Bandaging Wounds

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Weedygarden

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I keep a bunch of bandaids, but they can be worthless for the simplest wound, if the wound is by a joint or a place where there is contact with clothing.

Not a big deal, but I went on a long walk, wearing sandals that I wouldn't normally wear for a long walk. The long walk was not planned, nor did I realize that I was going to be walking so far when I started. I was wearing Chaco sandals that have a sturdy rubber sole, and woven straps. We were going to an area to play in some water with dogs. The straps were wet and walking with them made a cut on the place with the most stress and rubbing, on the side at the base of my big toe. Part of the deal is that it is hot, summer, and I am house sitting for a few days. I didn't bring any other shoes. I often have a couple extra pair in the trunk, but I am trying to clean the car out and rebuild the supplies. So, I have my Chaco's, cuts on each foot, and worthless bandaids.

Bandaids are worthless. Actually, they are more of an annoyance. It occurred to me that it was good that I had this experience now, rather than in a time when I might have many miles to go.

I looked and evidently there are many videos and directions for how to deal with wounds. This one is specifically for a toe. I need more gauze for my first aid kit.
https://www.drjefflamour.com/blog/how-to-bandage-a-toe-properly

"Toe Bandaging: Our Step-By-Step Guide
So, let’s say you’ve hurt your toe. Whether you’ve banged it into a wall, bruised it in ill-fitting shoes, cut it against sharp gravel, fallen down the stairs, or had some other sort of accident, the basic guidelines are the same. Dr. LaMour and our team recommend that you:

  1. Press gauze into the injury to stop bleeding, if you are.
  2. Clean the area with water and antibacterial soap, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or another sanitizing agent to ensure the area remains sterile. You may also want to “spread on antibiotic ointment,” to continue treating the toe beneath the bandage, according to Livestrong.
  3. If necessary, put an appropriate adhesive bandage over any cuts or scrapes. This will help seal the open skin against bacteria.
  4. If your toe is bruised, inflamed, or appears at an odd angle, it may be broken or sprained. In this case, you should wrap sterile gauze around the toe and a healthy toe next to it, which will help keep it in proper position while it heals. Don’t wrap the gauze too tight, and leave the end of the toe exposed, to ensure proper circulation during healing.
  5. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting shoes and socks to accommodate the bandage and limit pressure on your injury.
  6. Change your bandages at least twice per day and monitor the condition of the injury. If it worsens, it is even more important to see Dr. LaMour immediately."
 
There is a reason that God invented Duck Tape and later "She" invented Gorilla Tape. A little folded clean paper towel, and Gorilla tape, will put some serious Woop'ass on any sissy bandages. After proper medical care is complete, one shot of fairly good tequila.....and the world is perfect. If not quite perfect after a 30 minute wait, a second shot of tequila, and nap is suggested.
 
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@Weedygarden the suggestion that @VirginPrepper has given is good advice. When I worked in a butcher shop if we had any knife cuts we would clean & disinfect them pop clean paper towel over the wound and tape it with electical, duck or gorilla tape and it worked a treat especially for really bleeding wounds even after pressure was applied. We of course would put a glove over the injured area too for food preparation.

We keep a lot of guaze squares in our medical stocks here and they come in very handy for multiple wounds and injuries.
 
@Weedygarden the suggestion that @VirginPrepper has given is good advice. When I worked in a butcher shop if we had any knife cuts we would clean & disinfect them pop clean paper towel over the wound and tape it with electical, duck or gorilla tape and it worked a treat especially for really bleeding wounds even after pressure was applied. We of course would put a glove over the injured area too for food preparation.

We keep a lot of guaze squares in our medical stocks here and they come in very handy for multiple wounds and injuries.
I have some gauze squares and rolls, but even though these cuts on my feet are not a big deal, it is worth knowing how to bandage any wounds correctly. I keep a bunch of bandaids in a small first aid kit in my purse, but they can be worthless. I am not going to carry a big roll of tape in my purse, but will in my car kit and in my regular first aid kit.

There are better ways to wrap wounds, depending upon location and I am trying to find good instructions on how to do that and what to use. These cut on my toes are not a big deal, except they could be if not taken care of well.
 
