When dressing a wound, you can't pick any bandage you fancy. You have to choose the right one. This is because every injury has a specific bandage for it. Wounds can only heal properly when the proper dressing and plaster are used on them. This article takes a look at how to choose different bandages for your wound. Read on.
Types of Bandages
The purpose of a bandage is to keep a dressing in place for limb support, keep a limb in place, bleeding control, and reduce swelling.
Two main types of bandages are:
Roller bandages
Triangular bandages
Band Aid
The roller bandages are for dressing support and limb support. Triangular bandages are used as slings to support an injured arm, shoulder, or wrist. They are usually large. It can also restrict limb movement if folded as a broad fold.
Applying a bandage to a minor wound
Minor cuts:
For minor cuts, the best type of bandages is strip bandages.
You can use the Band-Aid strip bandage for minor wounds such as small cuts and abrasions. You can apply it to the affected part by removing the wax paper at the back and use the non-sticky side over the wound.
For finger and toe wounds:
The best bandage for finger and toe wounds is the knuckle bandage. It's designed so that the wings go between the finger or toes while the non-sticky part covers the injured area. This type of bandage is excellent for finger and toe wounds because it protects the wounded area even when moved frequently.
For slices and cuts:
A butterfly bandage is excellent for slices and cuts because it's specifically designed to keep a cut closed. To apply, peel off the backing, set the sticky parts on cut sides while the non-sticky center rests on the wound.
For minor burns:
Types of bandages to use for minor burns are adhesive bandage and gauze. How do you identify a minor burn? Symptoms like swelling, slight pain, or redness accompany it. First, to protect the affected area, use a sterile non-stick gauze to cover the burn before applying the adhesive bandage to hold the gauze in place.
For blisters:
Blisters may not be serious wounds, but when left exposed, they can cause skin irritation. To prevent this, use a moleskin bandage. It comes with a space at the center. You'll place this center above the blisters. Then use a strip bandage to hold the moleskin in place.
Serious wounds:
Serious wounds are accompanied by heavy bleeding. Therefore, you'll need padded gauze to absorb the blood and then a bandage to keep it in place. One of the best bandages to use for severe wounds is the pressure bandage. Features of this bandage include a heavily padded gauze with a thin gauze that's quite long. The padded gauze is located at one end of the long strip gauze. To apply, place the padded part over the wound, then use the long strip gauze to wrap around the injured part to keep it in place. Another bandage to use for a severe wound is the triangle bandage. It helps keep a dislocated or broken bone in a place. To use it, fold the bandage to a rectangular shape and tie the ends to make a sling. Use it to support a bone or splint.
For second-degree burns, you'll have to use gauze rolls. When wrapping the gauze around the wound, ensure it's not tight to avoid applying pressure to the burn. Then hold in place with a tape.
For deep cuts, use tensor bandages. Tensor bandages are thick bandages that help minimize heavy bleeding that happens as a result of deep cuts. After applying a sterilized gauze to the cut, use the tensor bandage to hold it in place.
Key things to know about using a bandage
Bandages are not meant to stop bleeding but to hold a wound dressing. You cannot put a bandage over a wound that has no dressing. Doing that will only increase the bleeding and could even cause wound infection. Most bandages come with dressing. But it's better to have a separate sterile dressing to place on the wound.
Don't bandage too tight:
Making a bandage too tight will not only discomfort the injured person, but it could also cause more damage to the wound. It would also restrict blood flow. But the bandage shouldn't be loose either, so the wound doesn't get exposed.
Using a bandage for dislocations:
Asides from using bandages to hold wound dressing, you can also use them to support broken bones or dislocations. It's helpful to support and secure fractured bones, eye problems, dislocated arm, or mother internal injury.
When using bandages for dislocations, you don't need to use dressing. But note that not all bandages are used for this purpose. You'll need a special bandage for this purpose. Examples of bandages to use include triangle bandages, bandage tape, or t-shape bandages. This will help keep the dislocation in place until you see a doctor.
Seeking proper attention:
You can only apply bandaging on a minor wound and as a first-aid measure to a severe wound. Ensure you take the injured person to see the doctor after the first aid treatment. How do you know a serious injury? A bandaged wound that causes unbearable pains 24 hours after and has not begun its healing process needs medical attention. Also, if there is a loss of skin and the wound width is more than 3cm, you should see a doctor.
Clean wound before bandaging:
It's ideal for cleaning a wound before applying a bandage to remove all debris and forms of bacteria. First, remove the debris by using gauze before using water to wash it away. If you use water first, you run the risk of leading particulates into the wound, and this could cause infection. The next step is to use water and soap or a disinfectant to clean the wound. After cleaning, pat dry and apply an antiseptic cream before putting on the dressing and bandage.