Wounds, if not treated properly, can cause infections and other adverse effects. Hence, it is important to learn first aid to immediately clean the wound and prevent infections.
Caring for wounds depends on the size, severity, and affected area. Minor cuts and scrapes usually don’t require medical attention aside from cleaning, sanitizing, and covering the wound. However, close observation for infections is still encouraged.
For injuries like lacerations, however, immediate care and medical action are of utmost importance. Perform first aid on laceration by following these steps:
- Wash your hands with water and soap.
Washing your hands is always the first step to cleaning a wound. You don’t want any traces of bacteria to enter your open injury. - Stop the bleeding.
Put pressure on your wound by pressing on the wound with a clean bandage. Elevate the injured limb until the bleeding stops. - Clean the wound.
Washing the wound with soap and water removes any debris that might have gotten stuck in there. Never use hydrogen peroxide and iodine directly on the injury. Only use these if you’re cleaning the surrounding areas of the wound. - Apply antibiotic cream or petroleum jelly.
To keep the wound moist and speed up healing, apply ointment or petroleum jelly. This also prevents scarring.
After you have done the steps above, go ahead and go to an urgent care center near you, such as Progressive Urgent Care – Castro Valley.
Our medical clinic in California can immediately take care of your injury and provide you with further care and assessment, especially if your injury requires stitches.
To learn more about first aid and urgent care, our medical services in Castro Valley, California, are always ready to help. Visit us anytime.
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