Lacerations & Wounds

Prompt Treatment for Traumatic Injuries

While many wounds are treatable with simple care that doesn’t require a trip to the emergency room, others are more serious and can threaten life and limb. By familiarizing yourself with the symptoms of emergency wounds, you can take appropriate action. When in doubt, it’s better to be safe than sorry and not take chances – visit an ER immediately for medical help. All people who have been wounded run the risk of developing an infection that could lead to septic shock and death without treatment. This is why it’s very important to clean, disinfect, and bandage wounds properly.

Is My Wound Serious, or Can I Treat it at Home?

You should see a doctor immediately if the following are true:

• Your open wound is very large or deeper than ½”
• Bleeding will not stop with direct pressure
• Bleeding soaks through bandages
• Bleeding lasts longer than 20 minutes
• You have suffered a serious accident
• An object is stuck in the wound
• An animal bite caused the wound
• Your wound will not heal after a week
• The wound has an odor
• Persistent pain after one week
• The skin is warm or swollen around the wound
• You have difficulty moving a wounded limb
• A rusty or dirty object caused the wound and you haven’t had a tetanus shot in at least 5 years
• You are disoriented or have other unusual symptoms

How Are Open Wounds Treated?

Different techniques can treat open wounds, from skin glue to sutures. A tetanus shot may be required if you have a puncture wound, especially if it was caused by an animal bite or a rusty object. If you have a high risk for infection or the wound is already infected, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Your doctor may give you extra antibacterial creams, bandages, and dressings to keep the wound protected and aid healing.

Contact Baptist Emergency Room & Urgent Care to learn more about our emergency and urgent care services. We’re open 24/7.