A dressing serves as a wound protector against infection and can stop light bleeding. It shields fresh wounds from the outside and, depending on the type of dressing, performs other tasks in the healing of wounds and other injuries.
What is a dressing?
Dressings are applied externally to various injuries as wound protection. It is germ-free material that performs many functions depending on the type of injury. Bandages are applied externally to various injuries as wound protection. It is germ-free fabric that performs many functions depending on the type of injury. The simplest bandages are for open wounds. They are used on injuries or after surgery to shield open or healing wounds from germs and allow them to heal in protected space. One possible form of these is pressure dressings, which are applied to freshly bleeding wounds to stop bleeding more quickly. The dressing also makes it possible to shower after surgery, for example, if it is waterproof. However, bandages can also support and stabilize as well as immobilize limbs. In this case, it is no longer a classic wound dressing, but a dressing in combination with a splint. The dressing forms the outer layer of the construct and protects the splint and the affected body part from dirt from the outside, because splints and similar applications usually have to be worn for a long time. A bandage is often made of gauze, but can also be made of other fabrics – depending on the intended use.
Function and effect
There are many uses for bandages, from small wounds to stabilizing broken bones. The simplest dressings are used in wound treatment. Small, closed but fresh wounds can be bandaged for days to protect them from germs. For the application of ointments, which are gradually absorbed, bandages are used for wounds as well as joints, which are then removed. Wounds that are freshly stitched, for example, from injury or from surgery, also remain bandaged for a few days for germ-free healing. Fresh wounds may be treated with pressure dressings to stop bleeding or contain it until the injury can be sutured in the hospital. Pressure dressing is a common first aid tool in traffic accidents. Complex bandages are used for sprains, broken bones, joint diseases, and other conditions where a joint needs to be immobilized or splinted. The splint is used for weeks at a time, and without the dressing for protection, it would either interfere or become soiled over time. The dressing is a protective covering to the outside and prevents both. In addition, it makes it possible to cope relatively normally in everyday life during the period of wear, since such bandages are often waterproof and can therefore be showered with if not directly exposed to water. Bandages are also sometimes worn in sports to support certain parts of the body and prevent sports injuries. Similar support bandages are prescribed to stabilize ailments of bones, joints and muscles. A common use is for back problems such as a herniated disc or overstretching of the back muscles due to pregnancy, poor posture or dislocation during sports. Bandages are also used to allow long-acting ointments to be absorbed. Some ointments have to be absorbed into the skin for hours, releasing their active ingredient in a controlled manner over a long period of time. However, since this can be impractical for everyday use, the affected area is bandaged with a gauze dressing that is tight to the outside. The bandage ensures that the ointment can remain on the skin overnight or for hours during the day, for example, and does not interfere.
Risks
Dressings are comparatively harmless and do not pose any major risks. However, the longer they are worn, the more likely they are to become soiled or deformed over time, so the attending physician should keep an eye on them. Wound dressings are usually worn only for days at a time. Depending on the severity of the wound, they may need to be changed in between. Open, weeping wounds that may also have a wound healing disorder and therefore do not heal for a long time are particularly difficult. In these cases, the dressing may dry out in the wound fluid and then have to be removed again – but this can be easily prevented by frequent changes.Wound dressings must absolutely be sterile, as they lie directly on the wound for days and germs would thus have the best living conditions. Dressings applied in the hospital are certainly sterile. Care should be taken with pressure dressings and those applied at home, as it is possible that individual germs can sneak in through the environment in which the dressing was applied. Bandages that stabilize a splint can become soiled or cause pressure sores if worn for a long time. Padding the splint with absorbent cotton or replacing it if this does not improve the pressure points can be a good solution. Heavily soiled dressings must be changed at worst, as they pose a hygienic risk. Very stable bandages can, of course, also cause restrictions in motor function and thus in independence in everyday life. Bandages on the extremities in particular often mean that their wearer can no longer write, walk without aids or dress themselves alone. However, the limitations caused by stable bandages are short-lived.
