INFECTED Cut or tear of Skin.......how to treat.....Help.

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Sourdough

"Eleutheromaniac"
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I am thinking about ordering some of this........ Maximum Strength Antibiotic Ointment + Pain Relief

Or is there something goooder I should consider for skin infections......???

Second question......what if it was very-very badly infected and "NO" medical help available......??? Magots
 
Actually..........I don't remember ever having an infected cut or damaged skin that was infected. I do have some old Neosporin in different first aid kits, but it is old, maybe 10 or 20 years old.

So I am going to order something of this type problem, should it show up. I see some brands say "Triple Antibiotic" Plus pain relief. I don't know what is different from triple or single.

But figured this is the place of knowledgeable help.
 
I've got several tubes of Neosporin type stuff. But I've found, as long as a small wound can drain, it'll be all right. For a surface wound, without medical access, I'd say cut it, drain it, and flush it with sterilized water...

It's the internal ones that worry me - bad sinus infection, UTI, etc. Not a whole lot you can do. Herbals can only help so much...
 
There are several herbs that can handle nasty infections... The first that comes to mind is Usnea. It was tested by our National Institute of Health and found to be effective against pneumonia. Its effective for upper the respiratory system and the lungs. It just as good with UTI's. It grows around the northern hemisphere from the arctic circle south to the tropic of cancer. It's been used by all native peoples... even the chinese wrote about it 2400 years ago. World wide there are over 300 species. It's worth knowing which ones grow where you live.

Then there is a remarkable genus of plants that modern medicine has no counterpart... They have the ability to "draw out" infection from a serious wound, an abscessed tooth or an infected toenail. They can draw out venom from bites or stings as well. They also grow around the world from the arctic circle south to the tropic of cancer. There are several species in the Plantago genus that can be used interchangeably. Their common name is plantain.

The funny part... If you look at a bottle of Meta-Mucil you will see the words "Psyllium Fiber Capsules". The word psyllium traces to two species of plantain... Plantago ovata and Plantago psyllium. So yes, if you have ever take Meta-Mucil you have already ingested plantain. Speaking of taking plantain internally... it has another remarkable trick when it comes to bacterial infections. It severely damages the cell walls of bacteria, making it easier for plants like Usnea to finish destroying bacterial infections.

I have used these plants extensively for almost a decade now... What I just wrote can be found in books but I also know from first hand experience they work. So I have a stash of antibiotics... they grow all around me year round. :)
 
Keep it clean. Irrigate it with Water for Injection (WFI) or saline. If you can stand the pain you can clean with alcohol. Vodka is not a bad substitute. Remove dead tissue. Neosporin is probably best, but you can use Hydrogen Peroxide. I know. Peroxide is controversial. Here is a link from doctors that recommend it. If it was the best I had I would use it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23507692
I think amoxicillin is available in Pet Stores as a fish antibiotic. Again, not the best, but better than nothing.
 
I have always washed infected wounds in sodium chloride, put peroxide in it, irrigate with clean water and then dress it. If it is an insect bite you would be best to clean it in salty water and put on antiseptic cream.

In stock we keep a lot of sodium chloride and wound dressing packs which come in handy for any infected wounds.
 
Wash it with soap and water and then keep clean and dry.

If it's a bleeder wash it it with soap and water and let it bleed and bit (to flush out the wound). Wrap a band-aid around it and keep it clean and dry.

I missed the infected part of the OP. Soak the cut in alcohol. If the infection gets worse than a trip to a Doctor. If infection results in a discolored vein (blood poison) make a trip to the hospital.
 
I avoid peroxide because it destroys your bodies ability to heal itself, but I do use warm soapy water and make sure I keep it clean. If it's bad or deep I will use triple antibiotic ointment and sometimes if it is irking me I will superglue it 90% of the way shut leaving an area open to drain if need be.
 
Wash it with soap and water and then keep clean and dry.

