Open bleeding wounds are a common form of injury, and everyone gets them at one point or the other. There are different types of open bleeding wounds depending on the cause as well as the extent of bleeding. These range from abrasions and punctures to deep cuts and avulsions. Abrasions and punctures, for the most part are minor and can be treated with a wide range of home remedies.

Deep cuts, say from machinery accidents and avulsions (this refers to the tearing away of skin and tissue due to violent trauma such as vehicle collisions and gunshot wounds) bleed heavily and rapidly. As such, home remedies are not effective in the latter case, and are recommended for open wounds with minimal internal damage.

cuts-and-bruises

As a general guide, the first and most important thing to do when you have an open bleeding wound is to try and stop the bleeding. This not only prevents blood loss, it also helps prevent infections. The rate of bleeding is largely dependent on the severity of the injury. For wounds with minimal bleeding, natural remedies are available to reduce the bleeding and speed up the healing process. Open bleeding wounds that are deep, or that have extensive bleeding require immediate medical attention as they may require sutures. Lastly, seek your doctor’s advice if you have concerns about the wound you have and the healing progress.

1. Clean The Wound:

Time Required: 30 Min
What You Need: Warm water, mild soap, bandage, gauze pad/bandage, and petroleum jelly (optional).
Difficulty: Easy

 

The first thing to do, even before applying natural remedies is to clean the wound to get rid of dirt and debris. Left unattended to, the dirt could easily introduce infections at the site where the skin is broken. Use mild soap to cleanse the skin before using a gauze/bandage to stop the bleeding by applying pressure on the wound. Petroleum jelly is added to this remedy in order to create a protective layer around the wound as well as enhance the healing of the scab.

Directions:

  1. Use sterile bandage to clean the wound using warm water and soap before rinsing well.
  2. Dab the wound dry using a clean washcloth.
  3. Apply pressure to the wound using gauze or bandage in order to reduce the amount of bleeding. Make sure the gauze/ sticky ends of the bandage do not come into direct contact with the wound as this is likely to cause irritation and delay the healing process.
  4. Remember to change the bandages every day as well as to allow air circulation.
  5. At bedtime, you may apply a protective layer of petroleum jelly to prevent infections. This is also helpful because it reduces the likelihood of you picking at the scab.
  6. Once you have cleaned the wound, you may proceed to use any of the other remedies.

 

2. Raw Organic Honey:

Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: Raw organic honey (preferably Manuka honey).
Difficulty: Easy

 

The use of honey as a traditional remedy for the natural treatment of open bleeding wounds can be traced back to ancient times. To-date, this is an effective choice because of the honey’s antimicrobial properties. These healing properties enhance the rate of healing and effectively decrease the size of the wound. More specifically, the honey’s acidic nature lowers the pH of the open wound so that it heals faster. Take advantage of honey’s healing properties to treat open bleeding wounds.

NOTE: Manuka honey (sourced from New Zealand) is generally preferred because it is more potent and has very strong anti-inflammatory properties which come in handy in wound treatment.

Directions:

  1. Simply apply a thin layer of the raw honey and allow it to remain on the skin. The honey dries the wound, effectively keeping infections at bay.

 

3. Cayenne Pepper:

Time Required: 10 Min
What You Need: Cayenne pepper and sterile bandage.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Cayenne pepper has long been used to treat skin conditions in Asia, and this has made it an ideal home remedy for the management of open bleeding wounds. Cayenne pepper works because it aims to equalize blood pressure. When this happens, the amount of blood flowing to the wound reduces over a period of time, effectively allowing for a blood clot. Other benefits of using cayenne pepper include its antibacterial and antifungal properties which go a long way in preventing the wound from becoming infectious.

Directions:

  1. Simply apply the cayenne pepper directly on the cleaned wound and spread it using sterile bandage.
  2. Alternatively, add 1 tablespoon of the powder to warm water, stir and drink. Note however, that this second option does not work as fast as the topical application.

 

4. Aloe Vera Leaf:

Time Required: 15 Min
What You Need: Aloe vera leaf and sterile cotton wool.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Aloe vera, like cayenne pepper has been used as a natural home remedy for varying skin conditions among them, open bleeding wounds. The gel extracted from the aloe vera leaf allows the skin to regenerate faster, while providing healing for quick relief. It is worth noting that the gel is both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial in nature, making it a reliable remedy for pain relief and infection management within the wound. The advantage of using aloe vera is that it is both easy to prepare and works for cuts, scrapes and wounds.

