Physical Injuries : Bruises, Blisters, Splinters, Cuts and Punctures

Bruises:
Bruises are treatable by applying a cold compress (a washcloth soaked in cold water works well) to the bruised area immediately after the injury. To alleviate continued pain and swelling, apply cold compresses or an ice bag to the area for 15 minutes at a time several times a day.

Blisters:
If you have a blister, sterilize a needle by holding it for ten seconds in a flame. Carefully puncture the edge of the blister next to the skin. Apply gentle pressure, squeezing the accumulated fluid out of the blister. Make sure not to peel back or brush off the skin that formed over the blister as it guards against infection. Treat the blister with either antibiotic ointment or rubbing alcohol and cover with several layers of sterile gauze.

Note: You can prevent some blisters from forming by covering the area with several layers of sterile gauze at the first sign of discomfort.

Splinters:
Thoroughly wash the area around the splinter with soap and warm water and rinse well. Swab the area gently with rubbing alcohol. Sterilize a needle by holding its end in a flame for ten seconds. If the end of the splinter is sticking out of the skin, grasp it with a pair of tweezers and pull it out at the same angle it entered the skin. Go slowly and avoid breaking off a bit of the splinter under the skin. If the splinter is embedded in the skin and cannot be pulled out with tweezers, use the needle to loosen the skin around the splinter and expose its end. Then grasp the end with tweezers and remove it gently.

Gently squeeze the wound to encourage slight bleeding, which will wash out some bacteria. Apply antibiotic ointment or swab the wound with rubbing alcohol. Cover the wound with a bandage.

Note: You should seek medical help if the splinter is buried to deep to be removed, if infection develops (indicated by redness, pain, tenderness, pus, or fever), or if the splinter was deep and you have not had a tetanus shot in the last five years. Also seek help if you are unable to remove the splinter completely.

Cuts & Punctures:
You can treat most cuts and punctures yourself. But you should go to the emergency room if you are bleeding a lot, or if you are hurt very badly. Blood gets thicker after bleeding for a few minutes. This is called clotting, which slows down bleeding. Press on the cut to help slow down the bleeding. You may have to apply pressure for 10 minutes for a bad cut. Sometimes a cut needs stitches. Stitches help the cut heal.

Questions to Ask…	YES	NO
Is the bleeding from a cut, scrape or puncture severe, Is the person in shock, Does blood spurt from the wound, Has the person lost a lot of blood? (1/2 cup for an adult, less for a child), Is the cut still bleeding a lot after 10 minutes of applied pressure	Seek emergency care	Go to next question
Does the cut need stitches, Is it deep, (Does it go down to the muscle or bone), Is it on the head or face, Is it longer than an inch on a body part that bends such as an elbow, knee or finger, Do the edges of the cut skin hang open	Seek emergency care	Go to next question
Is the cut still bleeding after 20 minutes of applied pressure, even if it is a small cut	See a Doctor	Go to next question
Are there signs of infection a day or two after the injury such as a Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, Redness, swelling, tenderness at or around the wound, Pain that gets worse instead of better, Sick feeling	See a Doctor	Provide Self-Care
Self-Care Procedures for Cuts: Clean around the wound with soap and water. (It’s okay if some gets into the cut, but it may hurt.) Press on the cut to stop the bleeding. Do this for up to 10 minutes if you need to. Use a sterile bandage or a clean cloth. Use a clean hand if you don’t have a bandage or cloth. (Dry gauze can stick to the wound, so try not to use it.) Don’t use a Band-Aid. Press on the cut again if it keeps bleeding. Get help if it is still bleeding after 20 or more minutes. Keep pressing on it while you wait for help. Lift the part of the body with the cut higher than the person’s heart. This slows down blood flow to that spot. To relieve initial pain or throbbing, hold an ice bag on the bandaged wound for 15 to 20 minutes. Put first-aid cream on the cut when it is clean and dry. Use a sterile cloth or cotton swab. Try Polysporin, Neosporin or Johnson & Johnson First-Aid Cream. Put one or more Band-Aids on the cut. Put the Band-Aid across the cut so it can help hold the cut together. The sides of the cut should touch, but not too tightly. Don’t let them overlap. Don’t touch the cut with your hand. You can use a butterfly bandage if you have one. Use more than one bandage for a long cut. For scrapes, make a bandage from gauze and first-aid tape. Leave the bandage on for 24 hours. Change the bandage every day or two. Change it more often if you need to. Be careful when you take the bandage off. You don’t want to make the cut bleed again. Wet gauze before you pull it off. Take aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium for pain. Don’t take aspirin every day unless your doctor tells you to. Aspirin can keep blood from clotting if you take it for a long time. Note: Do not give aspirin or any medication containing salicylates to anyone 19 years of age or younger, unless directed by a physician, due to its association with Reye’s syndrome, a potentially fatal condition. Call your doctor right away if you have not had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years. Ask if you need a shot. If you don’t have a doctor, call your local health department.
Self-Care Procedures for Punctures: Let the wound bleed to clean itself out. Take out anything that caused the puncture. Use clean tweezers. (Dip the tweezers in alcohol for five minutes to clean them. Or you can hold a lit match to the ends.) Don’t pull anything out of a puncture wound if blood gushes from it or if it has been bleeding a lot. Get emergency care. Wash the wound with warm water and soap, or take a bath or shower to clean it. Leave the wound open. You can cover it with a bandage if it is big or still bleeds a little. Soak the wound in warm, soapy water two to three times a day. If bleeding is persistent, apply direct pressure until it stops, and apply sterile gauze. Seek medical help in cases of a deep puncture; a tetanus shot may be needed if you have not been immunized within the previous five years.

Tagged as: blisters, bruises, First Aid, physical injuries, splinters, Tips