Emergency Dressings
About Emergency Dressing
When it comes to first aid and accidents, you can never be too prepared. This is when learning about emergency dressing comes in handy. Be it something minor or a grave situation, you are equipped to deal with it in the best possible way.
Today, there are so many of us who don’t know about basic first aid. Perhaps, we have never come across a situation where we needed to know it. However, the bigger question here is, why wait until one arises? It never hurts to be prepared and can save someone’s life with a little essential knowledge. This is the reason why knowing about first aid, dressing and primary medical education is vital. It helps to be there in the initial moments to prevent the damage. The collective knowledge here is that the help the patient receives in the first few minutes can make or break the situation. Even in the best counties today, paramedics can take some time to reach.
Different types of emergency dressing equipment that everybody should know about
A little presence of mind along with basic first aid knowledge goes a long way in a tricky situation. It could be anything – a little one may fall while playing; someone at home gets a cut or burn while working in the kitchen. Or it may also happen that someone in your surroundings sees an injury. Whatever the case, it is possible to help them out only when you know what to do. When it comes to cuts and wounds, the basic kit involves some cotton, gauze or emergency dressing, an antiseptic and bandages. With this, you can control the bleeding, as excess blood loss can make the person unconscious. You can follow this up with some water or juice, making the person stay calm, all while waiting for help to arrive.
First aid dressing
Options such as the Quikclot bleeding control dressing fall in this category and are a part of every first-aid kit. It is not tricky to use them, and some quick know-how is all that you need. If you notice a wound or an injury that is not very deep, then this one is the best way to control it. It all starts with washing the damage with cold, clean water. Next, cleaning of the wound happens to avoid it from being bandaged with dirt inside, which can settle and cause more damage. So, learning how to control the cost in such a scenario is very important. The process is straightforward, and any layperson can do it perfectly. However, the minute points to keep in mind are vital.
Compression bandage
Popular as the elastic bandage, an emergency compression bandage is an essential part of every first-aid kit. You can easily buy it from a nearby pharmacy and keep it at home so you can quickly use it when you need to. This one is not to stop bleeding or heal a wound but is mainly for internal pain. A situation such as muscle injury or a twisted foot or arm can benefit from using the compression bandage. Again, it’s not a permanent fix, but just until you can get a doctor to look at it. It is also used in hospitals; however, make sure the doctor does to dressing. This one is stretchable and should be comfortable yet snugly wrapped around the affected area. It helps to reduce the flow of blood to the area, making it less likely to develop swelling.
Interactive products
Hydrogel dressings, semi-permeable film dressings, alginate dressings etc., all fall into the category of interactive products. With this emergency trauma dressing, the semi-permeable film is a transparent kind that doctors use for smaller wounds. It allows water and air to enter within and is both elastic and flexible. The doctor does not have to open the dressing always as its transparent. This way, inspection is possible with the dressing on the skin. The method is a better way to treat wounds than manual wound debridement in an operation theatre. This type is mainly possible for injuries with low discharge amounts.
Passive and bioactive dressing
Dry wounds are commonly assisted by using passive dressing. This type can also be used as a secondary layer over the primary dressing, to be extra safe. However, in case of excess discharge, the bleeding control gauze can end up sticking to the affected area and be painful to remove. Thus, regular changes are essential. The main aim of this one is to prevent any bacterial infection. They are best for smaller wounds. Bioactive, on the other hand, is useful in the treatment of chronic and acute injuries. Today, there are plenty of biomembranes, skin substitutes, and scaffolds that are used to help the healing of wounds through different mechanisms.
Tips on how to buy Dressing or Bandages
Keeping first aid products at your home, office and even in the car is a must! Always keep bandages and cotton in your purse or briefcase, too, if you end up in a situation. Alternatively, someone else travelling with you could be fit with this factor also. While any pharmacy will be happy to set up a basic kit for you, there are some tips to make sure you buy the right emergency dressing.
- Know the purpose of each type – Understanding how and when to use a particular kind of bandage is crucial. For example, using an alcohol-based cleaner will prevent a wound from healing quickly, while Topical sodium hypochlorite can be toxic to capillary networks.
