Ota (open to air) is actually really common wound care advice. Wound care nursing is a pretty big specialty (like it requires a master’s and extra school) and most of the time they roll up on the unit and tell the patient to gently wash it then stop touching it. They tell me it’s not worth it to dress a lot of wounds because it actually traps bacteria. Honestly the part of this I find less believable is that a full thickness burn on the hand of all places would have to be super tiny like smaller than a pencil eraser to not get a plastic surgeon involved.
Doctors have a lot of ‘go away and leave me alone’ statements that are mostly meant to just get you out the door.
Not just phrases, there’s a whole set of strategies.
I’ve lost count of the times my kids have been dismissed with a GTFO bandage and sent on their way. About half the time we’ve been called back the day after, when the orthopedic attendings have taken a look at what the residents screwed up over night.
Not just phrases, there’s a whole set of strategies.
I went to urgent care for testicle pain and they asked me if I was experiencing depression/anxiety. I think it’s part of their standard questions, but like, still.
Why do they think letting a wound breathe is a good idea? Are we supposed to let it just sit when it’s an open wound? I think a band aid is better than nothing
It’s an old and widespread myth. I think many people continue to believe it because it’s uncomfortable when the skin/wound under a band-aid gets moist. I only learned that it is bullshit because my mom (a nurse) told me when I tried to do it as a kid.
Wonderful! I hoped that would happen. That was why I linked an article from a well known paper that explaines it in such a way that everybody (not just doctors, nurses, etc.) can read about it. I thought that would be better than asking you to trust a stranger on the web.
Not my first language btw. I don’t know what to call people that work with sick or hurt people.
I used to think that it was beneficial to prevent anaerobic bacteria from infecting the wound, since exposure to oxygen would limit their growth. My understanding of this is evolving, but it seems that some of the time it is true that a wound needs to “breathe” but that doesn’t mean it should be uncovered.
This article makes it clear that sometimes an “occlusive” bandage (one that completely prevents air/water transfer) is not right, in this case focusing on wounds with impaired circulation.
This article from a bandage manufacturer makes it clear that most of the time occlusive bandages are better, but there are different extents of occlusivity, and the bandage should be matched to the application.
Fake: Letting a wound breathe slows down healing and would not be recommended by a doctor.
Gay: Anon grabs someones spraying limb at the drive-in.
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/health/01real.html
Ota (open to air) is actually really common wound care advice. Wound care nursing is a pretty big specialty (like it requires a master’s and extra school) and most of the time they roll up on the unit and tell the patient to gently wash it then stop touching it. They tell me it’s not worth it to dress a lot of wounds because it actually traps bacteria. Honestly the part of this I find less believable is that a full thickness burn on the hand of all places would have to be super tiny like smaller than a pencil eraser to not get a plastic surgeon involved.
Almost definitely right, but I’ve had a doctor tell me the same.
Doctors have a lot of ‘go away and leave me alone’ statements that are mostly meant to just get you out the door.
Not just phrases, there’s a whole set of strategies.
I’ve lost count of the times my kids have been dismissed with a GTFO bandage and sent on their way. About half the time we’ve been called back the day after, when the orthopedic attendings have taken a look at what the residents screwed up over night.
I went to urgent care for testicle pain and they asked me if I was experiencing depression/anxiety. I think it’s part of their standard questions, but like, still.
Why do they think letting a wound breathe is a good idea? Are we supposed to let it just sit when it’s an open wound? I think a band aid is better than nothing
It’s an old and widespread myth. I think many people continue to believe it because it’s uncomfortable when the skin/wound under a band-aid gets moist. I only learned that it is bullshit because my mom (a nurse) told me when I tried to do it as a kid.
I only learned because some person on Lemmy just told me 😬
We did it, Lemmy!
Wonderful! I hoped that would happen. That was why I linked an article from a well known paper that explaines it in such a way that everybody (not just doctors, nurses, etc.) can read about it. I thought that would be better than asking you to trust a stranger on the web.
Not my first language btw. I don’t know what to call people that work with sick or hurt people.
I used to think that it was beneficial to prevent anaerobic bacteria from infecting the wound, since exposure to oxygen would limit their growth. My understanding of this is evolving, but it seems that some of the time it is true that a wound needs to “breathe” but that doesn’t mean it should be uncovered.
This article makes it clear that sometimes an “occlusive” bandage (one that completely prevents air/water transfer) is not right, in this case focusing on wounds with impaired circulation.
This article from a bandage manufacturer makes it clear that most of the time occlusive bandages are better, but there are different extents of occlusivity, and the bandage should be matched to the application.