Andy Schott - How to Care for Your Wound at Home

A wound is defined as a break in the skin usually caused by different types of trauma. It can be in a form of a cut, a stab, or a scrape. There are many types of wound which can be classified according to severity. Some wounds are severe enough that the patient needs to be brought to the hospital. Some are moderate in severity that the patient can care for it at home very carefully. And some are mild like minor scrapes which only needs to be cleaned and disinfected. Whatever type a wound may be, it is important that you know how to take care of it on your own. AllForOne HomeHealth presents us with tips on how to care for wounds. Whether you experienced a fall with moderate severity wound, or you just came home from the hospital, it is very important that you continue caring for it until it completely heals. We need to clean, disinfect, and protect the wound from risks of infection. For people with extreme wound cases, they can have the privilege of having a specialist care for them right at their own homes. AllForOne Home Healthcare provides services as such. Learning to do mild wound care by ourselves is easy. Here's how: First, you need to gather all the necessary materials to save time, energy, and effort. You're going to need the following: - Clean, running water - Antibacterial soap - Betadine - Antibiotic ointment - Sterile gauze pad - Sterile cotton balls - Bandage tape - Ice pack Here's the procedure: 1. Stop the wound from bleeding – In order for you to thoroughly clean the wound, you need to stop it from bleeding first. A more important reason is to prevent yourself from losing too much blood especially if you have a deep cut. Use a sterile gauze pad in applying pressure to the wound. If gauze is not available, use the cleanest cloth you can find. 2. Irrigate the wound with running water – You have to get rid of all the dirt and other particles on the wound and around the area. Running water is ideal to use because soaking the wound would not completely remove the particles. This also prevents infection. 3. Use Betadine to disinfect the wound – Betadine contains the active ingredient called Povidone-iodine which kills almost all kinds of bacteria. Use a sterile cotton ball in applying Betadine to the wound. Start from the center going outward in a circular motion. Do not let your fingers touch the area. 4. Apply Antibiotic ointment – spread some antibiotic ointment on the wound and around it to further prevent infection. 5. Cover the wound – Physically shield the wound from further trauma, infection, and dirt by applying sterile gauze or dressing over it. Use the bandage tape to secure it in place. This promotes wound healing too. 6. Apply cold compress – Once the wound is securely bandaged, you can apply an ice pack over it. Most wounds come with swelling and pain, applying cold temperature to it helps in minimizing swelling and giving great relief from pain. Check Allforonehhc.com for contact details to inquire about their home wound care service. Follow these steps in caring for your wound. It is also recommended that you consult a healthcare provider about your wound if in case it needs professional treatment. You can still stay at home without worrying going to a hospital or clinic. Andy Schott leads a team of medical professionals who makes your own home an alternative to hospitals or nursing home stays.