound closes by applying a sterile dressing. Before doing this, it should be blotted with a clean cloth or bandage to dry after washing. Carefully examine the condition of the wound - it should be clean, the tissue should not be torn, move the edges of the cut together. After which a sterile bandage or napkin should be applied to the wound.
If you have a cut on your lips or chin small child, you should not apply a bandage, as it will collect food and saliva.
A sterile dressing should not be changed frequently, unless the dressing is loose or dirty. But even in this case, you can not change the bandage, but only bandage it on top again with a clean bandage.

How to stop bleeding?
Most quick way- this is to press the cut on top with a clean bandage or cloth. The bandage must be pressed tightly enough and held until the bleeding stops ( sometimes up to a quarter of an hour). This procedure is ineffective only if the arteries are affected. To make the blood flow less intensely, you need to raise the wounded limb upward.

Head wounds almost always cause profuse bleeding, since there are a lot of blood vessels here, it is often necessary to call a doctor to stop the bleeding.

If blood leaks through a tight bandage that has already been applied, you should bandage it even tighter with another piece of bandage. You should not remove the first bandages, as in this case you can break off the already clotted blood and resume bleeding.

When the bleeding has stopped, you need to bandage the affected area quite tightly, but at the same time do not squeeze it completely - this will stop the blood supply to the tissues. There is no need to make a hoop of adhesive tape around the limb, which can also disrupt the flow of blood. To understand how correctly the bandage is applied, you should press down the nail on the bandaged limb. It first turns white, after which it should quickly return to its pink color. Otherwise, the bandage is too tight and should be loosened a little.

Without special need, you should not resort to a tourniquet, since with the help of this remedy you can significantly worsen blood circulation in the affected limb. A tourniquet should be used only in case of urgent need.

Bleeding that does not stop after a quarter of an hour can be dangerous! You should call an ambulance or go to the doctor.

Treating the wound with antiseptics
This event is carried out to prevent wound infection. Most antiseptics suppress inflammatory process, reduce the duration of scarring.

Antiseptics can be in the form of a solution in alcohol, water or in the form of a cream.
Aqueous solutions are used to treat wounds, as well as to wet tampons and napkins for sterile dressings. This treatment is completely painless and is often used to treat wounds in children.

Alcohol solutions can burn the edges of the affected tissue and prolong the scarring process. Such preparations should be coated around the cut. If the solution gets on the wound, it will sting and the skin around the wound will turn red.

The ointment can be used to treat both the wound itself and the napkin that is placed on it. If the wound is wet, the ointment may prolong the scarring period. If the wound is generously treated with ointment and a tight bandage is applied to it, maceration is possible ( softening) edges.

What to do if your finger is injured?

If your finger is cut in the kitchen and the wound is bleeding quite heavily, you should not try to stop the bleeding by putting your finger under cold water. Such measures will provoke even more bleeding. The best thing to do is just give it a thumbs up.

The skin around the wound should be coated with iodine, and the surface of the wound itself should be treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide. It is forbidden to smear the wound with Vishnevsky ointment or ichthyol ointment, so popular among the masses. Next, apply a tight bandage to your finger.
Here's a little secret: how to put it on your finger so that it is convenient for them to operate, and so that the bandage does not move out. Regular bandaging of a finger most often only leads to the fact that the bandages slip off after a while. And sometimes they dry to the wound, and changing the dressing is then painful and unpleasant. To prevent all these troubles, you should wrap your finger at the cut site with a strip of paper that covers the entire phalanx. After which you can wrap a bandage or stick a patch. Such a paper wrapper will protect the wound, move its edges and help it heal faster.
This type of bandage is easier to remove because the paper will not stick to the wound. According to experienced people, it is best to use white stationery paper. Before application, it should be treated with hydrogen peroxide.

Ointment treatment

Dexpanthenol
It is produced in the form of ointment, spray, cream and lotion. Contains vitamin B5, quickly heals wounds, restores tissue, and can be used to treat mucous membranes. Treat the affected area once a day.

Chamomile ointment
Relieves inflammation, antiseptic, accelerates tissue restoration. Wounds are treated once a day.

Comfrey ointment
Relieves inflammation, stops bleeding, accelerates tissue restoration. Prescribed if the cut does not heal for a long time. The affected surface is treated two or three times a day and a bandage is applied before bedtime.

Calendula ointment
Relieves inflammation, destroys microbes, accelerates tissue restoration. It is very indicated for long lasting cuts. Treatments are carried out several times a day.

