Wound exposure is always a disadvantage and is susceptible to infection by germs. Tetanus tetanus is one of the most harmful pathogens. Immunizations are even more necessary for outdoor adventure and travelers.
Wounds from glass or metal cuts are often very visible. Debris or debris must be thoroughly removed from the wound site. Normally there will be trained medical personnel to attend to the wound – but in an emergency distress situation, it should be undertaken promptly by yourself or others. The wound may have come into contact with dirt or dirty clothing and must be cleaned, removing any tissue that has become necrotic.
Cut away the clothing around the wound and clean the dirt. Clean first along the center of the wound, gradually toward the periphery, not from the outside in. After drying, bandage with a clean cloth to ensure relative comfort. Dressings that become wet and smelly should be changed promptly. If the wound becomes more painful with bouts of throbbing, this indicates that infection has occurred. Hot saline soaks or the application of antiseptic dressings can treat common wound infections. The dressing will absorb pus and reduce odor. Any non-toxic substance that can be ground into a powder can be used as a dressing: rice, potatoes, plant roots and seed bark are all acceptable, as well as clay. With reasonable rest and adequate nutrition, the body has a strong resistance to infection.
Suture
Small wounds can be sutured directly (hemostatic forceps can also come in handy at this point). Clean the wound thoroughly first and then suture it. This requires little skill. You can use the butterfly thread from the Lifesaver box. Some natives use the mouthparts of fire ants to bite the skin on both sides of the wound and then remove the head of the ant so that the fire ant’s upper jaw mouthparts sew the wound together.
Stitching
A sterile needle and thread is used to start from the middle of the wound, and the sutures can be independent of each other. The bilateral sides of the threads are tied together and left outside the wound. Bring the two sides of the wound together using butterflies or tape cut into a butterfly shape. Lean back as far as possible and secure with tape. If the wound becomes infected – red and hard – remove some or all of the sutures and drain the wound area of pus.
Dressing
Dressing an open-ended therapy wound with a dressing, without sutures, is one of the safe and effective ways to treat accidental injuries. If the wound cannot be thoroughly cleaned, it cannot be sutured closed. This therapy will form infection-resistant tissue in the wound area, and a slightly red appearance is a sign that the wound is recovering.
Despite great care, there is a possibility of infection. The wound is deep and must be drained of pus. Sometimes it is beneficial to make an incision in the area of pus accumulation and insert a sterile bandage or other moisture-absorbent loose cloth over the wound to absorb the pus. The end of the strip should be left outside the wound, preferably with a safety pin at the end. This can be done every few days. If the wound needs to be reopened, the dissecting blade should be disinfected to avoid infection with pathogenic bacteria. Bandage the outside of the wound with sterile cloth, but allow the wound to drain outward as it gradually recovers from the inside out. As the wound recovers, the bandage may be gradually reduced until the wound is completely removed and replaced with dressing coverage.
Chest injury
If the chest cavity is perforated by a chest injury, the air will enter the wound when the chest cavity expands during inspiration, triggering lung failure, which is one of the greatest dangers caused by chest injuries. In case of emergency, cover the wound with the palm of the hand to stop the entry of air during inspiration. The patient lies on his or her back with the head and shoulders tilted toward the injured side. Plug the wound with a large loose, moist dressing. Alternatively, use a plastic sheet or aluminum foil (preferably covered with a layer of petroleum jelly) and dress with a bandage.
Abdominal Injuries
An abdominal injury may damage internal organs and cause internal bleeding. Moistening the patient’s lips and tongue with a moistened cloth will make the patient feel much better. If the casualty’s intestines are flowing out of the abdominal cavity, protect them and keep them moist. Do not attempt to reset it – this will create problems for surgery after rescue. If no internal organs are exposed, the wound should be cleaned and dressed.
Head Injuries
A head injury is likely to injure the brain, and the wound may interfere with normal whistling and eating. Make sure that the root of the tongue is not pressed against the larynx, allowing for a smooth whistle. Remove any dentures or broken teeth that have fallen out. Keep bleeding under control. The awake patient can sit and lie down; the unconscious patient must lie on his or her side according to the reset if the neck and crest are uninjured.
Bandages
Triangular bandages should not be less than 1 m on the shortest side and have breathability. Used to make a sling, or folded into a wide bandage. Roll bandage and simple bandage, roll bandage is often made of gauze, but the use of stretchable crepe silk material bandage is more convenient to use, rarely loose, but also will make the pressure more even. Some parts of the body are not easy to wrap, so sticky gauze can be used, and for some people who are allergic to sticky gauze, bandages should be used to wrap and finally fixed with sticky gauze. All kinds of materials, especially fabric, can be used as simple bandages, but do not exert too much force, and do not strangle the muscles.
Bandage dressing
Sterilization bandages often consist of a raw cotton pad covered with gauze and attached to a bandage or adhesive tape. The pad must not be touched during manipulation, and the cleanest fabric is used as a temporary bandage. The raw cotton should not be used directly on the exposed wound to avoid attachment to the wound surface. When the bandage becomes moist, shrinks, or the wound does not twitch, it indicates that the wound is infected and should be replaced with a new bandage.
Simple dressing
The bandage should be moderate, firm enough not to slide, but not too tight to affect the blood or make the wound painful. Even if you use a temporary bandage, roll the bandage into a circle before bandaging, which is most convenient for operation and also helps to make the bandage flatter and more evenly bandaged.
Make the bandage tilt and turn while wrapping, and use the bandage with 2/3 of the upper bandage overlapping together and keep the edges of the bandage flat, tuck the end of the bandage to the lowest layer, then secure it with a safety pin or adhesive gauze, or tear the end and wrap it in the opposite direction and tie a flat knot far from the wound.
Hands: Starting at the wrist, the bandage covers the back of the hand, wraps around the fingers (exposing fingernails), across the palm, around the wrist, and repeats until the hand is fully covered, securing the bandage.
Foot: The bandage is also placed flush with the bare foot to prevent it from slipping, in a similar manner to the hand bandage.
Elbow or knee: The bandage is wrapped from the joint and then rotated up and down.
Upper extremity and thighs: the bandage is wrapped upward in a “figure 8” spiral, and when the bandage starts from the elbow or knee, it is also wrapped upward in this manner.
Bandages should not be tied together in knots. If bandages are not connected, tie the new one on top of the old one and secure it in place. Use a flat knot or bow that can be easily opened and kept outside to facilitate movement or dressing changes. The bandage should be checked regularly and should not be too tight. Beware if there are signs of bruising on the extremities, which indicate impaired circulation. The bandage should be wrapped around the depressed areas of the patient’s body such as the neck, wrists, crotch and knees.