Cleaning and protecting a wound can reduce the risk of infection. After sustaining a minor cut or scratch, a person should:. People with larger wounds or excessive bleeding will require medical treatment. A healthcare professional can treat the injury to prevent infection and other complications. People with animal bites or wounds from dirty or rusty objects may be at risk of tetanus and should also seek medical attention.
A healthcare professional can clean the wound and give the person a shot to protect against tetanus infection if necessary. Tetanus is a potentially fatal condition that occurs when certain bacteria enter the body and release toxins that affect the nerves. The symptoms of tetanus can include painful muscle spasms, lockjaw, and fever. Cuts, grazes, and other breaks in the skin can become infected when bacteria enter the wound and begin to multiply.
The bacteria may come from the surrounding skin, the external environment, or the object that caused the injury. Certain health conditions and environmental factors can also increase the risk of infection. These include :. Rarely, incision wounds from surgical procedures can also become infected.
If a person does not receive treatment for a wound infection, it can spread to other parts of the body, which may lead to serious complications, including:. Seek urgent medical attention if blood is spurting from the wound or if applying pressure to the wound does not stop the bleeding.
A doctor may treat an infection with antibiotics. Doctors can treat a bacterial infection with antibiotics. It is important for a person to complete the course of antibiotics to treat the infection fully and to prevent the bacteria from becoming resistant to the drug. In addition to cleaning, some wounds may require further treatment.
If the cut is large or deep, for example, a doctor or nurse may have to use stitches to close it. They can often close smaller cuts with medical glue or strips of tape instead. If the wound contains dead or contaminated tissue, a doctor may remove this tissue in a procedure called debridement.
Stopping the bleeding hemostasis. When your skin is cut, scraped, or punctured, you usually start to bleed. Within minutes or even seconds, blood cells start to clump together and clot, protecting the wound and preventing further blood loss. These clots, which turn into scabs as they dry, are created by a type of blood cell called a platelet. The clot also contains a protein called fibrin, which forms a net to hold the clot in place. Once the wound is closed with a clot, the blood vessels can open a bit to allow fresh nutrients and oxygen into the wound for healing.
Blood-borne oxygen is essential for healing. The right balance of oxygen is also important — too much or too little and the wound won't heal correctly. Another type of blood cell, a white blood cell called a macrophage, takes on the role of wound protector. This cell fights infection and oversees the repair process. You might see some clear fluid on or around the cut at this time.
That is helping clean out the wound. Another common myth is that bacteria are supposed to feel especially comfortable under a wound dressing. Quite the contrary is true: Using the correct plaster to cover up a wound which has previously been cleaned out will protect it from contamination through germs and bacteria, thus preventing possible infections.
Especially anti-bacterial plasters containing silver as active ingredient of the wound pad are proven to act against a broad spectrum of bacteria and will promote wound healing. The silver contained in their wound pad actually has a direct effect on the bacterias' cell metabolism, preventing a further increase in the number of bacteria and actively combating those microorganisms.
Wounds that take especially long to heal maybe a symptom of a disease such as diabetes mellitus, or may indicate an impaired immune system or blood circulation problems. Therefore it is important to have your wound checked by a doctor for possible causes if you suspect that it takes longer than usual to heal in spite of it being properly cared for.
Thinking that this may be true makes sense, as it is easy to assume that a wound may be the more painful the deeper it is. However, just the opposite can be the case. Due to the large number of nerve fibres located just under the top layer of our skin the epidermis superficial abrasions or burns will often cause more pain than a cut that may happen when working in the kitchen or workshop.
Any deep puncture wounds or cuts that bleed severely should always be cared for by a doctor! Many people tend to apply a plaster in the acute phase of the injury only, that is, just until the bleeding has stopped.
Then the plaster is removed and discarded as quickly as possible in order "to let the wound breathe". Scientific studies have shown, that in most cases wound healing will proceed better and without complications if the wound is protected with a plaster until they have healed completely. This is a myth that seems to originate from pirate and adventure novels.
Even if many of us would love to believe this romantic theory: we are afraid to have to tell you that it is complete nonsense.
What many people do not consider is that sea water may be severely contaminated, especially near those coast stretches - with a variety of highly unsavoury germs or chemicals "swimming" in it. Both of which would contribute significantly to the risk of an infection and can delay wound healing. In addition, contact with water will swell the skin, which may affect the process of wound closure. In this case, bacteria and germs may easily enter the wound and the risk of wound infection would be increased dramatically.
We all know the feeling: some time after an injury, the affected area will begin to tingle and itch. This goes especially for superficial wounds. And yes — in fact, this itching may indicate that the healing process is well on its way.
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