How to treat a minor wound and prevent infection?
Light, small wounds can be treated at home. In addition, with certain methods, you will minimize the risk of infection of the damaged area and speed up the healing process.
Recommended:
- Wash your hands with soap before and after treating the wound;
- As soon as the skin is cut, you should immediately wash the wound with running water for several minutes;
- Clean the skin around the wound with warm water - if you don't have water, clean it with an alcohol wipe;
- After cleaning with water, the wound should dry naturally, in the air - do not dry with a cloth;
- If you bleed, apply a clean cloth to the wound and apply pressure to stop the bleeding;
- In the process of washing the skin with soapy water, soap should not enter the wound;
- Be sure to consult a doctor if the condition does not improve in 1-2 days;
- Contact the clinic immediately in case of signs of infection.
Acute wound
- Treatment of a large, acutely infected wound is not allowed at home; in such clinical cases, only a doctor has the right to treat the damaged area.
- If the wound has discharge or some kind of red veins, the patient feels bad and shows signs of infection, it is necessary to be hospitalized.
- If a bacterial infection is diagnosed, antibiotics of the appropriate type are prescribed.
- A deep or large wound needs to be closed.
- The wound is treated surgically if the wound contains dirty tissue.
An animal bite or a scratched wound with a rusty or dirty object increases the risk of tetanus, therefore a tetanus vaccination is recommended during such a walk.
Source:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325040#prevention-and-treatment