Directions:

  1. Clean the leaf prior to gel extraction to eliminate the topical dirt and debris found on it.
  2. Cut the leaf at an angle to increase the surface area of gel production and ease its collection.
  3. Once you have collected enough of the gel, soak some cotton wool in it and proceed to dab on the clean wound.
  4. Allow the aloe vera gel to dry on its own to speed up the healing process.
  5. Use this remedy twice daily until the wound is completely healed.

 

5. Calendula:

Time Required: 30 Min
What You Need: 1 Teaspoon of calendula herb (dried), 1/4 cup of warm water, strainer, and cotton wool. You may also use the dried calendula flowers in 1 cup of water.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Calendula is considered a reliable natural remedy for the treatment of open bleeding wounds, thanks to its ability to enhance the growth and generation of skin cells as well as improving the metabolic process involving collagen synthesis. This herb is also able to allow for the contraction of the wound, effectively healing the wound. There are two ways in which you can use calendula herb: prepare a tincture or boil the dried flowers to prepare the remedy as indicated in the steps below.

Directions:

Preparing calendula tea using tincture:

  1. Place 1 teaspoon of calendula in the warm water.
  2. Let the mixture boil for 10 minutes and then turn off the heat and allow to cool.
  3. Strain the tea and drink when cooled.

Preparing calendula tea using dried flowers:

  1. Place a handful of the dried flowers in 1 cup of water and bring the mixture to boil for 10 minutes.
  2. Pass the tea through a strainer and allow to cool before drinking.

 

6. Garlic Cloves:

Time Required: 20 Min
What You Need: 5 Garlic cloves, pestle and mortar, as well as cotton wool.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Garlic cloves help speed up the process of the wound healing as they are rich in antimicrobial properties that are helpful in eliminating infections. These healing properties are as a result of the presence of allicin, a sulfur-based compound that is loved for its potency. Note however, that the use of this remedy should be done with caution. Garlic cloves may cause skin irritation, in which case you should discontinue treatment immediately. Follow the procedures below to get the most out of garlic treatment for open bleeding wounds.

NOTE: In the absence of garlic cloves, you may also use red onions which work in the same way.

Directions:

  1. Peel the garlic cloves and cut up into small pieces.
  2. Crush using a pestle and mortar to get a paste-like substance.
  3. Scoop the paste using cotton wool and use it to apply on the wound.
  4. Allow the paste to dry on the wound, but watch out for any signs of irritation.
  5. Should you feel the skin getting irritated, rinse off the paste using warm water and discontinue the use of this remedy.

 

7. Turmeric Paste:

Time Required: 20 Min
What You Need: 1 Teaspoon of turmeric powder, some warm water, bandage, and cotton wool.
Difficulty: Easy

 

Turmeric powder is one of the simplest ways to deal with open bleeding wounds. Not only does the herb’s anti-inflammatory properties reduce the pain and inflammation, the turmeric’s active ingredients are also antibiotic in nature. Regular use of turmeric speeds up the healing process. You will need bandage to wrap over the turmeric-laced wound so that it does not stain as the paste acquires a deep orange color.

Directions:

  1. Place the turmeric in a shallow bowl and add the water bit by bit so that you have a consistent paste.
  2. Apply some of the paste on the wound using cotton wool and watch out for staining.
  3. Cover the wound with a bandage and remember to change it regularly.
  4. Use the turmeric remedy until the wound heals completely.

 

 8. Remedies to Stop The Wound From Bleeding:

Time Required: 10 Min
What You Need: Any of the following found in your kitchen cabinet – Wheat flour/ground coffee/frozen teabags/cornstarch/warm salty water.
Difficulty: Easy

 

The aforementioned home remedies come in handy when you need to reduce the rate of bleeding in the wounds. All you need to do is simply place your preferred remedy on the bleeding wound and after a few minutes, let the process of clotting take a natural course. More importantly, these are easy-to-get remedies in your kitchen.

The flour, coffee and cornstarch absorb the moisture in the wound area and surrounding skin, thus sealing the bleeding. Warm salty water on the other hand, does not just prevent bleeding, but also keeps the wound free of bacteria. It does cause a stinging sensation at the onset, but this dissipates and provides much-needed relief.

Directions:

  1. Simply apply any of the remedies mentioned above to stop the bleeding and allow a quick onset of the healing process.

 

Regular use of home remedies is recommended for speedy healing. Even with the use of these remedies for the natural treatment of open bleeding wounds, it is extremely important to keep tabs on how your body is responding. Increased body temperature, pus formation (particularly with a foul smell) and overall increased drainage are some of the warning signs you should be on the lookout for. Seek medical attention immediately you notice these symptoms.

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