A bandage is a piece of material used as support for a wound or injury, or to provide compression. When used with a dressing, the dressing is applied directly on a wound, and a bandage is used to hold the dressing in place. Other bandages are used without dressings, such as elastic bandages, which are used to reduce swellings or to provide support to a sprained joint. Bandages used in healing protect the area from contamination and further trauma. Tight bandages can be used to slow blood flow to an extremity, such as when a leg or arm is bleeding heavily.