Bandaging Basics

Choosing and applying dressings and bandages for wounds

Step by Step

Cover wounds with a sterile or clean non fluffy dressing held on by a bandage firm enough to stop bleeding but not so tight it cuts circulation. Anchor roller bandages with a turn and secure with tape or a knot away from the wound. For joints, bandage in figures of eight so the joint can still bend. Tubular and triangular bandages make slings for arm and hand injuries. Check fingers and toes beyond the bandage: if they go cold, pale, numb, or tingling, loosen it. Change soaked dressings by adding fresh ones on top rather than removing the first layer. Never put adhesive tape all the way around a limb. Keep dressings clean and dry, and seek advice if a wound soaks through continuously despite pressure.