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:
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. High-velocity wounds with fracture are associated with an increased risk of infection.
If the wound was severe, you may have had surgery to:
Gunshot 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:
Your provider may change your dressing for you at first. Once you get the OK to change the dressing yourself:
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.
Your provider will let you know when it is OK to bathe after you come home. You may need to take sponge baths for several days until your wound has healed enough to shower. Keep in mind:
Being shot by a gun is traumatic. You may feel shock, fear for your safety, depression, or anger as a result. These are completely normal feelings for someone who has been through a traumatic event. These feelings are not signs of weakness. You may notice other symptoms as well, such as:
You need to care for yourself and heal emotionally as well as physically. If you feel overwhelmed by these feelings, or they last more than 3 weeks, contact your provider. If these symptoms are ongoing, they may be signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. There are treatments that can help you feel better.
Contact your provider if:
You should also contact your provider if you notice signs of an infection, such as:
Simon BC, Hern HG. Wound management principles. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 50.
Zych GA, Kalandiak SP, Owens PW, Blease R. Gunshot wounds and blast injuries. In: Browner BD, Jupiter JB, Krettek C, Anderson PA, eds. Skeletal Trauma: Basic Science, Management, and Reconstruction. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 20.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 4/3/2024
Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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06/01/2025
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