Use what you have on hand. Once the bleeding is under control, you can clean the wound or help the person get treatment from a doctor.

This will keep you and the victim from sustaining further injuries while you treat the wound.

If you’re in the woods or away from running water, you can pour water from a water bottle over the wound.

Small debris (gravel-sized or smaller) can be removed with tweezers. [4] X Research source

If you don’t have an antibiotic ointment, you can apply petroleum jelly to the wound until you can get proper care. Use steri-strips to pull the edges of the wound together, which can help it heal faster. If the bleeding is severe and you’re worried that the person may lose a serious amount of blood (or lose consciousness), skip this step and move directly on to stopping the blood flow.

If the wound is located in an area that cannot be elevated above the heart—e. g. , on the stomach or back—ask them to lie down.

If the victim was wounded in the woods (or if you do not have a First Aid kit), you’ll have to improvise. A lightly soiled cloth is better than nothing, so use a towel, a shirt, or a pair of socks.

The pressure may cause some discomfort to the victim. If it’s seriously painful, though, you’re probably pressing too hard.

Never remove a cloth that you have already applied. It’s crucial that the victim’s blood begins to clot and stop the bleeding. If you tear away a layer of gauze, this could re-open the wound.

Adipose tissue is a yellow, fatty layer under the skin. It looks like round little yellow bubbles.

Redness, swelling, and skin around the wound that’s hot to the touch Discolored swelling in areas near the wound Pus mixed with blood draining from the wound An odd smell coming from the wound Severe pain from the wound Fever

In the case of rusty metal, the doctor may ask the victim when they received their last tetanus booster. If the wound is clean and they received a shot in the last 10 years, an additional shot might not be necessary. However, if the wound is particularly tetanus-prone, the victim may need a shot regardless. [14] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source

If bandages become dirty or absorb blood at a fast rate, the victim may need to visit the doctor again.