Wounds can be defined as any injury that breaks body tissues, especially skin. However, the term wound, covers a wide category, from crippling and sometimes fatal injuries, to something as minor as a papercut.
This raises the question of how to know if a wound is serious, or requires a trip to the hospital. We’ve probably all had a minor wound at some point in our lives, but sometimes it’s not easy to tell how bad something is.
It also makes us wonder how to treat wounds that don’t require a hospital visit.
We’ll talk more about minor wounds, what they are, and how to treat them in the paragraphs below.
What Is a Minor Wound?
A minor wound can best be classified as a small cut. A scratch or scrape can also count, but the word ‘wound’ often implies that the injury drew blood.
In most cases, you don’t need to go to the hospital for a minor wound. However, there are a few exceptions.
If you’ve been bitten by someone or something or were wounded by a rusty or dirty object, go to the hospital. This is especially true if you haven’t had a tetanus shot in the past decade.
If you are wounded in the face or genitals, go to the hospital.
The face is home to the Vagus and some other Cranial nerves. These nerves carry out most of the functions of our face, like sight, taste, and smell. They’re also very sensitive to pain.
If the wound appears especially deep, is difficult to close, or you have been skewered by something or hit with a projectile, go to the hospital.
1. Wash Your Hands
Most of the things you need to treat a minor wound can be found in the average first aid kit. If you need to refill first aid supplies, we can point you to a few resources.
The first step is to wash your hands. Treating the wound will do you no good if you expose it to germs while doing so.
2. Try to Stop the Bleeding
When your hands are clean, grab some gauze, cotton balls, or clean tissues and put pressure on the wound. This helps stop bleeding because it keeps blood from escaping the wound. With the more blood trapped in the body, it becomes easier for the blood to bind together and clot faster.
3. Clean and Disinfect
Once you’ve washed your hands and gotten the bleeding under control, it’s important to clean the wound. You might want to start with soapy water. This will wash away any dried blood left on your skin and help clean the wound.
Soap and water isn’t enough, though. To be safe, it’s best to apply antibiotic ointment or rubbing alcohol to kill any bacteria in the wound. The last step is to apply a bandage or wrap.
How to Treat a Minor Wound
Minor wounds happen, and most of the time a minor wound is easy to treat. We’ve talked a bit about how to treat them in this article.
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