Betadine
Produced in the form of iodine solution and ointment. Strong antiseptic. May cause local skin irritation.

Etonia ointment
Inhibits the development of pathogenic microbes, relieves pain, accelerates scarring. Treatment is carried out once or twice a day. Effective for purulent wounds.

Lifusol
Antiseptic, inhibits the development of microbes. Prescribed for the treatment of wounds, including very dirty ones ( washed first aqueous solution, then ointment is applied).

Special instructions for the use of certain medications

If the cut does not heal for a long time, you should take a course of vitamins B, C, E and A,
Treatment of wounds with iodine can provoke individual intolerance,
People who have impaired thyroid function should use iodine supplements only under the guidance of a doctor.
Solutions of boric acid cannot be used to treat large surfaces of the body, as the drug is absorbed into the blood and poisoning may develop. This is very dangerous for children. Signs of poisoning boric acid: nausea, rash, kidney failure, diarrhea,
Alcohol preparations should not be applied to the wound surface, using them only to lubricate the skin around the wound,
Since any alcohol preparations cause a burning sensation, they are not advisable to use in the treatment of wounds in children,
Deep cuts should not be treated with hydrogen peroxide, as air bubbles may clog the blood vessels.
Lifusol ointment creates a thin protective film on the surface of the wound, which protects the wound from germs. You can remove it by wiping the body with alcohol,
Lifusol is a flammable product. In addition, you should not give the tube of ointment to babies.

Antibiotics

In order to prevent the development of pathogenic microflora in not very large cuts, most often only antibiotic ointments are enough. More effective are drugs containing neomycin, tetracycline, bacitracin, polymyxin sulfate, as well as combination drugs. Treatment of an untreated and uncleaned wound with an antibiotic within four hours after injury helps reduce the likelihood of complications, relieves pain, and accelerates tissue regeneration. But it is advisable to treat an already cleaned cut.

Antibiotics should not be used for too long as this may cause favorable conditions for the development of superinfections ( mycoses). If the cut is quite extensive and even using an antibiotic for five days does not produce results, you should definitely visit a doctor.

Ointments containing antibiotic:

syntomycin liniment,
levomekol,
methyluracil,
gentamicin ointment,
levosin.

What affects the speed of healing?

1. Poor supply of blood and oxygen to the tissues adjacent to the wound. The more oxygen there is in the tissues, the more active the phagocytes work in it - immune cells, absorbing pathogenic organisms, recover faster blood vessels, the condition of the epithelium is normalized, collagen production is accelerated. Lack of oxygen occurs in persons with diseases of the heart, lungs, blood vessels, loss of a large number of blood.

2. Body weight, age and diet of the patient. To produce collagen fibers, you need proteins, minerals and vitamins, as well as carbohydrates. Thus, vitamin A is needed for epithelization of the wound, vitamin C helps normalize the condition cell membranes, and zinc accelerates cell recovery. In elderly people with increased weight In the body, inflammatory processes take longer, and collagen is produced slowly.

3. Pathogenic microbes. Microbes are sure to immediately penetrate into the wound. And only phagocytes can destroy them. If the victim has poor immunity, the wound is very dirty, there are fragments and dead tissue left in it, then the phagocytes will not cope with their work. The production of repair fibers deteriorates, scarring is inhibited, takes longer inflammation. Microbes absorb oxygen needed by body tissues. The main dangers for wounds are pyogenic and fecal streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.

4. Diabetes. In such patients, all cuts are scarred very hard and for a long time.

5. Taking certain medications. For example, in patients using glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, vascular restoration and collagen production are inhibited and local immunity is worse.

How to get rid of scars?

Cut scars can disfigure any part of the body. But you can get rid of them. It should be borne in mind that the less time has passed since the injury, and the shallower the depth of the wound, the more effective the treatment of scars will be.
For the right choice method of removing a scar, you must first of all keep in mind the nature of the injury and its depth.

If the cut was very shallow, you can use the microdermabrasion method - this is a type of gentle peeling that removes only the very top cells of the dermis. The skin is treated with a diamond "abrasive wheel" that exfoliates dead cells to speed up recovery. The treatment does not cause any discomfort. Sometimes it is necessary to carry out several procedures. At the same time, between procedures the skin looks normal, the body does not need to recover as after more stringent procedures.

If the cut scars are deep enough, a chemical peel should be used. This is very efficient procedure. The skin is exposed to acids, phenol and retinol, which remove not only the upper but also the deeper layers of the dermis, leveling it. After the procedure, skin regeneration occurs in about 7 days.