Super glue, I know it's not approved by the FDA for closing cuts but it works well. Amazon sells stuff made for cuts.
I buy a lot of medical supplies at the animal health store. Self Adherent Cohesive Wrap, the tape that sticks to itself, is a lot less there than in a drug store. Gause is also cheaper.
We have some band aids that are almost impossible to remove. They stick so strong you will pull the cut open trying to remove them. We do not use them any more. The nurse had a hard time removing one from my wife's toe after surgery and she said to never use one like that again.
 
Super glue, I know it's not approved by the FDA for closing cuts but it works well. Amazon sells stuff made for cuts.
I buy a lot of medical supplies at the animal health store. Self Adherent Cohesive Wrap, the tape that sticks to itself, is a lot less there than in a drug store. Gause is also cheaper.
We have some band aids that are almost impossible to remove. They stick so strong you will pull the cut open trying to remove them. We do not use them any more. The nurse had a hard time removing one from my wife's toe after surgery and she said to never use one like that again.
We must be buying different kinds of bandaids. I have bought bandaids in many places. I bought some before Christmas that were really good, but hard to find. Now I wonder if there is a recommendation by someone for better bandaids, or even the best type to buy. With the ones I have in my purse, a piece of duct tape or other type of tape is definitely needed to keep them attached. They can protect the wound, if they will stay attached.
 
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I have some gauze squares and rolls, but even though these cuts on my feet are not a big deal, it is worth knowing how to bandage any wounds correctly. I keep a bunch of bandaids in a small first aid kit in my purse, but they can be worthless. I am not going to carry a big roll of tape in my purse, but will in my car kit and in my regular first aid kit.

There are better ways to wrap wounds, depending upon location and I am trying to find good instructions on how to do that and what to use. These cut on my toes are not a big deal, except they could be if not taken care of well.
I like the new kind of adhesive tape they use now to cover gaze and keep it in place. Just bought some last week. You can make it as loose or tight as you like.

Also the non stick gauze is nice too.

I have done some major medical repairs on myself over the years.
The worst was when I tore and partially busted out about 10 of the 22 metal clamps I had after old fashioned C-Section,no bikini cuts back then. I laid on floor and pushed whatever it was hanging out ' maybe intestines or muscles ' back inside of me and taped it best I could. Had blood blouse up to my neck and sloshing in my shoes while carrying 2 babys and a 2 1/2 year old on a lease. We took a bus to hospital ,bus driver and passengers all freaking out.
Also set the bones in my toes the hard way then socking them back in joint. I went to doctor after a few days because my 1/2 of whole foot was black. He laughed and said I did a great job. Hubby ,cats and dogs all took off when I screamed though. Hubby telling me not to do it and something about me being crazy :D . I told him thats what they will do if I go to dr..

People now a days don't know how to do much in emergency situations.
 
I like the new kind of adhesive tape they use now to cover gaze and keep it in place. Just bought some last week. You can make it as loose or tight as you like.

Also the non stick gauze is nice too.

I have done some major medical repairs on myself over the years.
The worst was when I tore and partially busted out about 10 of the 22 metal clamps I had after old fashioned C-Section,no bikini cuts back then. I laid on floor and pushed whatever it was hanging out ' maybe intestines or muscles ' back inside of me and taped it best I could. Had blood blouse up to my neck and sloshing in my shoes while carrying 2 babys and a 2 1/2 year old on a lease. We took a bus to hospital ,bus driver and passengers all freaking out.
Also set the bones in my toes the hard way then socking them back in joint. I went to doctor after a few days because my 1/2 of whole foot was black. He laughed and said I did a great job. Hubby ,cats and dogs all took off when I screamed though. Hubby telling me not to do it and something about me being crazy :D . I told him thats what they will do if I go to dr..

People now a days don't know how to do much in emergency situations.
Oh My Goodness! You are one strong woman!
 
@Weedygarden you are right we should all know the correct way to dress wounds and I think most of us should take a first aid course to learn it. Here in Australia you can take courses through the local ambulance stations. You can also learn a lot by watching videos online from qualified doctors and nurses too. Their are also a lot of good information on medical sites online too on how to do first aid properly.

We tend to use the Bandaid tough fabric strips and found they tend to stick really well. I think you have to try out the different brands and when you find one that sticks well buy a whole heap of them as we do. The only problem is that they loose their stick after a while in storage so you want to stock up regularly but in small amounts that you will use.
 
