Good Healthcare Requires Treatment of Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Signs That Your Cut Requires Emergency Medical Attention

3 January 2017 by Hugh Larson

If you are an accident prone individual, then you may cut yourself on a regular basis. If this is a problem of yours, then you may sometimes cut yourself seriously. There are some cases when a cut requires immediate and emergency medical attention. Keep reading to learn about a few things that can inform you that you need to seek out medical care as soon as possible.

The Cut Is From A Rusty Piece Of Metal

There are many things both inside and outside the home that can cause some major cuts and abrasions. Rusty tools, old knives, and even an old rake can cause serious scrapes. If you cut yourself with a rusty object, then you may ignore the superficial injury. However, this is a mistake. The rusty items are likely dirty and may contain dangerous bacteria. The microorganism you need to be concerned about is Clostridium tetani. This specific bacteria is the one that causes tetanus. 

The bacteria create a toxin in the body called tetanospasmin that causes the nerves to malfunction. When this happens, the muscles become painful, and they start to contract. You will most likely see this happening along the jaw and face. The spasming will soon spread to the neck, hands, and arms though. Bacteria infections will continue on for some time, even when treatment is provided, and you have a 30% chance of dying if tetanus develops.

If you suspect that the object that caused the cut is dirty, then you will need a tetanus booster as soon as possible to prevent the infection.

The Abrasion Is Close To A Major Artery

In general, you should seek out immediate assistance for a cut if it will not stop bleeding. You should place a compress on the cut for about 10 minutes. If this does not stop the bleeding, then you will need to seek out emergency medical care. 

You should also seek out care before trying to compress the wound if it is located near a major artery. The body contains about five liters of blood, and the major arteries carry the majority of this blood. These arteries include the carotid in the neck, the subclavian in the arms, and the femoral in the lower part of the body. These major arteries have secondary blood vessels that are also fairly large and transport large volumes of blood. 

If one of the major or secondary arteries are cut, then blood loss can occur very quickly. Once you lose between about 15% and 30% of your blood, you will pass out. It is extremely important to contact emergency medical services well before this happens, so do not delay if blood seems to be rushing out of the cut. 

An Object Is Stuck In The Skin

Cuts that go beyond superficial ones include abrasions to the muscles that sit underneath the skin. In some cases, muscle and deep tissue cuts may be noted with the object still embedded in the cut. Large pieces of glass commonly cause these sorts of injuries. Most people will try to remove the foreign object quickly.

If you notice an object embedded in your cut, then do not remove it. Seek medical care immediately. Foreign objects will commonly cut arteries, but they will also block the cut from bleeding extensively. The object acts like a dam in this case and stops major bleeding from occurring. If the object has nicked a major artery, then the foreign object may be preventing you from hemorrhaging seriously.

Also, foreign objects will often infect wounds with bacteria and debris. If you remove the object without thoroughly flushing the wound, then this can cause a serious infection problem. Medical professionals know how to remove the object while also cleaning the area to prevent these sorts of issues. For more help, contact a hospital like Van Wert County Hospital.

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