How to Check a Wound for Infection
Wash your hands first., Examine the wound closely., Look at your injury for redness or swelling., Ask yourself if the pain is getting worse., Don't apply an antibiotic unless recommended by your doctor.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your hands first.
Before you inspect a wound you should always wash your hands thoroughly.If you are concerned about a wound being or becoming infected, poking around with dirty fingers could make the wound worse.
Be sure to thoroughly clean your hands with an antibacterial soap and water before doing anything else.Remember to wash your hands after touching the wound. -
Step 2: Examine the wound closely.
You must remove any bandages from the wound you are inspecting.
Do this carefully so you don't risk aggravating a sensitive area.
If your bandage sticks to the wound, you can use running water to tease it off the wound.
The water sprayer on a kitchen sink is helpful for this.Once you have taken off the soiled bandages, they should be discarded and thrown into the garbage.
Never try to re-use a soiled bandage. , When you look at the wound think about whether it looks excessively red or if it has gotten redder than it was before.
If the wound looks very red and the redness appears to be spreading out from the wound site, this is an indicator of infection.Your skin may also feel warm at the hurt area.
Contact a doctor for advice if either of these symptoms are present. , Feeling new or increasing pain is a symptom of an infected cut.
Pain by itself or with other signs (such as swelling, heat, and pus) may indicate an infection is present.
Consult a doctor if you notice growing pain at the site.The pain may feel like it is coming from deep within the wound.Generally, swelling of the affected area, heat/warmth and tenderness/pain are the best initial indicators that the wound may be infected.
You might feel a throbbing pain.Itching is not necessarily a sign of infection, although you should never agitate a wound by scratching it a lot.
Fingernails can carry more bacteria and scratching can make issues worse. , Studies haven't shown that antibiotic ointments significantly help a wound infection.An infection that has spread has also entered into your body, so treating the external wound after this has happened won't also treat the bacteria in your body.
Your doctor may recommend antibiotic ointments if the infection is minor and superficial. -
Step 3: Look at your injury for redness or swelling.
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Step 4: Ask yourself if the pain is getting worse.
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Step 5: Don't apply an antibiotic unless recommended by your doctor.
Detailed Guide
Before you inspect a wound you should always wash your hands thoroughly.If you are concerned about a wound being or becoming infected, poking around with dirty fingers could make the wound worse.
Be sure to thoroughly clean your hands with an antibacterial soap and water before doing anything else.Remember to wash your hands after touching the wound.
You must remove any bandages from the wound you are inspecting.
Do this carefully so you don't risk aggravating a sensitive area.
If your bandage sticks to the wound, you can use running water to tease it off the wound.
The water sprayer on a kitchen sink is helpful for this.Once you have taken off the soiled bandages, they should be discarded and thrown into the garbage.
Never try to re-use a soiled bandage. , When you look at the wound think about whether it looks excessively red or if it has gotten redder than it was before.
If the wound looks very red and the redness appears to be spreading out from the wound site, this is an indicator of infection.Your skin may also feel warm at the hurt area.
Contact a doctor for advice if either of these symptoms are present. , Feeling new or increasing pain is a symptom of an infected cut.
Pain by itself or with other signs (such as swelling, heat, and pus) may indicate an infection is present.
Consult a doctor if you notice growing pain at the site.The pain may feel like it is coming from deep within the wound.Generally, swelling of the affected area, heat/warmth and tenderness/pain are the best initial indicators that the wound may be infected.
You might feel a throbbing pain.Itching is not necessarily a sign of infection, although you should never agitate a wound by scratching it a lot.
Fingernails can carry more bacteria and scratching can make issues worse. , Studies haven't shown that antibiotic ointments significantly help a wound infection.An infection that has spread has also entered into your body, so treating the external wound after this has happened won't also treat the bacteria in your body.
Your doctor may recommend antibiotic ointments if the infection is minor and superficial.
About the Author
Benjamin Collins
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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