By Craig Gronczewski, M.D. Princeton HealthCare System
Cuts and scrapes happen.
You trip and fall and skin your knee. You’re slicing bread and end up slicing your finger.
You tumble off your bike and scrape your elbow.
Fortunately, most cuts and scrapes are minor and can be treated at home. But on occasion they might require emergency care to stop bleeding or to remove particles that can cause infection.
For fast treatment of minor emergencies, the Emergency Department at University Medical Center at Princeton offers Fast Track services, which can get you in and out in 90 minutes or less in most cases. Fast Track services are provided seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For home treatment of cuts and scrapes, keep in mind these simple first aid guidelines:
• Stop the bleeding. Most minor cuts and scrapes will stop bleeding shortly after they happen. You can help control bleeding by putting pressure on the wound with a clean cloth or bandage.
If bleeding is severe, does not stop after 20 to 30 minutes of continuous pressure or if blood is spurting out, seek emergency care. Also seek emergency care if there is little or no bleeding, but the wound is deep or jagged. Stitches are often required if a cut is deep or is gaping or has a jagged edge with muscles and fat protruding.
• Clean it out. The best way to clean out a cut or scrape is with soap and water. Although it may seem counterintuitive, avoid using hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. These actually kill normal cells and can delay healing.
If dirt or debris remains after cleaning, do not try to remove it yourself. Seek medical attention. Additionally, if the wound is a puncture wound, look for objects inside the wound, but do not remove them yourself. Instead, head to your nearest emergency department.
Doctors typically recommend a tetanus vaccine every 10 years. Depending on the type and size of the wound and the last time you had a tetanus shot, your doctor may recommend a tetanus booster.
• Apply an antibiotic ointment. Over-the-counter antibiotic ointments can keep infection at bay and assist with healing. After thoroughly cleaning and drying the wound, apply a thin layer of ointment, such as Neosporin.
• Bandage it up. After it’s clean and treated with ointment, cover the wound with a sterile strip or gauze bandage to help prevent infection. Change the bandage at least once a day or when it becomes wet or dirty. Once a scab develops, you can remove the bandage. Air will help speed healing.
As you assess and treat your injury, keep in mind that cuts and puncture wounds that occur from stepping on an object can be especially dangerous because it is difficult to determine how deep the object penetrated. In addition, bacterial infections are more common in puncture wounds to the feet. In these cases, the best course of action is to go to the nearest emergency department for evaluation and care.
Finally, while most minor cuts and scrapes can be successfully treated at home, the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends you seek medical help if any of the following things occur:
• The wound is jagged.
• The wound is on your face.
• The edges of the cut gape open.
• The cut has dirt in it that won’t come out.
• The cut becomes tender or inflamed.
• The cut drains a thick, creamy, grayish fluid.
• You start to run a temperature over 100 degrees.
• The area around the wound feels numb.
• You can’t move comfortably.
• Red streaks form near the wound.
• It’s a puncture wound or a deep cut and you haven’t had a tetanus shoot in the past five years.
• The cut bleeds in spurts, blood soaks through the bandage or bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes of firm, direct pressure.
The Emergency Department at University Medical Center at Princeton is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is staffed around-the- clock by physicians who are board-certified in emergency medicine and registered nurses who are trained in trauma, emergency care and disaster preparedness. The Emergency Department cares for more than 40,000 patients each year from throughout the greater Mercer County area.
To find a physician with Princeton HealthCare System, call 888-742-7496 or visit www.princetonhcs.org.
Craig A. Gronczewski, M.D., is board certified in emergency medicine and is the Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Princeton HealthCare System.