When should you definitely see a doctor?

In some cases, it is not enough to just treat the wound yourself. A doctor should be called if:

blood spurts out of the wound; if the blood is scarlet, a blood vessel is probably cut,
blood flows profusely and does not stop,
the cut is in a visible place and the scar on it is undesirable,
the hands are affected - there are important tendons and nerves here,
symptoms of inflammation are present - redness covering the tissue more than 2 cm around the cut, swelling of the tissue,
increase in body temperature,
the wound is deep enough - in such cases it is necessary to apply a suture,
the wound is dirty, and the last tetanus shot was given more than five years ago,
soil and animal feces got into the wound ( for example, manure) – in such environments there is a lot of tetanus pathogen,
the wound does not heal long enough, exudate flows from it,
after being wounded, the victim vomits and feels sick - this is in to a greater extent concerns head injuries in children.

Doctor's help

How can a doctor help with deep or dirty incised wounds?

clean the wound from dirt and debris,
put stitches,
if nerves, tendons or blood vessels are damaged, send them to the hospital,
prescribe antibiotics if the wound is infected,
give an anti-tetanus injection.

Before use, you should consult a specialist.

In the form of a cut or wound. Most often, people injure their arms and legs. Young children may fall or get scratched during active play. Adults are cut with knives and scissors. Most often, no one is afraid of a minor injury, but not everyone knows how to properly treat a wound and what complications may arise.

Why are cuts dangerous?

Cuts and wounds can cause damage large vessel, artery, nerve. In case of hit dangerous microorganisms and if the wound is not treated, you can even lose an arm or leg. If gangrene begins or a non-healing trophic wound forms, they can become a life-threatening source of infection. In medical practice, there are cases when a decision is made to amputate to save a person’s life.

At the inflammatory stage, complications such as purulent leaks and phlegmon may occur. This occurs when the pus that forms in the wound does not come out, but into the surrounding tissues or into the cavities between them. If, after receiving an injury, the condition of the whole body began to deteriorate sharply, fever and weakness appeared, then it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.

Primary treatment of wounds

Regardless of where the integrity of the skin is broken and how, primary wound treatment is required. For small household cuts, first of all, it is necessary to remove visible contamination from the wound. To do this, you can twist a sterile bandage into a triangle to create a pointed tip, or use tweezers (tweezers) previously disinfected with alcohol or vodka. After cleansing the wound, it should be treated with an antiseptic ( germ-killing drug). Can be used as an antiseptic hydrogen peroxide 3%, iodine, iodinol, chlorhexidine biglucanate etc. Hydrogen peroxide is not only chemically destroys microorganisms, but also brings them to the surface mechanically - due to the formation of bubbles.

In the absence medical supplies they can be replaced with an aqueous 2% soda solution, concentrated solution table salt, chamomile infusion, vodka. Unless a cut or wound is made with a sterile scalpel, there will always be germs in it. Even postoperative wounds become infected, not to mention household ones. After treatment, the wound must be closed from possible re-contamination by applying a bandage or plaster. If we are talking about very small and shallow cuts, you can stop there.

Deep wound care

If wound surface is regarded as large, even in the subjective opinion of the wounded person, it is better to seek medical help. Cuts longer than 1.5-2 cm, will take a long time to heal on their own, cause discomfort and, quite likely, will cause complications. In this case, it is better to consult a doctor. The same applies to injuries that cause unbearable painful sensations(possible damage to a nerve branch), or injuries that are accompanied by heavy, continuous bleeding. Medium-sized wounds and cuts cannot always be treated surgically. But when suturing any wound, it will always heal faster. Medical care in this case includes: treatment of the wound, excision (circumcision) of the edges of the wound, stopping bleeding, suturing. Sometimes sutures can be placed a little later, when the inflammatory process in the wound decreases. The wound dressing must be changed daily. In the first week, a wet-dry bandage is applied, then they switch to ointment ones. Used in wet dressings antiseptic drugs. Ointments for treating wounds consist of antimicrobial agents and substances that promote healing. For example, ointments such as levomikol, levosin, methyluracil are used.
At the same time, a prophylactic course of antibiotics is prescribed wide range actions.

