A wound is an injury caused by external physical forces. When a force penetrates and breaks the skin, it is called an open wound. A closed wound occurs when underlying tissues are involved but the skin remains intact. Read through the chart below to learn about the different types of wounds.

Type	Possible Causes	Signs and Symptoms	Special Emergency Care
Abrasion (scrape)	Rubbing or scraping from falls, floor burns, rope burns, etc.	Only surface of skin is affected. Little bleeding. Danger of infection.	Remove all debris. Wash wound with soap and water.
Contusion (bruise)	Major force applied to area by heavy objects or falls.	Disoloration of skin, swelling, internal bleeding, skin not punctured, pain.	Do not puncture skin, support, compress, apply ice. Massage and heat after 4 to 9 hours.
Incision (cut)	Sharp objects that slice the skin such as knives, broken glass, paper edges, etc.	Area of skin surface and arteries or veins. Smooth edges. Severe bleeding.	Control bleeding and wash wound. Do not attempt to wash deep cuts.
Laceration (tearing)	Heavy, blunt objects that tear skin such as dull knives, metal bars, wooden poles, etc.	Area of skin surface and arteries or veins. Torn, bruised tissue, severe bleeding. Danger of infection. Foreign materials found in wound.	Apply direct pressure with gauze and elevate to stop the bleeding. Cleaning with a gentle soap and water will help reduce the chance of bacterial infection.
Puncture (piercing)	Sharp pointed object driven into skin such as nails, arrows, etc.	Narrow, deep into veins and arteries. Embedded objects. Danger of infection.	Do not remove but immobolize impaled objects.
Avulsion (torn off)	Guns, explosives, machinery accidents, animal bites that tear skin.	Whole pieces of tissue torn off or left hanging. Severe bleeding.	Control bleeding, take avulsed part to hospital, do not try to take protruding organs back in place.

General Guidelines for Helping an Injured Person

If you are called upon to assist an injured person, keep in mind the following guidelines:

Always remain calm. It may not be easy, but you must be calm in order to keep the victim calm. To think clearly about what you need to do next, you must be able to think rationally.

Never assume the role of a physician. You must know the limits of your abilities. Generally, the less that you do to and for the victim, the better off both you and the victim will be.