First aid for knife wounds: definition, types of injuries, rules and algorithm of actions

Everyone should know and be able to provide first aid in case of injury with a knife. If you know the simplest rules and the algorithm for conducting initial assistance, then a person can save a life, even in a very serious situation. Regardless of where exactly the damage was caused, the main thing is how the first aid will be provided with a knife wound. First of all, you need to pull yourself together and not to panic.

Why is a knife wound dangerous?

If it happened that a person was injured with a knife, then others should help him hold out until the ambulance arrives, it is advisable to get rid of fear of blood and serious damage to soft tissues, and do everything possible to save the victim.

The fact is that the wound can be of a different nature, for example, a cut, it can just look horrific, since very soft tissues are damaged and a lot of blood flows, but such a cut is not as bad as a puncture wound with a small hole.

Let us consider in detail how the first aid is provided with a knife wound.

Types and classification of knife wounds

All wounds inflicted by a knife can be divided into such types as:

1. Chopped wounds. Meet much less often. They are applied with a pointed object, damaging soft tissues and tendons. The wound in this case can be gaping and open.
2. Stab wounds. They can be small, but very deep. Such knife stabs can harm organs that are inside. Dangerous if bleeding opens.
3. Puncture wounds come with jagged edges and are dangerous if they have been applied to the chest or abdomen.
4. The cut wounds, as a rule, are not so deep and damage only soft tissues.

For any injury, you must be able to properly provide first aid and wait for the team of doctors.

Basic algorithm of actions

The person who was next to the victim should first call an ambulance or, if the first-aid post is too far away, take the victim to his hospital in his transport. This will help to gain time. Assessment of the environment plays a major role, because it is on this basis that it will be easier for a person to navigate and choose the right algorithm for their actions. Then you must do the following:

1. Assistance should be provided in any condition, regardless of whether the affected person is conscious or not. In the case when the victim is in an unconscious state, he should not be tried to bring to consciousness.
2. In an unconscious state, it is necessary for the victim to throw his head back and turn it on his side, so that normal air passage to the lungs can be ensured, and if vomit is suddenly present, they will not clog the airways
3. When a knife sticks out of some part of the body, it is by no means worth removing it, on the contrary, in this case it can serve an important role in preserving the life of the victim. The fact is that in this condition a person will not have severe bleeding, which can be fatal. In this case, first aid for penetrating knife wounds may consist in the maintenance of 500 mg of Dicinon and 2 ml of Novocaine. It is important to remember that drugs are administered as close to the edges of the wound as possible.
4. If the knife is not present in the wound, then it is necessary to lay the victim on a flat surface so that the wound is accessible. The legs of a person should be slightly raised, so you can put a roller or a folded jacket under your knees.
5. By the type of blood, the nature of the bleeding can be estimated. If it is scarlet, then it is arterial bleeding, and if the maroon color is blood flowing from the wound, we can talk about venous bleeding.
6. First aid for knife wounds is to stop bleeding. Arterial bleeding is stopped by clamping a damaged vessel. Experts say that you can pinch the wound directly with your fingers, and as soon as the bleeding stops, stay in this position until help arrives. The fact is that arterial bleeding is characterized by a huge loss of blood, because it beats almost like a fountain.

Further actions should be carried out by medical workers who arrive at the scene.

What to do with a knife wound in the neck?

In the case when a wound occurred precisely in the neck, it is worth acting quickly. First aid for a knife wound to the throat is as follows:

1. It is necessary to tilt the victim’s head in the direction where the cut is located, while the head should be pressed to the shoulder as much as possible. These actions will help reduce blood loss.
2. Then you should raise your hand, which is located on the opposite side of the wound on the neck.
3. The wound should be closed with a dressing napkin, but it may not always be at hand, so you can do with a piece of tissue.
4. A napkin or piece of cloth must be bandaged to the shoulder.
5. If injured in the Adam's apple, it is necessary to pierce the trachea so that the victim can breathe. As a rule, such actions are performed on the trachea, which is located below the Adam's apple. A tube must be inserted into the wound, which will be open from two sides, so that it will be possible to ensure the flow of air into the lungs.
6. If there is no fracture, and the cartilage has moved aside, then the main task of the person who was near the victim is to allow the person not to suffocate. For this person, they sit and lay on the man’s knees, who provides assistance.
7. The victim's head is thrown back and inflicted four blows on the forehead with an open palm. Such strokes help bring cartilage back into place.

How to help with a knife wound to the chest?

