It’s pretty common for individuals to get wounds, scrapes, and cuts from day-to-day activities, especially if they are in a field that requires them to do more physical labor than others. Wounds can even be as small as a bruise, minor cut, or an animal scratch. The challenging part is knowing when it’s the right time to go to the ER and if a trip to the ER is even necessary at all. Most moderate wounds can heal on their own and at home, however, some injuries need immediate medical attention to promote healing and prevent furthering complications.
Warning Signs a Wound Becomes an Emergency
We recommend going to the emergency room if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Severe bleeding
- Blood is gushing out uncontrollably
- The cut is deeper than ¼ inch
- Objects or pieces of material punctured into the skin
- Animal scratches or bites
- Bleeding persists even after applying constant pressure for at least 10 minutes
- Loss of mobility from the wound
If you think that you need emergency medical attention, it’s best to act as quickly as possible so you don’t further complicate the situation. If you believe this can be a life-threatening situation, please call 911.
Can I Treat Wounds at Home?
Try to familiarize yourself with basic first aid skills so you can treat the emergency until medical personnel arrives. We recommend the following tips:
- Thoroughly clean the would with both soap and water
- Apply an antibacterial cream and cover wound with a bandage
- Apply pressure with a cloth directly to the wound to stop bleeding
- Look for signs of infections such as tenderness around the surface wound. If there’s visible signs, call your doctor.
Get in touch with Advance ER today at (214) 494-8222 or contact us online!