Wounds & Injuries

Removing a splinter using glue is an easy, fast and painless fix for those nasty splinters you can get in your fingers from working on wood projects, sliding your hands along railings and other...

Ultrasound-assisted wound, or UAW, therapy is a relatively new method of treating deep wounds, including bedsores, diabetic ulcers and other injuries that are infected, have impaired circulation...

Leg ulcers are areas of damaged or infected skin on the leg or ankle caused by problems with blood flow to veins or arteries, or by chronic conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease....

Skin on the human body protects our insides against infection and disease. When it is punctured or burned, an opening presents itself for bacteria and dirt. The skin will heal naturally on its...

An injury to the face (especially the nose) can result in a black eye. This condition occurs when blood and fluid collect around the eye. In fact, the eye itself is not usually injured during this...

Medically speaking, swelling is known as edema. Swelling is caused when fluid gathers in small spaces around body tissues and organs. While edema can occur anywhere in the body, swollen ankles are...

Cold sores in the mouth are the result of the herpes simplex virus 1 and typically appear several weeks after exposure to the virus. These sores are often painful and easily irritated, making...

Unna boots provide a medicated compress to the lower leg of patients suffering from venous ulcers. Named for a German dermatologist, Paul Gerson Unna, M.D., the Unna boot is made of cotton cloth...

Onychoptosis is the medical term for a toenail falling off. This term comes from Greek origins and literally means "Nail falling off". There are two reasons why a toenail may fall off: Injury and...

Scars can be the result of severe acne, burns, sun damage or illnesses such as chicken pox. While there are medical methods, such as dermabrasian, by which the appearance of scars can be...

Broken capillaries are associated with direct injury (resulting in a bruise) and with skin conditions like rosacea. They also occur more frequently with older age, as blood vessels become less...

Cauterization is the surgical process of burning of tissues surrounding a wound. This is done with the intention of closing the flesh to allow it to heal and to prevent blood loss. Cauterization...

Injuries to the roof of the mouth may affect the hard palate, an immovable vault attached to the upper teeth, or the soft palate, which is near the back of the throat. Deeper tissues may be...

Arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are common causes of knee stiffness, along with tendonitis and bursitis. These conditions, as well as knee injuries, are caused by inflammation...

Epsom salt has been used medicinally for hundreds of years. The salts come from a material in the earth called dolomite, which is rich in magnesium sulfate. The compound came by the name of Epsom...

If you have an unsightly bruise, you might be looking for a natural, homeopathic remedy to help speed the healing and ease your discomfort. Consider trying creams and aromatherapy to aid in your...

The quadriceps tendon and the patellar tendon are heavily involved in knee movement. Tendonitis in this area is most common in athletes who do a lot of jumping. It usually responds well to...

Treating wounds is not as difficult as it may seem, and it does not necessarily require special training. However, some wounds do require evaluation and treatment by a qualified medical...

Both heat and cold have been used to treat muscle aches and injuries for ages. Both of these temperatures have decided effects on a person's nerves, muscles and blood flow. When braces, especially...

Toes can become infected for many reasons--fungal infections, toenail infections, or even an infection from cutting a nail too short and opening the skin. Because your toes are inside socks and...

Tetanus is caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani that is otherwise known as lockjaw. If it is not treated a person will experience not just a stiff jaw, but severe seizures and perhaps even...

Arthroscopic subacromial decompression, also called shoulder decompression surgery, is a treatment for shoulder impingement syndrome. In this condition, the rotator cuff tendon becomes caught...

Frostbite is damage to skin tissue caused by prolonged exposure to cold, usually at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Skin freezes into ice crystals, causing cells to rupture and blood to stop...

Puncture wounds to the foot are most often caused by animal bites, shards of glass or objects such as nails or screws. A puncture wound can be very dangerous if not treated immediately, as a...

If you have a swollen Achilles tendon you may have Achilles tendinitis. This is a problem that many athletes (or anyone who is consistently on her feet) can experience. The tendon can become...

A repetitive stress injury (RSI) occurs due to the overuse of a certain body part, usually the hand, arm or wrist. Although precautions to prevent these injuries can be taken, treatment is needed...

You were trying to be careful cutting up that chicken for dinner. You only wanted to trim off the excess fat and the knife slipped. Your first reaction may be to wash the wound with cold water....

When someone has been injured, you should normally avoid moving him. However, some situations call for moving the injured person to avoid further injury. Move her as gently and as little as...

Prior to 1980, it was believed that infants could not feel pain, so anesthesia was not used during circumcision surgeries. Since this time, the medical community has become wise to the fact that...

Saline is the common name used to describe a solution of sodium chloride (NaCl) and water--in layman's terms, salt water. It usually aims to have a salt content that matches that of the human body...

Knee pain is a common condition that affects many people worldwide. The knee is a complex joint in the body that is comprised of many different parts such as fluid-filled sacs, cartilage, muscles,...

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) refers to using pressurized pure oxygen to treat conditions such as wounds that won't heal in patients with diabetes or radiation injury.

A hernia occurs when a portion of the intestine bursts through the abdominal wall. In a femoral, or leg, hernia, the protrusion appears just below the crease of the groin.

The circulatory system pumps oxygen-rich blood from the lungs throughout the body. Circulation problems often occur when the body becomes sedentary. These problems can be especially troubling to...

Serious injury to the body and surgery can leave people with internal scars. These scars can affect other parts of the body and can re-open. Pregnant women have been known to hemorrhage from their...

Ingrown toenails, which occur when your nail grows into the soft flesh in the corners of your toes, can be problematic, causing redness, swelling and infection. They can be both painful and...

Surgical tape is commonly used in hospitals and health care settings to secure and dress wounds. It is very durable and has a stong adhesive backing to prevent the tape from falling off...

The term 'water on the knee' refers to irregular amounts of fluid that have built up around the knee joint. This can be caused by many things, such as ligament tears, severe trauma to the knee...

All of a sudden you hear a loud pop. Then you realize you cannot rise up on your toes. You have ruptured your Achilles tendon. This can happen after a bout of extended tendonitis or with no...

Many feel that Chap Stick is the best cure for split lips, but for others the chemicals can cause an infection or even more irritation. There are a few natural remedies that can be tried right at...

Calf pain and walking pain in your lower leg can be the result of pulled or torn muscles from walking or other activities. Symptoms can be aggravating, but you can reduce the pain and prevent...

When dealing with open wounds the goal is two-fold: to stop the loss of blood and to stabilize the injury. After you've done that, you''ll need to prevent infection by washing out your open wound....

Torn rib cartilage, also called costochondral separation, can be one of the most difficult injuries to heal, because it cannot simply be placed in a cast. Ribs must move in order for your lungs to...

There are several types of mouth ulcers, which are caused when the sensitive mouth lining is damaged. Damage can be caused by stress or viruses, hot food, biting the inside of your mouth or...

Muscles are the primary component that enable humans to move. Muscles are strengthened by frequent exercise or natural use and are weakened by lack of exercise or lack of use. Injury can occur...

Therabands are exercise bands for the feet that allow different levels of tension to help you strengthen your feet after an injury or illness. Therabands can help heal ankle problems, plantar...

Bedsores are most often seen in patients who are handicapped, paralyzed, bedridden or disabled. This condition occurs when there is continued pressure on a certain part of the body because a...

A break in the skin is considered a wound. Wounds are often no more than cuts and scrapes, but the proper treatment of a wound depends on an accurate analysis.

Nosebleeds are a very common occurrence for people of all ages. Typically, they occur during cold or dry weather, after irritation from frequent blowing or as the result of a nasal infection....