As a rule, a knife wound in the chest has a deep penetration, it is more than 4 cm. First aid for a knife wound to the chest is as follows:

1. First of all, it is worth pushing the edges of the wound to see the bottom of the damage, since the entrance wound may be small.
2. In no case should you stick your fingers inward so that you can measure the depth of the wound; on the contrary, you can expand it even more.
3. If the patient has a cardiac arrest, then you can lightly hit with a fist edge in the region of the left nipple. After such manipulations, it is necessary to feel the pulse in a person.
4. When the wound is too deep, blood bubbles begin to inflate from it, then you should firmly press your hand to the wound, it is desirable to close the wound with polyethylene and tightly wrap it with a bandage.
5. If the wound is open, and there remained an object that caused the wound, then it can not be reached.

The victim must be laid on a flat surface and wait for the ambulance to arrive.

What to do if the heart muscle is damaged?

Proper first aid for knife and gunshot wounds gives the victim a chance to live. Even with serious injuries to the region of the heart, a person can survive, but only if the people who are next to him act correctly.

A wound in the region of the heart is very dangerous, so immediately a person should ensure complete peace, he should not move. Do not try to get an object that sticks out of the wound, because in this way you can only make it worse. It is advisable to fix the object in the wound, for this an adhesive plaster or bandage is ideal.

If the item is removed from the wound, then it is worthwhile to use your finger to try to pinch the hole from which the blood flows. Then all actions must be carried out by medical personnel.

How to deal with injuries in the abdominal cavity?

First aid for a knife wound in the stomach can be completely different, it all depends on whether important organs were hurt or not, but in any case, the algorithm of actions should be as follows:

1. It is imperative to disinfect the wound, since infection occurs when it is wounded.
2. To treat the wound, any antiseptic that is at hand is suitable, it can be vodka or alcohol.
3. Shock can occur from severe pain in the patient, so the person’s skin and face can become very pale. But in no case do you need to relieve pain with the help of narcotic analgesics.
4. It is necessary to put cold in the wound site.
5. If there is a prolapse of the abdominal organs during a knife wound, then they cannot be set back, it is necessary to put cotton wool at the edges, and cover the organs themselves with gauze. To fix the organs, a wide bandage is used.

It is important to remember that it is not allowed in this state to give anything to the victim, it is even forbidden to take medications through the mouth.

What to do in case of a back injury?

If the back of the chest and lung area are damaged, you must act immediately and clearly. The wound, which is located in the central part of the back, may indicate damage to the spinal cord, so a person can observe paralysis and numbness of the whole body. First aid for stab wounds consists of the following actions:

1. The victim must be placed on the stomach, if the object is inside the wound, then it should not be taken out, if the object is not there, then it is advisable to stop the blood flow.
2. It is important to prevent infection of the wound, as this may lead to meningitis in the future, so the edges of the wound will need to be closed.
3. You need to wait for an ambulance.

All actions should be carried out clearly and without panic, if the victim is conscious, then you should talk to him and distract him before the doctors arrive.

What to do in case of soft tissue damage?

The first medical aid for a knife wound in the wrist is to reduce blood loss as soon as possible, therefore it is necessary to close the wrist with the lapel of the shirt or press the hand firmly against the chest. If the cut occurred in the area of ​​the fingers or the rear of the hand, then a piece of any tissue should be clamped in a fist and blood flow reduced.

If the wound was in the area of ​​the elbow, then the wound should be pulled and clamped in the elbow.

What is forbidden to do with a knife wound?

Medical care must be provided as correctly as possible, therefore, prohibited methods must also be considered:

1. Do not set organs.
2. It is forbidden to remove an object from the wound channel.
3. In no case can you make dressings on the dropped organs and squeeze them, it is also not allowed to put direct cold on the wounds.
4. In case of a wound in the stomach, the patient is forbidden to feed or drink.
5. You can not use ointments or creams, especially since it is not allowed to fall asleep in the wound of various medications.

It is important to remember that even a minor wound to the arm or leg, where there are no vital organs, can be life-threatening, so the first honey is properly provided. help with a knife wound increases the chances of life.

What are the features of the treatment of stab wounds?

Any medical assistance to the victim includes stopping the bleeding. If you want to not only stop the blood, but also treat the edges of the wound, then you need to use disinfectant solutions, hydrogen peroxide is suitable for this, in no case should you use alcohol, since you can cause burns to unprotected tissues.

As soon as the victim enters a medical institution, he will be provided not only first aid with a knife wound, but also qualified assistance from experienced doctors who can stop the bleeding, perform an operation to remove the injured item, and carry out antibacterial therapy.