How to treat wounds from falling on a bike? Treatment of wounds from a bike

Many novice drivers in Bali face the "asphalt disease" in the first days and weeks of driving. This is due to the novelty of riding a bike, the peculiarities of local "intuitive" driving, and left-hand traffic.

What to do if you get into an accident? How to treat yourself?

Let's consider it step by step. And most importantly, stay calm!

What needs to be done immediately after you have been in an accident and have a wound. These first steps in wound cleansing will protect it from infection and contribute to faster healing.

Chlorhexidine (Minosil, Minosep); Miramistin is not sold in Indonesia, but you can use its analog - chlorhexidine, which is stronger than Miramistin, so it needs to be diluted.  

Betadin

Treat the area around the skin with an alcohol solution, and after that, apply a non-alcoholic antiseptic inside (hydrogen peroxide, Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Betadine, or Rivanol).

Apply antibiotic powder to the wound. This will reduce the likelihood of complications and extend the time before seeking medical attention. If you have Baneocin (Nebacetin, Enbatic Powder), simply sprinkle its powder onto the wound.  

If you have antiseptic ointments with you, apply them. You can use Levomekol, Gentamicin (Garamycin, Kalmicetine), Neomycin (Cinolon-n), Syntomycin (Kalmicetine, Ikamicetin).  

At this point, basic first aid is complete. The next step is to decide whether to go to a doctor or treat yourself.

Remember that if you ride a bike, it would be good to have a small first aid kit in your luggage, which can help you in critical situations. Assemble the following items in your first aid kit:

Carry at least a small bottle of drinking water with you at all times.

Always carry a first aid kit with you. After all, even if you are a good driver and nothing happens to you, you can always provide first aid if you see someone else in need.

Next, you need to see a doctor if the wound is deep. You can self-treat if the wound is superficial and without complications.

Superficial wounds only affect the skin, have a small size and depth. Wounds with smooth edges and minimal bleeding. They can be self-treated if there are no complications.

Complications include increased pain, swelling, redness, elevated temperature, pulsation in the wound area, and enlargement of lymph nodes. If any complications arise, seek medical attention. The doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics, anti-inflammatory tablets, and more serious treatment in case of complications.

Deep wounds are injuries involving muscles, major blood vessels, large foreign bodies, extensive bleeding, or associated with fractures.

If you have insurance, call your insurance company and ask to be directed to a hospital covered by your policy.

If you don't have insurance, go to the hospital depending on how urgently you need help and the proximity of available hospitals. Here is a list of hospitals by district.

The doctor will provide you with recommendations for treating your wound based on its characteristics, your overall health, and the medications available in Bali. Follow these recommendations as closely as possible.

After the initial wound treatment described earlier, continue dressing the wound until it is cleansed and starts to heal. Gradually reduce the frequency of dressing changes until they can be stopped altogether.

If there is pus and infection, your goal is to ensure that the wound is cleansed. Do not let a pus-filled wound dry out. Beneath the scab, there might be pus causing an infection that can spread to larger areas of the body. Do not attempt to heal an inflamed, infected wound initially. First, achieve wound cleansing and infection elimination.

If you don't have Levomekol, it can be replaced with Indonesian analogs - ointments containing chloramphenicol (Kalmicetine, Ikamicetine, Chloramfenicort).

However, Levomekol is preferable because chloramphenicol in its composition kills microbes, while methyluracil promotes regeneration. If you don't have Levomekol or other medications with chloramphenicol, you can use Banosin (Nebacetin, Tracetin, Tigalin, Enbatic Powder) by applying it to the wound.

Typically, when treating purulent wounds, patients are prescribed a course of antibiotics. Consult with a doctor to recommend a suitable antibiotic and determine the duration of the course based on the severity of your wound.

If your wound has cleared, and there is no more pus, you can treat it in two ways - dry and moist. There is no definitive opinion on which method is better.

Official medical advice often leans toward drying the wound to form a scab. The scab will cover your wound, preventing infection, while a moist wound may need to be covered.

However, some advocate for moist wound healing, claiming that if you don't let the wound dry out and use wound-healing agents, it will heal faster and leave a smaller scar.

Let's consider both methods, and you can decide for yourself or under the guidance of a doctor you trust.

Why saline solution and not water? Because its salinity is similar to that of blood, and the cells in your tissue are not affected by contact with it, so unlike rinsing with water, it is not painful.

Under the layer of cream, granulation tissue will appear first, which will be replaced by connective tissue, and the wound will heal.

If the condition of the superficial wound worsens and complications arise (increased pain, swelling, redness, elevated temperature, pulsation in the wound area, and enlarged lymph nodes), do not delay and consult a doctor immediately. They can choose an alternative treatment method suitable for your condition.

When leaving the house, it's better to protect a newly healed wound from the sun. If the new skin is exposed to sunlight, it may darken quickly, and a dark spot may remain for a long time (possibly several years).

Remember that the speed of wound healing depends on the overall protective forces of your body. If your body is weakened, you have a low immune system, or the likelihood of diabetes – wound healing will be slow. Take immune-boosting supplements and adhere to a healthy diet.