When we hear the word “first-aid”, sometimes an image of person all wrapped up in bandages come to mind. So when should you apply a bandage?
Some people would ask if it was really necessaryto perform a bandage on a wound. Why do they ask? Because for bleeding wound, priority goes to stopping the bleeding first. However, there are advantages of applying a bandage after stopping a bleeding.
Firstly, bandaging is usually used as a secondary treatment – to hold a pad or gauze that was used. Secondly, it limits exposure of the wound to the surrounding, thus lowering the risk of wound infections. Now, aren’t these good reasons to apply a bandage?
So here is an emergency tip on bandaging:
EMERGENCY TIP:
- First, stop bleeding with gauze or pad while applying direct pressure.
- Once the bleeding has stopped, get a crepe bandage (the elastic type) of the right sizefor the body area i.e. you need a smaller crepe bandage for areas like the hand and a larger crepe bandage for places like the thigh or abdomen.
- Make one round, securing one end of the gauze first.
- The continue to go round covering the gauze completely.
- Ensure that the whole gauze is covered by the crepe bandage.
