hausboy
Posts: 2360
Joined: 9/5/2010 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Rule I admit it. I stepped on a nasty fragment of glass a couple of minutes ago. It hurt a little and bled a little. Perhaps it would have been better if it had bled some more to bleed off any potential bacteria. I put some iodium tincture on it, but it is not in a very accessible place and any bacteria probably will not be bothered by the iodine. How long does an infection require for me to die or to have my foot amputated? I admit...I don't know if you were kidding...but I'm being serious here.... 1. bleeding does not stave off bacteria. Bacteria is microscopic--the "5-second" rule does not apply to wounds. 2. If you haven't had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years, it's worth getting one now. If it's a deep enough cut that it requires irrigating/suturing, your doc may want you to get a tetanus shot if you haven't had one in the last 5-6 years. 3. Please....don't put iodine on open wounds. I know that what our mother's did....but it's a really, really bad idea, esp. if the wound is deep. If you need to get debris out or off, just rinse with water. If it's a minor cut, soap is okay topically to clean. 4. If the wound is deep, bleeds excessively even with pressure applied, or has any debris/slivers inside it, go to an ED asap to get it cleaned & closed up. 5. If it's a minor wound, keep it clean and watch for signs of infection. Pain, redness and swelling. If it gets infected, get seen by a medical professional--don't wait until it becomes a much bigger problem.
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