Types Of Wounds
Different wounds an overview
The most common everyday injuries are mechanically caused minor traumatic wounds. If they are not too large, they can easily be attended to with a plaster. Mechanically caused wounds vary as to the type of injury and can be defined as: cuts, stab wounds, contusions, lacerations, abrasions, bites and burns. A special kind of mechanically caused wound is a surgical cut with subsequent suture.
Different wounds
Cuts: upon acute violent impact (e.g. while cutting bread, onions or tomatoes), often bleeding and have slightly dehiscent wound edges.
Stab wounds: (e.g. while sewing) upon pointed violent impact, small surrounding wound area. On suspicion of deep penetration of the injury, medical examination is needed to establish possible damage to body cavities underneath, e.g. joints, abdominal region etc.
Contusions: blunt violent impact (e.g. while closing a door) leave irregular, frazzled wound edges and haemorrhage into subjacent tissue. Tendency to scar formation. Large-scale contusions need professional medical attention to improve healing prognosis.
Lacerations: (e.g. while sawing) upon over-expansion and straining of tissue elasticity leave irregular, jagged wound edges, often-decelerated wound healing and a tendency to scar formation. Larger lacerations require surgical clean cutting of the wound edges and closure via sutures.
Abrasions: (e.g. after scratching the skin) are usually harmless but often contaminated abrading of the upper skin layers. Larger abrasions are very painful since the injury extends to the many fine nerve endings subjacent to the skin.
Bites: (e.g. a dog bite) are potentially infected. They can result in serious infections caused by various micro organisms and require medical attention in all cases.
First degree burns: first degree (superficial) burns affect only the epidermis. The burn area is red, slightly swollen, painful, dry, and without blisters. Mild sunburn is an example. Long-term tissue damage is rare and usually results in a change in the skin colour.
Second degree burns: second degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of the skin. Often scald injuries or flames cause them. The burn appears red, blistered, swollen and painful
Third degree burns: third degree (full thickness) burns destroy the epidermis and the dermis and may also damage the underlying subcutaneous tissue, bones, muscles and tendons. The burn site appears white or charred. There is no sensation in the area since the nerve endings are destroyed.
