In movies taking a bullet out of a wound and then putting a bandage on the wound seems to magically cure the wound. Is that all you really need to do?

Question

In movies, after someone is shot they are in great pain or even crippled until someone pulls the bullet out. Once the bullet is plucked out and dramatically dropped into a bowl, the victim seems to be completely fine. Is the bullet being in the wound really the biggest problem? Is it preventing the wound from closing somehow?

In: Biology

Answer 1

The most important thing initially is to slow and stop the bleeding. So, you don’t go digging into an open wound to dislodge a bullet. More than likely, you’ll only push it deeper and cause more damage. You wrap the wound and/or apply a tourniquet and then seek medical help.