Wound

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Superficial bullet wounds

In medicine, a wound is a type of injury in which the skin is torn, cut or punctured (an open wound), or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion (a closed wound). In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury which damages the dermis of the skin.

[edit] Types of wounds

Wound, sewn with four stitches

A laceration to the leg

[edit] Open

Open wounds can be classified according to the object that caused the wound. The types of open wound are:

In a medical context, stab wounds and gunshot wounds are considered major wounds.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Closed

Closed wounds have fewer categories, but are just as dangerous as open wounds. The types of closed wounds are:

[edit] Healing

To heal a wound, the body undertakes a series of actions collectively known as the wound healing process.

[edit] Infection

Bacterial infection of wound can impede the healing process and lead to life threatening complications. Scientists at Sheffield University have identified a way of using light to rapidly detect the presence of bacteria. They are developing a portable kit in which specially designed molecules emit a light signal when bound to bacteria. Current laboratory-based detection of bacteria can take hours or even days.^[1]

[edit] Cultural history

Medieval treatment of wound with lance grittings

From the Classical Period to the Medieval Period, the body and the soul were believed to be intimately connected, based on several theories put forth by the philosopher Plato. Wounds on the body were believed to correlate with wounds to the soul and vice versa; wounds were seen as an outward sign of an inward illness. Thus, a man who was wounded physically in a serious way was said to be hindered not only physically but spiritually as well. If the soul was wounded, that wound may also eventually become physically manifest, revealing the true state of the soul.^[2] Wounds were also seen as writing on the "tablet" of the body. Wounds gotten in war, for example, told the story of a soldier in a form which all could see and understand, and the wounds of a martyr told the story of their faith.^[2]

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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