How should you wrap a burn to avoid restricting blood flow?

How should you wrap a burn to avoid restricting blood flow?

• A. Tight
• B. Loose, but snug
• C. Very loosely
• D. Not at all

Answer: (B)

Wrapping a burn should protect the dressing while letting swelling happen without squeezing off circulation. The best approach is a wrap that is loose enough to avoid constricting blood vessels but snug enough to keep the dressing in place. If the wrap is tight, it can compress arteries and veins, reducing blood flow and causing numbness, cool or pale skin beyond the wrap, and potential tissue damage. If it’s very loose, the dressing may shift or come off, leaving the burn less protected. Not wrapping at all leaves the wound exposed to infection and friction. So, a loose, but snug wrap secures the dressing and preserves circulation; if you notice numbness, increased pain, or color change beyond the wrap, loosen it.

Wrapping a burn should protect the dressing while letting swelling happen without squeezing off circulation. The best approach is a wrap that is loose enough to avoid constricting blood vessels but snug enough to keep the dressing in place. If the wrap is tight, it can compress arteries and veins, reducing blood flow and causing numbness, cool or pale skin beyond the wrap, and potential tissue damage. If it’s very loose, the dressing may shift or come off, leaving the burn less protected. Not wrapping at all leaves the wound exposed to infection and friction. So, a loose, but snug wrap secures the dressing and preserves circulation; if you notice numbness, increased pain, or color change beyond the wrap, loosen it.