Stages of wound healing

There are 2 types of wound regeneration - primary and secondary intention. In the first case, the edges of the wound should be smooth, located close to each other, and there should be no microbes in it at all. Then the cut will immediately be closed by epithelium (skin cells). Process secondary intention characteristic of injuries in which infection and cell death occurred during injury. The essence of secondary intention is that first inflammation begins in the wound, then intermediate tissue is formed, and the last stage is scarring.

Inflammation of the wound occurs due to microbes. It is accompanied by swelling of the edges of the wound, an increase in the temperature of the surrounding tissues, and pain. During inflammation, cells are released from the blood that kill microorganisms inside the wound. This is the body's protective response. If the cut is covered with a crust of blood, it should never be torn off, even if pus or serous fluid oozes from underneath it. This crust protects the wound from new microbes and allows the healing stages to proceed sequentially. After a week, the inflammation subsides, and the wound begins to be lined with granulation (intermediate) tissue. During normal healing, after another 7-10 days, granulations turn into a scar.

Sometimes wounds take a very long time to heal or become reinfected. In such cases it is necessary surgical intervention, wound revision, antibacterial therapy. This can happen if the wound is treated incorrectly or not treated properly. There is also a risk of the wound becoming infected with dangerous microbes and developing diseases such as gangrene or tetanus.

Anyone, even the most small cut, must be subject to processing. This is the first necessary condition to prevent possible complications. Shouldn't be ignored medical care, and if possible, it is better to consult a specialist.

Tell us in the comments about your worst wounds. How did you receive it, how did it heal?

Children actively explore this world. And in the process of this learning, falls are inevitable. Kids fall when running, during active games, sports, or while walking. Therefore, every mother needs to know what and how to treat wounds and abrasions on the baby’s body after a fall. We will talk about this in this article.

What is the danger?

Main danger wounds received by a child after a fall is possible infection. Many bacteria that live quite harmlessly on human skin and in his intestines can become aggressive if they enter an environment deprived of oxygen and sufficiently humid and warm. The wound is just such an environment. The injury itself is not as dangerous as its infection with staphylococci, streptococci or other microbes.

If a small superficial wound becomes infected, suppuration and inflammation may occur. If a deep wound becomes infected, the likelihood of developing general infection in the bloodstream - sepsis.

Much depends on where the child fell from and where. The most dangerous falls are those in which the wound becomes heavily contaminated - on the soil, on the asphalt, as well as wounds caused by sharp objects at the bottom of the reservoir. Together with dirt or water through broken skin Pathogenic bacteria penetrate the child’s body much faster.

The most common injuries caused by falls in children are the elbows, knees, face, and head. The closer the wound is to the brain and important nerve ganglia, the more dangerous it is. Thus, a wound on the face is always worse than a wound on the leg.

First aid

If a child falls from a bicycle or lands unsuccessfully while getting off a swing in the yard, there is no need to panic - all children without exception fall, and therefore, instead of blaming yourself and other adults for inattention to the child, it is important to concentrate on something else - try to find out how serious the situation is.

First of all, you should calm the baby and inspect the wound. Assess its depth, degree of contamination, note the presence of torn edges, and profuse bleeding.

For an external abrasion or shallow wound, rinse the skin with cool water. running water, treat with hydrogen peroxide and any aniline dye that you have at home, it is best to use “green paint”, since it can have a detrimental effect even on staphylococcus, which is difficult to destroy with anything.

If the choice is made on a solution of brilliant green, then it is important to remember that brilliant green is not used to lubricate an open wound. Only the edges of the wound and the skin around it should be treated with dye.

Instead of hydrogen peroxide, which causes quite a strong tingling sensation in the area of injury, you can use chlorhexidine solution. After this, a dry sterile bandage is applied to the abrasion. If the wound is small, then it will be enough to apply it for an hour and a half, then remove it and leave the wound to dry.

If for some reason the child was not treated before the fall DPT vaccinations or ADS, which has an antitetanus component, it makes sense to go to the emergency room to carry out emergency tetanus prophylaxis.

If the wound is deep, then it should not be touched at home, it is best to quickly take the child to the nearest emergency room, after applying a tight sterile bandage to stop the bleeding. At home, it is not possible to completely clean a deep wound, whereas in a hospital, surgeons will quickly and efficiently clean the wound from soil and sand, and also apply stitches if necessary. This need is sometimes important even with cosmetic point vision, because the scar that will remain after spontaneous healing deep wound on the face will then cause the child a lot of suffering.

Sometimes it is necessary to administer to the child antitetanus serum to exclude infection with tetanus bacillus, especially if the child was injured in conditions rural areas, the soil of which is “rich” with dormant tetanus bacilli, which are impatiently “waiting” to find themselves in a favorable environment.

