A wound is an injury that breaks the skin or other body tissue.

Wounds can be open, with broken

skin and exposed body tissue, or closed when there is damage to tissue under intact skin.

Nearly everyone will experience an open wound at some point in their lives, but the level of
severity will range significantly depending on the type:

 Penetrating wounds

o Puncture wounds

A puncture is a small hole caused by a long, pointy object, such as a nail

or needle wood splinters, pins, nails, and glass. Sometimes, a bullet can
cause a puncture wound. Punctures may not bleed much, but these wounds
can be deep enough to damage internal organs. If you have even a small
puncture wound, visit your doctor to get a tetanus shot and prevent
infection.

o Surgical wounds and incisions

A cut made through the skin and soft tissue to facilitate an operation or
procedure usually made by a scalpel during surgery that vary in length.

Example: CS incision , laparotomy incision and circumcision

o Thermal, chemical or electric burns

is a skin burn that happens when electricity comes in contact with your
body.

Example: Scalds from steam vapor

o Gunshot wounds, or other high velocity projectiles that can penetrate the body

o Bites and stings

 Blunt force trauma

o Abrasions

An abrasion occurs when your skin rubs or scrapes of layer of the skin
against a rough or hard surface. There’s usually not a lot of bleeding, but
the wound needs to be scrubbed and cleaned to avoid infection.
 Example: galos mula sa pagkakadapa o pagkakangodngod dahil sa
kalalaro lola na sa may parting tohod at siko

o Lacerations

A laceration is a deep cut or tearing of your skin.

Example: Accidents with knives, tools, and machinery or the skin was
jagged by a sharp edge from broken glass or bottle are frequent causes of
laceration.

o Skin tears

A skin tear is a wound that happens when the layers of skin separate or
peel back. Skin tears occur in those with fragile skin, including neonates
and more frequently in the elderly.

Example: As the skin ages, pathological skin changes occur, such as:
thinning and flattening of the epidermis; loss of collagen and elastin; and
atrophy and contraction of the dermis, causing wrinkles and folds to
appear. Decreased sebaceous gland and sweat gland activity causes the
skin to dry out, while arteriosclerotic changes in the small and large
vessels causes thinning of vessel walls and a reduction in the blood supply
to the extremities.

Closed wounds are often caused by blunt trauma, and though the injured tissue is not exposed,
there can be bleeding and damage to underlying muscle, internal organs and bones.

Major types of closed wounds include:

 Contusions (bruises) –

Occur when a direct blow or repeated blows by a blunt object strike part of the
body, crushing underlying muscle fibers and connective tissue without breaking
the skin. A contusion can result from falling or jamming the body against a hard
surface.

Example: black eye

 Blisters (paltos)
 a small bubble on the skin filled with serum and caused by friction, burning, or
other damage.

 Seroma – a fluid-filled area that develops under the skin or tissue that develops after
surgery

 Hematoma – a blood-filled area that develops under the skin or tissue (occurring when
there is internal blood vessel damage to an artery or vein)

 Crush injuries occurs when force or pressure is put on a body part. This type of injury
most often happens when part of the body is squeezed between two heavy objects.

 Concussion - A bump, blow, or jolt to the head.

Example: Motor vehicular accident

Chronic Wounds 
 

1. Pressure Injuries - Also known as bedsores, pressure sores, or decubitus ulcers, these wounds
cause when there is a pressure and/or shearing force on the skin. The people who are more prone
to these chronic wounds are with limited mobility due to any medical illness or unable to walk,
move all or part of their body to a different position.

2. Diabetic Ulcers - These ulcers generally occur on the feet and are a result of changes to
nerves and circulation in the body caused by diabetes. It includes Neuropathic, Ischaemic, and
Neuro-ischaemic.

 Wash hands – Before treating or applying any first aid treatments to an open wound, it’s
important to wash your hands first. This helps keep the wound clean and prevent
infection.

 Stop the bleeding – The next important step in wound care is to stop the bleeding. For
deep wounds like lacerations and avulsions, it’s the utmost priority to stop the
hemorrhage to prevent hypovolemic shock, which is potentially fatal. Apply gentle
pressure with a clean cloth or bandage. Elevate the wound until the bleeding stops.

 Clean the cut or wound – After making sure the wound has stopped bleeding, rinse the
wound with clean water for about five minutes. Make sure dirt and debris are removed.
You can clean the wound with soap and water.
 Disinfect – To prevent infection, apply a topical antiseptic.

 Dress the wound – Cover the wound with a sterile gauze pad with dressing and secure
with adhesive tapes. However, for minor scrapes or abrasions, you can leave the wound
uncovered.

 Refer to a physician or hospital – If the wound is deep and there’s heavy bleeding, refer
the patient to a physician or bring them to hospital. Deep wounds that bleed heavily may
require more intensive treatment such as suturing or other surgical procedures.

 Watch out for signs of hypovolemic shock – For patients with heavy bleeding, always
look for the signs of hypovolemic shock, including palor, cyanosis or clammy skin, weak
and rapid pulse, irregular breathing, and weakness.