What does wound care and dressing treat?

A clinician may assess and dress cuts, grazes, tears, punctures, surgical wounds and some burns. Care can remove visible debris, rinse the wound, control minor bleeding, place an appropriate sterile covering and check the surrounding skin. A dressing can absorb fluid, keep a wound from rubbing against clothing and provide a barrier while new tissue forms. The choice depends on the wound's depth, location, cleanliness, drainage and whether its edges need to be joined. Wound suturing may be considered when a cut is deep or its edges remain apart.

Keep the covering clean and follow the advised schedule for changing it. Wash your hands before touching the dressing, avoid picking at a scab and protect the area from repeated friction. Do not apply creams, antiseptics or household materials unless a clinician has advised them. Check for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, drainage or worsening tenderness. People with diabetes may need closer review of a foot wound; a diabetic foot ulcer needs more than routine home dressing.

Seek urgent medical assessment for bleeding that does not settle with firm pressure, a deep or gaping wound, loss of movement or sensation, an embedded object, or a bite from an animal or person. Get prompt advice if fever, spreading redness, pus, worsening pain, red streaks or an unpleasant smell develops. A burn involving the face, hands, genitals or a large area also needs medical assessment. Do not delay care because a wound is covered.

Ask which dressing to use, when it should be changed, how long the wound should stay covered, whether you need a tetanus review and which signs mean the wound needs another examination.