If it's a bleeder wash it it with soap and water and let it bleed and bit (to flush out the wound). Wrap a band-aid around it and keep it clean and dry.

I missed the infected part of the OP. Soak the cut in alcohol. If the infection gets worse than a trip to a Doctor. If infection results in a discolored vein (blood poison) make a trip to the hospital.

Good advice Lazy L, but if I don't miss my guess Sourdough is out in the middle of somewhere where God left his snowshoes. A trip to the doctor or the hospital would be quite a journey. My advice was focused more on something you can do yourself.
 
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@Sentry18 yes peroxide should be used sparingly but it is recommended for infected wounds (especially seafood wounds from prawns, ulcers etc). I clean the wound with fresh sterile water after using it.

Most times I only use the sodium chloride to clean wounds if they are not infected. Oft times you will only need one if not 2 applications of peroxide to clear up the wound and then rinse with sterile water and then use salty water after that for cleaning.
 
@Sentry18 yes peroxide should be used sparingly but it is recommended for infected wounds (especially seafood wounds from prawns, ulcers etc). I clean the wound with fresh sterile water after using it.

It is recommended by some medical personnel based (perhaps) on outdated info, but that is rapidly changing. Our Chief Paramedic and the ER Docs say absolutely don't use it as it is does more harm than good. My Mom who went from Deputy Sheriff to RN used to believe it was magic bubbly liquid, but now even she won't use it.

https://www.davisregional.com/news-room/why-you-should-stop-using-hydrogen-peroxide-on-wou-13469
 
Okay thanks for the update @Sentry18 it is still a go to here in Australia medically so good to know about the new information.

I do have whites and DH's flu hankies and cleaning cloths soaking in it though and it is great for whitening and disinfecting. After packing meat I also use peroxide for wiping over the benches, knives and chopping boards with to get rid of possible Q Fever bacterium and disinfect and then rinse with fresh water.
 
Long as table salt is really salt it is a miracle cure for infections. Nothing else like it and it not only saved my right arm but also my life back in the late 1950s.
I cut my hand opening a can of corned beef the sharp wire wrapped around cut my hand. Had red streaks of blood poisoning going up almost to my shoulder.

It got infected and mama took me to dr. who said the arm had to be amputated , she said my daughter will not lose her arm [short story,dr. called the police so she hid us us out in motel room where man there said to soak it in hot salt water.I'll never forget the knotty pine walls in that room or the pain and sickness I felt while she forced my hand down into the water and the streams of infection flowing out of that wound.

I have used salt water for infection every since on myself and family.Just several weeks ago I cut my leg above the ankle a it got infected and had to find a pot deep enough to reach affected area. Healed it right up as usual.

Salt is not only a drawing but also fights germs. Stock up on it.

Also we keep peroxide and use it for small cuts ans Sentry don't listen to the Neospotin folks although it has its place I guess I never have used it but hubby does. ,don't care what the new age nuts say about it.
Have gumproblems it will cure it in a couple weeks use several times a week it cures gum desease better than any dental treatment.
 
All this information is helpful to some people in some locations. But I don't have access to most of what is being discussed here. So my question is.......is triple antibiotic ointment better or worse then single antibiotic ointment.....???

Also after first care of skin damage attention, a day or two later discovering it is infected, is there any new super wonder product that will be better for external application then Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment....???

Not looking for first steps of cleaning and dressing skin opening suggestions.

I do appreciate all the help. Remember I am fairly close the middle of nowhere Alaska, and go to town once a year for supplies. Thanks.
 
All this information is helpful to some people in some locations. But I don't have access to most of what is being discussed here. So my question is.......is triple antibiotic ointment better or worse then single antibiotic ointment.....???

Also after first care of skin damage attention, a day or two later discovering it is infected, is there any new super wonder product that will be better for external application then Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment....???

Not looking for first steps of cleaning and dressing skin opening suggestions.

I do appreciate all the help. Remember I am fairly close the middle of nowhere Alaska, and go to town once a year for supplies. Thanks.