- Check its ease of application – Make sure you fill your kit with the natural and more common type of dressing that you can use without needing medical equipment. Ordinary gauze, cotton and most bandages are a good idea. If you do want other stuff, learn about using them first.
- Make sure it works with the necessary components – Hydrocolloid is excellent for burns, Alginate is suitable for discharge, Hydrogel is for extra fluids and infected wounds while collage dressings work for bed sores and chronic wounds. Knowing the primary uses is vital when it comes to using them.
- Understand what NOT to use – If you are not sure, don’t use it. It is better to leave to would as it is than using something that you don’t know will help the situation. For example, using sodium hypochlorite will damage the capillaries and topical antibiotics increases the resistance of specific bacterial strains. Using products with streptokinase can cause loss of sensation.
- Research and then some more – Medical knowledge is a general category, and it takes years to practise. Even if you want to be good at first aid, it is not easy. So, make sure you do a course with a reputed hospital or institution and be assured of every step you take in treating the patient. Proper research is the best way to get to know more.
- Ask your doctor – Your doctor can help with doubts and impart knowledge in what to do in simple scenarios. Again, it’s best not to do anything if you aren’t sure, as it can make it worse. Simply help the victim reach the hospital as soon as possible.
Understand the importance of wound cleaning, which is the basis of proper first aid. Without this step, you cannot move on to emergency dressing. Also, doing it wrong is worse than not doing it at all. So, a course to help you learn about it is a good start. Always remember that the dressing should be 1-2 inches longer and broader than the wound its covering. If you are not a paramedic, make sure to get immediate patient assistance, even if the dressing is complete.
Question & Answer
Which are the best adhesive bandages?
Israeli pressure bandages are the most common when it comes to using the right type of dressing. However, coming to home use, for most minor cuts, the adhesive bandage is a great choice. This one has a small patch that goes directly on the affected area, and the strip easily sticks onto the skin. Some of the best ones are – Band-Aid Flexible Adhesive Bandages, McKesson Performance Bandage Adhesive Fabric Strip, Dynarex Adhesive Fabric Bandage, All-Health Antibacterial Sheer Adhesive Pad Bandages, Hansaplast Universal Water-Resistant Strips and Ever Ready Adhesive Bandages.
How do you take care of a burn?
The very first few steps in treating a burn are critical and are the crucial point to make it heal faster or make it worse. To start with, cool the burn – use a gentle stream of water to stabilise it. Don’t use ice or cold water. Make sure the area is free of clothing, rings or any other elements. If you see any blisters, don’t touch them. Once the skin settles, use a lotion of gel-like aloe to provide relief. Apply a thin layer; however, don’t rub it in. Use a sterile gauze bandage to wrap the area; however, use it very gently. The affected not be completely closed, but it’s just to avoid dust from settling on it. Pain can be given to the patient at this stage. Call paramedics and notify them of the issue or get to the nearest doctor.
How do you use a bandage for a cut?
Cuts and scrapes are frequent. However, when it comes to a serious one, some essential first-aid tips and presence of mind can help to make it better. Start by washing your hands and use clean gauze or any cloth to apply pressure on the wound. Don’t press too hard, but just enough to stop blood from flowing out. This should take a couple of minutes. Use fresh water to clean the wound. Using tweezers, you can remove any debris or particles that are on the injury. After that, an excellent antibiotic ointment will help to remove any bacteria and soothe the area. A rolled gauze or bandage is the next step, but if the cut isn’t intense, leave it open. Change the dressing every day for the first few and then alternate days. See a doctor and get a tetanus shot if you need to.
Where can you buy emergency dressings online in the UAE?
There are several good pharmacies in Dubai from where you can buy emergency dressing, including safety kits. It is easy to have one with all the necessary and essential supplies that you require. You can also check out Shops.ae if you haven’t as yet. This one is a terrific product search engine with more than 500+ stores under it, making it one of the biggest in the Middle East! With Shops.ae, you can never end up making a bad deal. Brands such as NAR, Tacmed and H&H Medical are some of the best names when it comes to emergency dressings. Also, find other health & beauty products here.