Understanding Injuries and Healing in Project Zomboid

Getting injured in Project Zomboid is inevitable. Knowing how to properly apply first aid can be the difference between survival and death. This guide covers all injury types, their effects, and how to treat them efficiently.

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Types of Injuries

Scratches

• Caused by zombies, glass, trees, digging with bare hands, etc.
• Zombie infection chance: 7%
• Treatment:
  • Apply a bandage (sterilized bandages reduce infection chance).
  • Disinfect the wound with alcohol wipes or bourbon-soaked cotton balls.
  • Change dirty bandages regularly.
• Prevention:
  • Wear protective clothing (jackets, gloves, boots).
  • Avoid breaking glass with bare hands.
  • Use a shovel instead of hands when digging furrows.
  • Avoid sprinting over fences or into trees.

Lacerations

• More severe than scratches, cause faster bleeding.
• Zombie infection chance: 25%
• Treatment:
  • Disinfect and bandage immediately.
  • Keep the bandage clean and change regularly.
• Prevention: Same as scratches, but extra caution needed around zombies.

Deep Wounds

• Caused by broken glass, falls, gunshots, or heavy melee attacks.
• Treatment:
  • Remove foreign object (glass/bullet) using tweezers or a suture needle holder.
  • Sew wound shut with a suture needle or needle and thread.
  • Bandage the wound and disinfect regularly.
  • Never remove stitches prematurely.
• Prevention:
  • Wear shoes to avoid glass cuts.
  • Avoid jumping from heights.
  • Do not overload yourself when climbing obstacles.

Fractures

• Caused by falls, vehicle crashes, and blunt force trauma.
• Treatment:
  • Splint the limb using a plank and ripped sheets or adhesive bandages.
  • Rest and avoid movement to speed up healing.
  • Healing time varies; leg fractures take the longest.
• Prevention:
  • Drive carefully.
  • Avoid falling from heights.
  • Do not engage in melee combat while heavily injured.

Burns

• Caused by fire or explosions.
• Treatment:
  • Apply clean bandages.
  • Keep the wound clean to prevent infection.
  • Burns take a long time to heal.
• Prevention:
  • Avoid fire hazards.
  • Use fire extinguishers when dealing with flames.

Zombie Bites

• Zombie infection chance: 100%
• Treatment:
  • There is no cure.
  • You can bandage the wound and disinfect it, but it only delays the inevitable.
• Prevention:
  • Wear bite-resistant clothing.
  • Maintain a safe distance from zombies.
  • Use weapons with longer reach (spears, long blunt weapons).

General Injuries

• Low health (without visible wounds): Can occur after major injuries heal.
  • Treatment: Eat plenty of food, rest, and sleep.
• Pain: Can result from injuries.
  • Treatment: Take painkillers.

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Sickness and Infections

Colds

• Caused by prolonged exposure to cold and wet conditions.
• Symptoms: Sneezing and coughing (attracts zombies).
• Treatment:
  • Stay indoors.
  • Eat nutritious food.
  • Wear warm clothing.
  • Use tissues or toilet paper to muffle sneezing.
• Prevention:
  • Avoid getting wet.
  • Stay warm in cold weather.

Nausea and Food Poisoning

• Caused by eating rotten food, drinking bleach, or consuming poisonous items.
• Treatment:
  • Sleep and eat high-nutrition food.
  • Take antibiotics if available.
• Prevention:
  • Avoid spoiled or tainted food.
  • Purify water before drinking.
  • Stay away from corpses (large numbers of bodies can make you sick).

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Medical Supplies and Their Uses

Item	Purpose
Bandages & Ripped Sheets	Cover wounds to stop bleeding.
Adhesive Bandages	Shorter lifespan but useful for small wounds.
Sterilized Bandages	Reduce infection risk.
Tweezers	Remove glass and bullets from deep wounds.
Suture Needle & Holder	Stitch deep wounds.
Alcohol Wipes & Bourbon	Disinfect wounds and bandages.
Painkillers	Reduce pain.
Beta Blockers	Reduce panic.
Antibiotics	Reduce infection severity.
Sleeping Pills	Increase tiredness for better rest.
Vitamins	Reduce fatigue.
Poultices	Herbal remedies for minor wounds.

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Leveling First Aid

• First aid XP is gained by treating wounds (your own or other players’).
• Bandaging and removing dirty bandages grants XP.
• Reading first aid books increases skill gain.
• Common ways to grind first aid XP:
  • Intentionally walking over broken glass (with shoes on for safety).
  • Fighting zombies without armor to take minor damage.
  • Helping injured teammates in multiplayer.

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Occupations and Traits for First Aid

Occupation	First Aid Bonus
Doctor	3 levels in first aid, increased healing efficiency.
Nurse	2 levels in first aid.
Former Scout	1 level in first aid.
First Aider	1 level in first aid.

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Final Tip: Critical Body Parts

• Neck injuries are especially dangerous—scratches and lacerations on the neck can cause massive bleeding that may kill you in under 30 seconds. Bandage immediately!

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Conclusion

Surviving in Project Zomboid means knowing how to handle injuries efficiently. Keep a stockpile of medical supplies, wear protective clothing, and avoid unnecessary risks. Stay safe, survivors!