I can only tell you what my skin cancer doctors told me for past 13 years of skin cance surgerys. I had one cancer partially wrapped around my srn and hubby saw my arm bone when dr. took it out. Hubby also saw my rib bone from skin cancer on stomach where bejini staps go under breast.
About `0 months ago had 12siches in hand from skin cancer surgery.

Point is in every one of these cases and 3 diferetn dr.s they said DO NOT USE ANY ANTIBIOTIC CREAM on the wounds. Use only mild soap and rinse well KEEP COVERED WITH VASILINE PETROLEUM JELLY leave bandage on fro first 24 hours then take it off. Of course I make sure the vasiline is kept sterile by not sticking unwashed fingers in it, last time they gave me little foil wrppared packets of vasiline to use on my wound.
 
Never take any internal antibiotics unless you have taken them in the past. Many years ago a doctor gave me some amoxicillin and it put me in the hospital for 4 days. Obviously I cannot take any 'cillins, and my oldest son cannot either. Youngest son and wife have no problem with amoxicillin.
We do keep several internal antibiotics on hand, just in case. And a lot of external antibiotics too. The kids and I work hard and play hard and get hurt a lot.
 
Sounds like Meerkat had the best recipe. Just use salt.

Yes.......my experience is that is very effective, and at the cabin I keep a large supply of "Epson Salts" to use with very warm water. Even with no injury, it is good for soaking hard use feet, especially if those feet spend 17 hours a day, humping 16 miles, in rubber hip boots.

Now that said, when guiding hunters often the largest container is a coffee cup or small pot. That can work for soaking fingers or a toe, or maybe elbow, but not for most other body locations.
 
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I do have some old Neosporin in different first aid kits, but it is old, maybe 10 or 20 years old.

Sounds like you need to inventory more often and rotate items. I'm all about past due but meds are one place where decades past due likely isn't a good idea if you need it.

So I am going to order something of this type problem, should it show up. I see some brands say "Triple Antibiotic" Plus pain relief. I don't know what is different from triple or single.
Triple A is generic Neosporin. The Plus has a mild analgesic to help reduce localized pain.

You might want to look into herbal options as well as dietary inclusion. Garlic for instance has very good antimicrobial characteristics. Comfrey is great for healing wounds (don't use it on deep wounds as it makes them heal closed to fast) but not sure about on an infection but a paste with garlic and other herbs might be a good poltice on an infection. Get some good herbal medicine books to have for reference and read up on them now and keep a list by ailment and make note like what's good for respiratory issues, Then maybe list something like mint an maybe reference to a book and page on it or on a concoction. That way you can have pages or index cards and can look by the ailment and have an idea on options. Also keeping some bottles of grain alcohol and
olive oil along with bees wax is a good idea for making extractions and other useful meds and salves.
 
Epson Salts works great for drawing out infection in cuts, blisters, even eye styes. Just pour and mix some in water as hot as you can stand it. Keep whatever soaking till the water cools. Use it every 2-3 hours. Its also great to soak in a bath to sooth and relax sore tired muscules.
Ic agree and hubby says it even helps his back pain.
 
Also be sure and keep some Vicks Vapor Rub and mustard packs if you can find them doe chest cold,flu,pnemonia.
They use to rub that stuff on us then make us sweat it out terrible feeling but it worked I guess I ' still here.
I wonder if De Pepper would comment on some of these remedies?
 
I was helping a buddy redo his roof a few years ago. While stripping the old shingles I stepped on a rotten piece of plywood and went in knee deep. Pulled myself back up took two steps to the side and went in mid thigh. Had to get help to get out that time. Finished the day out, and by the time I got home I was hurting, stiff, scraped up both legs.
Wife ran a tub of hot water and dumped a bunch of salts in it. I got in as soon as i could stand the heat and stayed in till the water was cold. By morning the scrapes looked much better, soreness was mostly gone. Went back to my buddies and we got his roof finished up.
 

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