Learn about how to care for a wound, self-help treatment options, medication and when to seek medical help

What is a wound?

Wounds may refer to any type of damage or breakage of the tissues of your body. A wound may break the surface of the skin, but it can also occur without breaking the skin. 

What are the possible causes of this condition?

Most wounds are caused by direct physical injury to your body. This may include accidents like burns, cuts, falling-down, or intentional wounds like surgery and piercings. Some diseases may cause you to develop wounds more easily.

Skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis make the skin more fragile and prone to breaking down.

Diseases like diabetes can lead to  poor blood circulation and numbness or loss of sensation, which makes it more difficult for you to notice if they have hurt yourself.

What are the possible types of wounds?

Wounds can include, but are not limited to the following:

• Abrasions
• Bites
• Bruises
• Burns
• Cuts
• Incisions
• Lacerations (deep cut or tear in skin)
• Punctures
• Skin tears
• Sprains
• Stings
• Ulcers

What can I do to treat wounds?

Some wounds require treatment by a healthcare professional. Other wounds are minor in nature and can be self-treated. Minor wounds can be treated in the following ways:

For burns please refer to this separate article.

For insect bites and stings, please refer to this separate article.

For bruises and sprains:

• Apply a cold compress to the area for 15 to 20 minutes each time, three to four times a day for the first 48 - 72 hours
• If possible, raise the injured area above the level of the heart
• For sprains and swelling with a bruise, put an elastic bandage around it to compress the area. Take care not to wrap the bandage too tightly to avoid cutting off blood circulation
• Take a painkiller such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or naproxen if necessary to manage pain
• Rest the affected area as much as possible
• For bruises, you may consider applying remedies containing Heparinoid to aid in healing

For small cuts, incisions and abrasions:

• Cleanse the area with clean water or normal saline to remove any foreign particles
• Apply an appropriate dressing and firm pressure to the wound area to stop the bleeding if necessary
• To reduce the risk of infection, apply an antiseptic cream or solution to the affected area. DO NOT APPLY ALCOHOL ON BROKEN SKIN as it can lead to unnecessary pain and delay wound healing.
• Examples of possible antiseptics include:
  • Chlorhexidine solution
  • Octenidine 
  • Chlorhexidine cream
  • Chloroxylenol 
  • Povidone Iodine
• Cover the wound with a suitable  dressing to reduce pain and prevent bacteria from entering the wound site
• The dressing should be able to keep the wound site moist, but not overly wet, in order to give the best possible chance for the wound to heal without scarring 
• Do not try to dry the wound with baby powder. Powder can cause irritation and introduce bacteria into the wound
• Do not apply medicated oil into the wound. Medicated oil will further damage the tissues in the injured area and delay wound healing

When do I need to see a doctor?

Although minor wounds may be treated without a doctor’s consultation, there are times where the condition might be more serious. 

• If the wound is large or complicated. This includes but are not limited to:
  • Lacerations or loss of limb(s)
  • Wounds over a large area (more than 10%) of the body
  • Gaping wounds
  • Wounds where muscle, bone or fatty tissue can be seen
  • Wounds which have blood spurting from it
  • Deep puncture wounds
  • Animal bites
  • Burns which are more severe than a second degree burn/partial thickness burn
  • Wounds that cause severe pain, numbness or an inability to move the body part(s) affected by the wound
  • Wounds with visible dirt or other foreign materials (e.g. splinter) stuck inside even after washing the wound

Even if your wound is minor, you are still advised to see a healthcare professional if you have the following conditions:

• A history of diabetes
• Diseases that weaken your immune system (e.g. cancer, HIV)
• Have not had a tetanus vaccination in the past 5 years

Even if your wound was initially minor, do also seek a doctor when the following occurs:

• The wound shows no signs of improvement after more than a week has passed
• If signs of infection are observed, such as:
  • fever
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • pus
  • increasing or spreading redness around the wound area
  • swelling around the wound area
  • warmth and pain around the wound area which is worsening

What else can I do to manage this condition?

In addition to the steps mentioned above, here are a few more tips which can help to ensure that your wounds heal quickly and without scarring:

• Keep the wound clean and covered to prevent it from becoming infected
• Consume adequate nutrition to ensure that your body has sufficient resources to heal itself
• Quit smoking
• Refrain from over-exerting or putting pressure on the wounded area
• If you have diabetes, ensure that your blood sugar is well controlled

Disclaimers

"This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

The content above is solely for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or supplement, or adopting any treatment for a health problem."