It may not be a pleasant thought, but there will come a time when you may injure yourself and need to know how to dress your wound. Although you may know the different types of wound dressings and when to use them, it is still possible to make errors during the dressing process that worsen the injury. Here are several common mistakes to avoid when dressing a wound.
Underestimating the Wound
One common mistake to avoid is underestimating how serious your wound is. If it looks like you have damaged a vein or artery, or if you have a fever, nausea, or chills, you should seek medical attention. These are indicators of a more serious injury and require professional care.
Not Washing Up
Another common mistake to avoid when dressing a wound is not washing your hands with soap and water first. After all, you don’t want to spread any contamination that may be on your unclean hands into the wound.
When you do care for the wound, make sure that you clean it as well. You can rinse it under water for a few minutes and wash around the area of the cut with soap, but do not let the soap get inside. You do not want to irritate the wound further.
Leaving Your Cut Exposed
It is also critical that you do not leave your wound exposed. After all, you want it to heal as quickly as possible, and you will not help matters by leaving it exposed to bacteria and germs that could slow the process. Keep it covered unless a medical professional recommends a different course of action.
Using Household Remedies
You should also avoid using household remedies to treat a wound. You can use petroleum jelly or Neosporin to keep the wound clean and moist. You can always check with your physician to see if an alternative remedy might help you, but make sure you go with the tried-and-true options first.
After you avoid these mistakes, you will be on track to heal and return to normal soon. You need your body to feel its best, so make sure you take care of it!
