I recently got my hand cut by a knife. Clean the wound. If the patient is in shock, keep him or her warm and relaxed as possible. You may also need to take antibiotics to prevent infection. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. You can get Urgent Care in Gillette, where you can experience with the best possible facilities. The key is to use copious amounts of irrigation. This article was co-authored by Anthony Stark, EMR. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/taking-care-of-cuts-and-scrapes-the-basics?source=search_result&search=deep+cuts&selectedTitle=1~150, http://www.uptodate.com/contents/stitches-and-staples-the-basics?source=see_link, http://www.uptodate.com/contents/basic-principles-of-wound-management?source=search_result&search=lacerations&selectedTitle=5~150#H55268733, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. A St John Ambulance trainer shows you how to treat a cut or a graze. The cut is deep and there are parted skin layers. Make sure you keep the wound and its surrounding area hygienic. When a foreign body invades the skin, germs have an open invitation to raid healthy cells. An over-the-counter pain reliever like Advil may help with the pain. You will need to have the stitches removed, usually in 7 to 14 days. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Both are generally painful, and both require some degree of first aid. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to help someone with a severe deep cut, read on! Thus, tetanus shot might be needed along with stitches. Most cuts and grazes are minor and can be easily treated at home. Whatever the cause, a deep cut is painful, can bleed profusely, and may need immediate medical attention. Don’t try to resolve these kinds of cuts or scrapes on your own at home. Minor cuts and scratches can be treated at home or on the road. This article has been viewed 597,803 times. what should i … Anthony has a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. When this happens, change it. First aid for this type of cut is administered with the purposes of first attempting to stop the loss of blood and reducing the risk of infection if possible. Rinse the wound with water. In this case, the infection can easily spread. Determining the Need for Stitches . When the cut is completely clean and the bleeding has stopped, apply a thin layer of antibiotic cream on the cut to prevent infection. A deep cut can be caused by any sharp object impacting your skin, including something as simple as a corner on a wall or something designed to cut, like a knife. Then, put on a new bandage. This helps avoid infection. Watch any signs of infection, such as redness, pus secretion, increasing pain, throbbing, and fever. You most likely are not going to … I also applied neosprin to the wound and a bandage with gauze wrap around my thumb. This is very common, since in the kitchen, you are developing contacts with hot and sharps things, sometimes without cautions. If you cut yourself, the first thing you should do is apply pressure with a clean bandage or cloth, and keep that part of your body elevated above the heart, if possible. Learn More. If you have a minor cut that isn’t bleeding too much, you’ll be able to treat it and let it heal at home. He currently works for Mountain View Safety Services and previously worked for the British Columbia Ambulance Service. A cut finger may require only a few stitches. Don't worry if soap gets into the wound, though it is likely to sting and irritate the raw tissue. However, if the cut is minor, clean it with soap and water for at least 5 minutes, then apply pressure to it with a clean cloth to slow the bleeding. See a doctor immediately. Stop the bleeding. Anthony Stark is a certified EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) in British Columbia, Canada. As soon as the injury occurs, ice should be applied to the affected area, though ice should not be applied directly to the skin because tissue injury or an ice burn can occur. A wound with bleeding which won’t clot may indicate damaged blood vessels, which can be serious. If the cut is causing you extreme pain or a lot of bleeding, get immediate medical attention. When the bleeding stops or gets lighter, cover the wounded area with a sterilized gauze. Be sure to describe the person's injury when you call emergency services. If the bleeding continues for more than … how can i treat a semi deep cut on the back of my hand caused by broken glass at home? It actually delays the healing process if used on deep cuts. Realized I did not need medical attention and will be fine dressing it, "I didn't now that it was important to cover stitches with bandages. That said, it isn’t enough to suspect that you have a cut in your genital area. This way, you will not introduce any dirt, germs, or other foreign substances into the cut that may later cause it to become infected. If the cut continues to bleed after this, call your doctor. Is it best to let a cut heal with air or ointment and bandage? Leave underlying bandages on. Stop the bleeding. Reply . Signs that it is a problem needing quick attention can include any or a combination of the following: extreme pain, a lot of bleeding, signs of shock (such as cold, sweaty skin, feeling cold, or paleness of skin and