If a child receives a wound to the head or face, medical care It's better not to refuse. Even a small cut or abrasion on the head may be just the tip of the iceberg. Upon inspection, the unpleasant fact of receiving a traumatic brain injury or concussion may become clear. The wound should be washed, the hair around it (if it is on the head) cut off, washed with an antiseptic and go to the doctor at the nearest emergency room. All injuries to the facial area require mandatory examination by a surgeon., even small cuts sometimes require sutures or staples for more even scarring, so that the baby’s face is not spoiled by scars.

As part of first aid, do not apply to wounds caused by falling too much. tight bandages so as not to disrupt the blood supply to neighboring tissues. Children are prohibited from treating wounds with alcohol or vodka. Firstly, this clean water sadism, since such treatment will cause severe burning pain, and secondly, alcohol has practically no effect on such a dangerous microbe as staphylococcus, and therefore the use of such cruel first aid methods is simply unjustified.

A child should not put ice on a wound. If an abrasion or wound is accompanied by swelling, for example, on the knee, it is important to apply ice so that the wound area remains open, and then show the child to a traumatologist to exclude fractures, cracks and other injuries.

As part of first aid you can use antibacterial drugs in powders - “Baneocin” or streptocide powder. But it is better to avoid applying antibiotic ointment, at least until complications, inflammation or examination by a doctor occurs.

Preparations for the home first aid kit

In order not to run to the pharmacy after a child suddenly falls, you should make sure in advance that your home medicine cabinet contains all the necessary supplies for first aid and subsequent treatment. For emergency care you will need:

sterile bandage;

gauze swabs;

hydrogen peroxide;

"Chlorhexidine";

"Baneocin" (powder);

streptocide powder.

After the bandage is removed, and for a small wound this will happen within an hour and a half, it will be important to carefully monitor how healing is progressing. If signs of inflammation, suppuration, or a weeping wound that does not heal for a long time appear, treatment will be needed.

Treatment

A wound after a fall that does not heal for a long time should be shown to a doctor. Treatment consists of treating the wound with an antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, Chlorhexidine), followed by applying antibiotic ointments (Levomekol or Erythromycin ointment), and sterile bandaging. Dressings are done to the child 1-2 times a day. In difficult cases, if there is a possibility of infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics orally in the form of a suspension or capsules (depending on the type of pathogen and the age of the baby).

During treatment, it is useful for the child to give vitamin complexes, which contains a fairly high content of vitamins B6 and B12, as well as vitamin C ( ascorbic acid), vitamins A and E, which participate in the metabolic processes of the skin.

At the final stage of treatment, when the wound has already healed, you can use products that promote the resorption and smoothing of scar tissue to reduce the scar. Such ointments include “Kontaktubex”. This is very important when treating the consequences of wounds on the face, on the lip, on any open part of the body, in order to minimize the negative consequences from a cosmetic point of view.

Purulent wound must be examined by a doctor, even if it occupies a very small area, for example, on a baby’s finger after a fall on sharp object or after an injection with scissors. Treatment in this case will be similar, but the doctor will evaluate the condition of the wound and consider the possibility of surgical cleaning.

Not all wounds can be treated at home. Deep complicated and festering injuries may require systemic use antibiotics and careful monitoring of the child’s condition in a hospital setting.

Treating the wound after a fall with an antiseptic should be done exactly as a rinse. Lubrication cotton swabs prohibited, just like cotton wool in general, because the fibers can remain in the wound. If you need to use a tampon, it is better to make it from gauze.

Do not lubricate a wet wound after a fall with iodine. This drug causes additional burns to already injured tissues.

Such a favorite remedy for mothers as baby cream is not suitable for treating wounds resulting from a fall. It creates a dense, airtight film on the surface of an abrasion or wound and prevents normal healing. The best remedy from abrasions - influx fresh air and sterility.

The first time after healing, it is important to remember that the skin that formed at the site of injury is thinner and more vulnerable than neighboring areas of the epidermis that were not injured. Therefore, you should in every possible way avoid falling and injuring this new skin again, since it will be deeper and more serious than it was the first time.

To prevent abrasions and wounds, you should carefully monitor your child while walking; when buying a bicycle or roller skates as a gift for a child, you must ensure that the baby has protective devices that, if they do not completely protect you from all injuries, then at least minimize consequences of a fall.

To learn how to properly treat a child’s wound, watch the following video.