Wounds

Bleeding

• A wound is an injury to the skin and soft tissue beneath caused by an accident, by any sharp or blunt object.
• The skin acts as a barrier keeping out infection, it carries blood vessels to warm and nourish the skin and it carries nerves and sweat glands.
• Any damage to the skin threatens the body as the barrier is broken and infection can enter the body very easily.
• According to their nature of cut wounds can be classified as
• Open when there is a break in the outer layer of skin.
• Closed when there is damage but the skin is still intact.

Types of wounds

1. Bruise A bruise is a mark on the skin caused by blood trapped under the surface.
   • It happens when an injury crushes small blood vessels but does not break the skin. Those vessels break open and leak blood under the skin.
   • Bruises are often painful and swollen. Bruise can be of skin, muscle and bone.
   • Bone bruises are the most serious. It can take months for a bruise to fade, but most last about two weeks.
   • They start off a reddish color, and then turn bluish-purple and greenish-yellow before returning to normal.
2. Abrasion- in this type of injury the outer layers of skin is scraped away. Bleeding is not usually severe, but as the skin is broken, you should take special care to taken clean the wound.
3. Incision- cut, often from a sharp object. If the incision is deep then the underlying layers of tissue, muscle and fat may be damaged. There may be profuse bleeding.
4. Laceration refers to a skin wound with separation of the connective tissue elements. Unlike an abrasion a wound caused by friction or scraping, none of the skin is missing the skin is just separated. A cut is typically thought of as a wound caused by a sharp object such as a knife or a shard of glass. Cuts and lacerations are terms for the same condition.
   • Avulsion-Part of the skin tissue is folded back or torn away completely. As an avulsion may involve deeper body tissues the bleeding could be severe.
   • Puncture wound these injuries occurs when a sharp object piercing of the skin with a pointed object. Because the skin will often close around the object bleeding may not be severe. If the object is still embedded DO NOT removes it.
     Management
5. Manage bleeding
6. If bleeding is severe call an ambulance