If the wound was severe, you may have had surgery to:
Stop bleeding
Clean the wound
Find and remove bullet pieces
Find and remove pieces of broken or shattered bone
Place drains or tubes for body fluids
Remove portions of, or whole, organs
Gunshots wounds that pass through the body without hitting major organs, blood vessels, or bone tend to cause less damage.
You may have bullet pieces that remain in your body. Often these cannot be removed without causing more damage. Scar tissue will form around these remaining pieces, which may cause ongoing pain or other discomfort.
You may have an open wound or a closed wound, depending on your injury. Your health care provider will tell you how to change your dressing and care for your wound. Keep these tips in mind:
Keep the dressing and area around it clean and dry.
Take any antibiotics or pain relievers as directed. Gunshot wounds can get infected because material and debris can get pulled into the wound with the bullet.
Try to elevate the wound so it is above your heart. This helps reduce swelling. You may need to do this while sitting or lying down. You can use pillows to prop up the area.
If your provider says it is OK, you may use an ice pack on the bandage to help with swelling. Ask how often you should apply the ice. Be sure to keep the bandage dry.
Your provider may change your dressing for you at first. Once you get the OK to change the dressing yourself:
Follow instructions on how to clean and dry the wound.
Be sure to wash your hands after removing an old dressing and before cleaning the wound.
Wash your hands again after cleaning the wound and applying the new dressing.
DO NOT use skin cleansers, alcohol, peroxide, iodine, or soaps with antibacterial chemicals on the wound unless your provider tells you to. These can damage the wound tissue and slow your healing.
DO NOT put any lotion, cream, or herbal remedies on or around your wound without asking your provider first.
If you have non-dissolvable stitches or staples, your provider will remove them within 3 to 21 days. DO NOT pull at your stitches or try to remove them on your own.
Explanation:
A gunshot wound is caused when a bullet or other projectile is shot into or through the body. Gunshot wounds can cause serious injury, including:
Severe bleeding
Damage to tissues and organs
Broken bones
Wound infections
Paralysis
The amount of damage depends on the location of the injury and the speed and type of bullet. Gunshot wounds to the head or body (torso) are likely to cause more damage.
