Help yourself: take care of wounds yourself - technology and aids

Created: 10/30/2022, 07:00

By: Laura Knops

You can treat small injuries and wounds at home without any problems.

What is important in first aid in everyday life. 

It doesn't matter whether it's cooking, hiking or gardening - in everyday life there can always be small injuries and scrapes.

But if you accidentally cut your finger or open your elbow, you usually don't have to go to the emergency room right away.

Small wounds can be treated at home with the right tools without any problems.

What you have to consider and which first aid measures everyone should know. 

Help yourself: treat wounds yourself

Minor injuries - whether due to carelessness or simply clumsiness - can occur again and again in everyday life.

When the time comes, however, you should be prepared.

So it is important to keep a cool head and be able to react appropriately even in tricky situations.

A well-stocked first-aid kit is one of the most important items in the household.

It contains everything you need for first aid. 

A well-stocked first-aid kit should be found in every household.

© Zerbor/Imago

The basic rule for wound care at home is: keep calm and assess the situation correctly.

If the wound is bleeding profusely or if the injury is major, it is advisable to see a doctor as soon as possible.

On the other hand, you can easily treat smaller wounds yourself. 

Clean and disinfect wound

Even taking the first few steps shortly after you injure yourself can have an impact on wound healing.

Before the wound is disinfected or bandaged, you should therefore first thoroughly clean the injury.

Only wounds that are heavily soiled need to be rinsed.

To do this, hold the affected area under lukewarm, clear tap water for a short time.

Painful burns can also be relieved with running water. 

If the wound is free of dirt and foreign objects such as broken glass or small stones, you should apply a wound disinfectant.

Bacteria and germs have no chance to spread in the damaged area.

Basically, even small injuries always need a plaster.

Because the risk of germs getting into the wound is simply too great.

Rubbing clothing also prevents wound healing.

In the case of larger injuries, a correspondingly larger wound dressing such as a sterile compress or gauze bandage should also be used. 

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Help yourself: The first steps are crucial for wound healing

Depending on the type of wound, various measures must be observed:

• Abrasions

  : After a fall, the uppermost skin is often chafed.

  This is usually very painful because many nerve endings are exposed.

  However, if the abrasion is thoroughly cleaned, it usually heals quickly and without scarring.

  Larger injuries can also be covered with an adhesive bandage or a sterile compress.

• Cuts

  : They are among the most common injuries in everyday life.

  But although the wounds often bleed profusely at first, they usually heal well.

  A band-aid is the best way to protect cuts from the ingress of germs and bacteria.

• Lacerations

  : These wounds have an increased risk of infection.

  Lacerations should therefore always be treated by a doctor.

  Along the way, you can fix the injury with a sterile compress.

• Bite wounds

  : Because these types of wounds are caused by animals, sufferers should check their tetanus vaccination status as soon as possible.

  Pathogens can quickly get into the wound via the saliva and cause serious infections.

• Burns

  : Minor burns may be relieved with cold water.

  However, if larger areas are affected, you must consult a doctor.

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Minor wounds, bruises and bruises can be treated well with home-made healing ointments made from local herbs.

Large or deep injuries require immediate medical attention.

But even with smaller wounds, the earlier the injury is treated professionally, the faster it can heal.

If the wound turns red, swells or suppurates after a while, this can indicate an infection.

If injuries also take weeks to heal, this is a case for the doctor.