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I spent a fair chunk of time out in the bush. I figured that I needed some advanced first aid training. I wound up taking an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) course. I did a refresher a few years later and got drafted by the local fire department. The time on the ambulance was the best first aid training that I can imagine and really honed my skills. If you can join a volunteer ambulance service you will make good friends and learn more than any single class can teach you. the big thing with ambulance service is the continuing education.
 
@Weedygarden the suggestion that @VirginPrepper has given is good advice. When I worked in a butcher shop if we had any knife cuts we would clean & disinfect them pop clean paper towel over the wound and tape it with electical, duck or gorilla tape and it worked a treat especially for really bleeding wounds even after pressure was applied. We of course would put a glove over the injured area too for food preparation.

We keep a lot of gauze squares in our medical stocks here and they come in very handy for multiple wounds and injuries.

Any recommendations by anyone for better soaps to use for wound washing or for a disinfectant?
 
I spent a fair chunk of time out in the bush. I figured that I needed some advanced first aid training. I wound up taking an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) course. I did a refresher a few years later and got drafted by the local fire department. The time on the ambulance was the best first aid training that I can imagine and really honed my skills. If you can join a volunteer ambulance service you will make good friends and learn more than any single class can teach you. the big thing with ambulance service is the continuing education.

Car you'd be a good person to have around in an emergency shtf situation. Your neighbors best be good to you too.
 
I knew a doctor that took wilderness first aid training classes. He said anyone could treat injuries with all the advanced medical support but in the boonies it was not so easy.
He used his training frequently. He was an avid hiker and spent almost all of his free time in remote places.
I also knew a doctor that went to Papua New Guinea every year for several months at a time. He said it was a challenge treating people there. His biggest problem was machete wounds. People would get attacked and have to walk for days to get help.
 
I knew a doctor that took wilderness first aid training classes. He said anyone could treat injuries with all the advanced medical support but in the boonies it was not so easy.
He used his training frequently. He was an avid hiker and spent almost all of his free time in remote places.
I also knew a doctor that went to Papua New Guinea every year for several months at a time. He said it was a challenge treating people there. His biggest problem was machete wounds. People would get attacked and have to walk for days to get help.

How terrible for those poor people. We don't realize how good we have it here.
 
@Weedygarden we carry around Dettol medical disinfectant that you dilute for wounds as well as your standard disinfectant ointment in our medical kit too and for things like cleaning out ulcers I use the salt water for cleaning and put betadine in the wound with a long medical cotton tips . For cleaning wounds I go with Sodium Chloride 0.9 % (salt water in ampules), we buy the 15 ml ampules, and use my wound dressing kits that come in a sealed sterile package. Just my nursing training in what I did whilst working. Salt water has antibacterial properties naturally anyway.

In case you don't have them in your medical kit or know what they look like this are fantastic kits to carry so you can tend to wounds anywhere and comes with a mat you can lay down to put your dressing kit on and has little compartments where you can put the salt water or betadine for wound cleaning or disinfecting by using the sterile tweezers -

wound dressing kit.jpg


These are not expensive to buy and I hope this helps.
 
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@Weedygarden you also want to carry steri strips or butterfly bandaids for closing large wounds such as incisions or as @backlash has said with machete wounds too. This is an alternative to stitching wounds and will hold them together so that you can keep treating them to stop infections. In an emergency you can also use your bandaids by cutting them in strips or alternatively your ankle or injury strapping tape.

steri strips.jpg
 
@Weedygarden we carry around Dettol medical disinfectant that you dilute for wounds as well as your standard disinfectant ointment in our medical kit too and for things like cleaning out ulcers I use the salt water for cleaning and put betadine in the wound with a long medical cotton tips . For cleaning wounds I go with Sodium Chloride 0.9 % (salt water in ampules), we buy the 15 ml ampules, and use my wound dressing kits that come in a sealed sterile package. Just my nursing training in what I did whilst working. Salt water has antibacterial properties naturally anyway.

In case you don't have them in your medical kit or know what they look like this are fantastic kits to carry so you can tend to wounds anywhere and comes with a mat you can lay down to put your dressing kit on and has little compartments where you can put the salt water for wound cleaning by using the sterile tweezers -

View attachment 11173

These are not expensive to buy and I hope this helps.
Thank you. I am going to look for something similar here. I remember using betadine when my daughter was in the neo-natal nursery.

