Is it normal for scrapes to swell?
Slight swelling, bruising, and tenderness around a cut, bite, scrape, or puncture wound is normal. Swelling or bruising that begins within 30 minutes of the injury often means there is a large amount of bleeding or that damage to deeper tissues is present.
Why is my abrasion swelling?
Swelling is a sign that your immune system is repairing your wound. The blood vessels widen to ease blood flow and send oxygen, vitamins, and minerals to your injury. This stage shouldn’t last longer than five days.
How do you treat a swollen scrape?
After the wound has been cleaned, dry it and keep it covered with antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin, and a bandage until new skin has developed over the wound. If the redness continues to spread or the cut begins to ooze pus, seek medical attention. Don’t try to treat signs of infection in a large cut at home.
How do you know if a scrape is infected or healing?
If you notice any of these signs of infection, call your doctor right away:
- expanding redness around the wound.
- yellow or greenish-colored pus or cloudy wound drainage.
- red streaking spreading from the wound.
- increased swelling, tenderness, or pain around the wound.
- fever.
How to know if a scrape is normal?
Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the scrape. Red streaks leading from the scrape. Pus draining from the scrape. A fever. The scrape starts to bleed, and blood soaks through the bandage. Oozing small amounts of blood is normal.
What’s the best way to care for a scrape?
If your doctor told you how to care for your wound, follow your doctor’s instructions. If you did not get instructions, follow this general advice: Wash the scrape with clean water 2 times a day. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing.
Is it possible for a scrape to become infected?
A simple wound, if not treated properly, can quickly turn serious. Here’s how to ID signs of a developing infection so you can treat it before it causes real trouble. Depending on the circumstance that caused your scrape, such as falling on gritty pavement, it’s possible that small particles could have gotten lodged in the affected area.
What happens if you get a scrape on your face?
Most scrapes do not go deep into the skin, but some may remove several layers of skin. Scrapes usually don’t bleed much, but they may ooze pinkish fluid. Scrapes on the head or face may appear worse than they are.
Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the scrape. Red streaks leading from the scrape. Pus draining from the scrape. A fever. The scrape starts to bleed, and blood soaks through the bandage. Oozing small amounts of blood is normal.
When to seek medical care for a scrape?
Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: You have signs of infection, such as: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the scrape. Red streaks leading from the scrape. The scrape starts to bleed, and blood soaks through the bandage. Oozing small amounts of blood is normal.
What’s the best way to treat a scrape?
Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the scrape with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.
A simple wound, if not treated properly, can quickly turn serious. Here’s how to ID signs of a developing infection so you can treat it before it causes real trouble. Depending on the circumstance that caused your scrape, such as falling on gritty pavement, it’s possible that small particles could have gotten lodged in the affected area.