I just cut my finger with a dirty old stanley knife blade, can I treat it on my own?

Question

I just gashed my finger quite deeply with a blade that tend to use for sharpening pencils, oil pastels, as well as cutting through tin cans etc (I'm an artist). It's not very clean visually, but I don't know if it's got bastieria or infection on it. Anyway the cut was bleeding a lot, I've cleaned it and put teatree oil on it and now its got a band aid on it too, the bleeding has subsided more or less completely now i think. The cut had swollen a little bit and looked bruised sort of. Do you think I should go to a doctor or will it just heal by itself now?

Thanks for any adivce!

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Deep cuts to a finger can be very bad especially with a dirty old knife and there are three good reasons why listed below, All of witch are possible from what you explained below.
-infection 
- tetnis 
- you could have cut the flexor and extensor tendon in finger witch are require to bend and straighten you finger leaving it just hanging in some cases and that may require surgery to repair. ( swelling is a sign) 
It is crucial that you be evaluated by a doctor in the next two to four hours beacuase a doctor won't stitch it shut after so many hours and every doctors different and if its in the wrong spot he may want to make sure you didn't hit a tendon witch could require surgery  by a hand surgeon. If you choose not to to go the doctors follow the step below and may be you will avoid an infection.

- Soak in a bowl of Luke warm water mixed with little  hydrogen peroxide and a drop of fragrance free hand soap for 5-10 min

- depending on how deep the laceration is  do or do not apply  anti bacterial ointment.

- Apply a loose sterile  bandage 
-rest , ice , and elevation  for pain
 
I highly recommend you see a Doctor ASAP and have it evaluated appropriately  if your an artist and you can't afford to loose any function of you finger  

Any suggestions/recommendations for treatments read and shared here are purely just for information purposes and must first be talked about a Doctor

? · Answer

If it shows signs of red streaks or the like near the area, you'll need to get that looked at. keep it dry for a couple of days, and change the bandage every half-day or day. Once it shows signs of improving, usually 48 hours, leave the bandage off if you can, say, while sleeping, to let air get to it and heal up by scabbing some. That will speed healing and you won't need a bandage for long.

? · Answer

You will need a tetanus shot too, and a friend of mine cut her finger on a rusty tin can and ended up in hospital with a serious infection.... Go to dr

Anonymous · Answer

go to the Dr ASAP are you up to date with Hep B & Hep C injections? If not definitely go, it's not worth the risk.

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I just cut my finger with a dirty old stanley knife blade, can I treat it on my own?

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