Knowing how to take proper care of a wound is important. You never know when you might be in a situation where you or someone you love is unexpectedly injured. If you know how to properly handle a serious wound, you may be able to protect yourself or someone else from bleeding out or suffering even more while on the way to the hospital for medical assistance.

Use Some Pressure

When you're injured, you may not like the idea of applying pressure to the wound because then it might hurt a bit more. However, using some pressure on the wound is more important than you might realize. It's the best way to put a stop to the bleeding. If a wound is too deep or a major artery is injured and exposed, you could start losing tons of blood at a time. Losing too much blood could cause you to feel lightheaded. You might even pass out. It's not safe to lose too much blood because then you might even need a blood transfusion.

Not sure how to apply pressure correctly? Always try to use something you know is clean, such as a towel or cloth. Press down firmly on the wound with the towel or cloth while trying to put a stop to the bleeding. If you don't have a cloth or towel available, us the next best thing, which may be a shirt, jacket, or other piece of clothing. You may experience some serious discomfort when applying pressure to the wound, but this is just one of several steps you'll need to follow to protect yourself after such an injury.

Take Pain Relieving Medication

Once you have something covering the wound, consider taking a pain reliever, such as Tylenol or Advil. Most people experience some pain when wounded, so taking a pain reliever before you leave to go to the hospital or urgent care center would be the best way to get some relief while you wait. You can't predict how long it's going to take to receive treatment at the hospital, so trying to relieve some of your pain before you head out the door is a wise decision to make.

Get to the Hospital or Urgent Care Center

Make sure someone takes you to the hospital or urgent care center. Don't drive on your own because your injury could negatively impact your driving. If you don't have someone to drive you, call a cab or an ambulance depending on the severity of the wound. Once you get to the hospital or urgent care center, a medical professional will examine the wound and determine the next course of action, which may include stitching up the wound, performing a surgery, or even prescribing antibiotics for you to take to prevent an infection.

It's crucial to know what to do if you or someone you know ever ends up seriously wounded. You should start by immediately applying pressure because you want to put a stop to the bleeding. After applying some pressure, take a pain relieving medication and make your way to the hospital or an urgent care facility, like Elkhorn Foot and Ankle Clinic PLLC.

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