What is a material used to bind or protect an injured body part called?

The term used to describe a material that is employed to bind or protect an injured body part is a bandage. Bandages serve multiple essential purposes in first aid and medical treatment. They can help control bleeding, protect wounds from infection, provide support for injured areas, and facilitate the healing process by keeping the area clean and secure.

While gauze is often an important component of wound care and can absorb blood and other fluids, it primarily serves as a covering for the wound rather than as a means of binding or protecting it in a broader sense. Wraps can refer to various materials used to support or compress an area, but may not encompass the comprehensive definition of protecting and binding as effectively as a bandage does. A splint, on the other hand, is specifically designed to stabilize broken or fractured bones rather than to generally bind or protect an injured body part. Each of these materials plays a role in medical care, but a bandage specifically integrates the functions of binding and protection.