First Aid Tips: Cuts and Abrasions
Based on a module
by Fred Mednick from the Connexions website’s Health Education
Course
Introduction by Dr. Don Rose, Writer, Life Alert
--
This brief article gives useful advice on how to handle cuts and abrasions, which
are often the byproduct of falls. Falls are unfortunately quite common among the
elderly, so this article is of particular relevance to those 65 and older. --Don Rose
--
HANDLING CUTS
Here are the main steps for dealing with cuts on your body:
- Cleanse area thoroughly with soap
and warm water, carefully washing away any dirt.
- Apply direct pressure to wound until
bleeding stops.
- Put sterile bandage on wound.
- If cut is deep, get to a doctor
as quickly as possible.
HAHANDLING ABRASIONS (SCRATCHES)
Now here are the main steps for dealing with abrasions:
- Wash thoroughly with soap and warm
water.
- If it bleeds or oozes, bandage it
to protect it from infection.
SISIGNS OF AN INFECTED WOUND
Attending to a cut or abrasion fast will help prevent infection.
However, sometimes an infection can still occur; here are the main signs to look
for:
- swelling
- redness
- pain
- may cause fever
- presence of pus.
If a wound is infected, or you just think it might me, get medical attention right
away.
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The article above
is covered by a Creative Commons
Attribution 2.0 License.
The information provided is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate.
However, while Life Alert always strives
to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent
accuracy. Readers are encouraged to review the original article, and use any resource
links provided to gather more information before drawing conclusions and making
decisions.
Dr. Don Rose
writes books, papers and articles on computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology,
and issues related to seniors.
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