appearance). If it isn’t coming off, coat it with petroleum jelly and change the bandage every morning, monitoring how well your cut is healing. If the wound had contact with anything that could be dirty or rusty, and you are not recent with booster shots, you should get a tetanus shot to prevent an infection from forming. “A cut by a dirty, rusty nail on the hand is more likely to get infected than a cut by a clean knife on your upper thigh.” First aid for cuts and lacerations. Then, run the wound under cool water to remove dirt or debris. It's always better to be safe rather than sorry, but it's still probably not life-threatening. A bruised hand is generally treated with anti-inflammatory medications and rest. How to treat cuts and grazes Stop the bleeding. When the bleeding has stopped, apply a thin layer of antibiotic cream to your cut and dress it with a bandage. I used knuckle band-aids and hydrogen peroxide on my knuckle. The doctor has checked you carefully, but problems can develop later. I lost a little bit of blood but i kept the bleeding under control pretty well. If the cut is causing you extreme pain or a lot of bleeding, get immediate medical attention. Clean area with warm water and soap. Posted by Liz (Stuttgart, Germany) on 07/06/2008. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. To prevent the clotting blood from coming off when you remove the pressure dressing, you can use a nonstick cloth like Telfa gauze. By using our site, you agree to our. She couldn't use a knife to slice the food on her plate. Stop any bleeding before applying a dressing to the wound. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Deep scrapes that are not quite that deep can generally be compressed, washed, and bandaged at home. It depends on where and how deep it is. Stitches use a sterile surgical needle and thread to join the edges of a cut together. Therefore, closing these wounds with staples or stitches are recommended in performing more sterilized wound treatment. The risk of contracting a tetanus infection is highest with puncture wounds, or with wounds that contain foreign material in them. the cut is long or deep; something is embedded within the cut ; the cut occurred as a result of an animal or human bite, or was punctured by any other object that may cause infection; the cut is on the mouth, face, hand or genitals; If any of these apply, go to an urgent care centre or A&E as soon as possible. Apply ice and elevate hand to reduce swelling. Clean the Wound . Accidents, from the simplest to the most dramatic one happen everywhere, even at home. … Apply an anti-biotic ointment to speed up the healing process. Your email address will not be published. Cut it off with a scissors, wash the wound gently, and re-apply the antibiotic ointment. I looked all over for this site; the good thing, "My friend punched her mirror and cut her pinky finger severely, but she can't leave the house, so she can't go to, "Told me how to clean the deep cut on my toe. If the person with the cut feels weak or dizzy, call 911 and treat for shock. Elevating the hand higher than the heart also can improves blood flow and circulation, which helps promote healing. How to Tell Whether a Cut is Infected. Minor cuts and scrapes usually stop bleeding on their own. Your cut is very deep or was caused by rusty metal. If you notice any problems or new symptoms, get medical treatment right away. How to treat cut in between index finger and thumb? Should you decide not to get your deep cut stitched, there are some things to be considered in healing the wound, such as: You should be able to stop the bleeding immediately after giving the wound sufficient pressure. Apply antibiotic ointment and a sterile bandage. ", "I believe this will be very helpful to me in the future, thanks for the advice. No matter what you must clean the wound carefully with soap and water after applying direct pressure for at least 10 minutes. Stop the bleeding. fever, redness, swelling, drainage of pus, or red streaks radiating from the wound). wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Use alcohol wipes if clean water is unavailable. Cuts: A cut is an area of severed skin that has been penetrated with a sharp edge, such as a knife, a small tool or the edge of a sheet of paper (paper cuts are also painful). Skin staples can be replaced the stitching. If it is severe, talk to your doctor. Left untreated, cuts and scrapes can become painful sores, which are wounds that are slow to heal. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. How can I take care of a deep cut without getting stitches? She couldn't write with a pen or make a fist. Once you can get them wet, gently wash the wound over the stitches or staples with soap and water when you shower. http://www.piedmont.org/livingbetter The doctor should tell you how long this should be. Sprains usually take up to three weeks to heal. Clean the wound with running water. Once your hands are clean, run clear water over the wound. A small cut or scratch is unlikely to be a significant worry. Two weeks ago, I wounded my ankle and it still hasn't healed. It depends on the type of cut and where it is. Put a pressure around the wounded area to stop the bleeding. 1 doctor answer. 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