I have tweezers in my big first aid kit. I had a small purse sized manicure kit that had tweezers in it that I lost recently. It was a nice kit, leather with a zipper closing. I need to replace or re-create it. It was something I used almost every day, especially the nail clippers and the nail file.

I am home now and found a box of bandaids that are better. I put them on and they stay on. I am going to change out the bandaids in my purse first aid kit. I have been wearing my sandals and the bandaids are staying on. These are clear bandaids, and that is not the important part, but these are definitely superior. I came across clear bandaids in the discount bin at the grocery store. I have found many good quality first aid items in the reduced bin, making them half price. I have liquid bandages that I got in one as well. For this location, liquid bandages won't be a good idea.

I have gone to the drugstore and just looked at first aid items to see if there are items that would be good to have. Having a well developed and stocked first aid kit can add up.
 
@Weedygarden Betadine is what doctors recommend to have in our medical kits here. If you go online and look up first responder or survival first aid medical kit you can set up your medical kit from looking up their contents. I just put mine in a large plastic tool box with a plastic insert at the top but you can also use the cantilever tool boxes. Needless to say it is far cheaper to set your own kit up rather than buy one as you have said you can get most of your first aid items in clearance bins. Another cheap way to get first aid kit supplies is to look online and a lot of the medical supply companies that supply hospitals will sell to the public too or your local chemist will usually give you a good discount if you buy by the box too. I order things like wound dressing pads etc in boxes so we always have them here and I have backups once things are used in my medical kit.
 
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Having a well developed and stocked first aid kit can add up.

I have totally redone my (while outside of the cabin) first-aid kits. They were pretty much "Boo-Boo" kits. Now there is zero stuff for boo-boo. Now everything is for massive soft tissue damage (being a bear nibbled). Each kit now has (2) Two or (3) Three tourniquets, at least (2) Two 6" (Battlefield Type) compression bandages, hemorrhage arresting (Quick Clot), (5) Five feet of "Gorilla" Tape, etc..
 
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I have totally redone my (while outside of the cabin) first-aid kits. They were pretty much "Boo-Boo" kits. Now there is zero stuff for boo-boo. And everything is for massive soft tissue damage (being a bear's chew-toy). Each kit now has (2) Two or (3) Three tourniquets.
Do you also have sutures and needles to close the wound? And can you do that without numbing?
 
Anyone prepping for a (long lasting) SHTF event. Should figure someone on their team could experience a gunshot wound, or gaping knife wound. You got a "Kit" for that......???
 
Anyone prepping for a (very long lasting) SHTF event. Should figure someone on their team could experience a gunshot wound, or gaping knife wound. You got a "Kit" for that......???

Are you asking a question in relation to my question? :confused:. I'll answer your question and answer is no. No kit but do have salt, fishing line and needles if things get real that can be used in a pinch. :) As mentioned earlier I can make do for temp fix, long term not so sure.
 
Do you also have sutures and needles to close the wound? And can you do that without numbing?

Yes, I have three sizes of sutures. I will be crying and sniveling, and screaming, when not cussing at a level to blush a sailor.
 
Remember "Maggots" can be both entertaining and a lifesaving friend, they only eat dead, rotting and putrid flesh off your body. Always good to have spare bodies handy.

Good "Educational" Movie suggestion (for adults only) "The Survivalist".
 
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Remember "Maggots" can be both entertaining and a lifesaving friend, they only eat dead, rotting and putrid flesh off your body. Always good to have spare bodies handy.

Good "Educational" Movie suggestion (for adults only) "The Survivalist".


Thats right also we use to use leeches to Take away excess blood. Our local drug store pharmacist had them for the occasional black eyes and such. And that was in Atlanta Ga. back in the 50s.
They had chalk too for heartburn ,pregnant women use to chew on it. It came in about 4 inch blocks.
 
I have a bunch of sutures, but it would have to be a life or death situation before I used them. Working in a hospital had its benefits. Outdated supplies are not necessarily bad just not usable in a hospital. A lot of that stuff is not returnable to the supplier so it goes into the disposal bin.
I have clotting gauze and tourniquets in several kits, including my range bag and my boat.
As for prepping for the long term event I don't think I would actually survive long term. Too old and not mobile enough, also I will not abandon my family and they are not medically able to last a long time. Sad but realistic truth.
I have read that leaches are used still today to increase blood flow to limbs that have been severed and reattached. Especially fingers. Sometime the old ways were good.
 
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