What causes wounds?

Are you a clumsy oaf who is always tripping over your own two feet? Or are you just prone to injuries like a balloon filled with sharp objects? Either way, if you’re wondering what causes wounds, then look no further. In this article, we’ll dive into the intricacies of wound creation and explore the various factors that contribute to it.

The Basics of Wound Formation

Before we delve deeper into the different causes of wounds, let’s first take a quick look at wound formation in general. A wound can be defined as any physical injury that breaks the skin or damages underlying tissues. It can range from minor cuts and grazes to more severe lacerations and puncture wounds.

Generally speaking, when an external force is applied to our body (let’s say, for example, by falling down), our skin and tissue absorb some of that energy. If enough energy is absorbed or concentrated in one area (cough thanks gravity cough), damage occurs which often results in bleeding.

Bleeding: When We Get Leaky

Ah yes – good old-fashioned blood loss! Is there anything quite like feeling warm red liquid ooze out of your body whilst simultaneously realizing mortality lurks around every corner?

When we bleed from a wound (or donate blood, which incidentally has rules about not donating after getting new tattoos!), small vessels called capillaries break open due to increased pressure during trauma (kinetic energy for those physics enthusiasts) allowing erythrocytes (red blood cells) flow out with other bodily fluids including healing white blood cells known as leukocytes(cool fact: humans have 5 liters of circulating blood volume on average).

But how exactly do these capillaries break open? Good thing I was going there next!

Causes Of Wound Formation:

There are many different things that can cause wounds – some obvious and some less so. Let’s take a look at some of the most common factors that contribute to wound formation (spoiler alert: it isn’t magic!)

Mechanical Force – When You Break It, You Bought It…

If you’re feeling like being intimate with the pavement again (tut tut) to cause another scratch, keep in mind your previous wounds may have weakened nearby skin and other tissues.

Mechanical force can come from all sorts of sources – falling over (cough cough clumsy oaf), cuts from sharp objects (like knives or broken glass) , puncture wounds (from needles, animal bites etc)…the list goes on!

mechanical force

One thing is for sure though: when enough mechanical energy is applied to an area of skin or tissue, the structural integrity will break down causing injury. So avoid bouncy castles after binge drinking…or any fun activity while under the influence really…

But wait there’s more…

Chemical Burns And Agents – What Was In That?

Another way our skin and tissues can be damaged comes from exposure to harsh chemicals and irritants including acids, detergents/soaps/bath bombs/bleach..to name just a few…lemon juice sensitivity anyone? As soon as these substances make contact with your precious bodily infrastructure they immediately begin altering their structure through complex biochemical mechanisms leading to damage(This requires its own article because don’t even get me started on ultra-burns).

Thermal Energy Exchange- The Heat Is On

Sometimes we experience injury through transferal of heat in various forms like sunburns( wear sunscreen my friends!),spontaneous combustion(more common than people realize(ok not really)), fires…etc

Do I need heat protection gear here?

The different types of burns require varying degrees(lol pun intended?)of medical attention with some requiring hospitalization and skin grafting in severe cases.

Conclusion

Wounds can be caused by a variety of factors, whether it’s mechanical forces from your mass on planet earth, harsh chemicals lurking in unexpected places or thermal exchanges resulting from fiery demons that may lurk about.

Regardless of how we acquire these unfortunate injuries, one thing is certain: the human body has an incredible ability to heal itself from all sorts of damage (even wounds sustained while conquering Tough Mudder – shout out to those bruised ribs 🙌).

So next time you find yourself sporting a fresh war wound (or self-inflicted scratch #guilty), don’t forget to marvel at the amazing process your body undergoes as it repairs itself back to health. It really is cool!

Random Posts