Wound Care
Wounds: Basic tips for self-care
Most wounds heal best in a moist and clean environment.
How to take care of your wound:
Keep it covered with clean gauze
Keep it clean
Do not inject into the area around the wound, as this may re-infect the wound and damage healing tissue
Using antibiotics without a prescription may not be effective against the type of bacteria in the wound. Get the right antibiotics for your infection.
Its not a good idea to open and drain the wound yourself as this may expose the area to new bacteria and cause more infection.
Scrubbing open wounds repeatedly with alcohol or peroxide will slow down the healing process and make the wound worse.
Signs of local infection:
The area is increasingly painful, tender, and warm
The wound size is increasing
Streaking from the wound site (along the veins—may be pink, red, black, or blue)
Leaking of pus from the wound site
Signs of whole-body infection:
Fever
Recent Dizziness
Chills
Weakness
Any of these may be a sign that the infection has reached your bloodstream. This may be very serious! Go to an ER if these symptoms develop suddenly.
How to clean your wound and change the bandage:
Wash your hands with soap
Remove the old bandage
Wash your hands with soap again
Gently irrigate the area with water
Dampen a new piece of gauze with water and place on the wound area
Place a dry piece of gauze over the top and tape it down
Bandages should be changed daily, or more often if they become dirty or soaked. Damp bandages are unnecessary if the wound area is wet or leaking fluid.