Wounds & Injuries

There are many myths about bloody noses and how to treat them. For example, tilting the head back to stop the bleeding. DO NOT DO THIS. It may slow the bleeding from the nose, but this is only...

A closed wound infection ranges from a cut that healed too quickly, leaving infection under the surface of the skin, to the most commonly infected internal wounds that happen after surgery,...

Ripped toenails are quite common, but not many people know what to do to care for them. Care for the toenail depends on the severity of the tear, the condition of the toe and the amount of...

The honey locust tree is a fast-growing, hardy shade tree. The tree has a sweet smell and is popular for landscaping. The honey locust has clusters of three thorns each on its branches; these...

Moles are brown or skin-colored lesions that form on the body. Sometimes people have them removed because an unusual mole may be an indicator of skin cancer or even just because they think the...

Knowing how to make a wound dressing could save someone's life. There are a few basics to keep in mind. Learn these, and you will know how to make a wound dressing suitable for most wounds. You...

A sprained ankle occurs when ligaments, which connect bones, are stretched or torn. Strapping a sprained ankle provides support, provides compression to reduce swelling and prevents inversion...

Campho-Phenique, along with many other home remedies for toenail infection, is a highly controversial treatment due to its inconclusive benefits. Many people swear by the benefits not just for...

Tissue granulation in a wound bed is a positive sign because it indicates the wound is healing. Healthy granulation tissue is shiny, bleeds easily and appears beefy-red or deep pink. The surface...

Doctors (and everyday folks) have used sugar and honey throughout history to treat cuts, burns and other wounds. Honey has long been touted for its bacteria-killing properties, while ancient...

Promogran Prisma Matrix is a dressing that absorbs drainage and contains a low level of silver that aids in killing bacteria. This dressing reacts with the drainage in the wound to form a gel...

Examination of the wound margin is a necessary part of any wound assessment. Wound margins vary greatly in size and shape. An examination of the wound margin is performed at regular intervals by a...

Honey has been used throughout history to treat wounds and burns, but only in recent years have scientists conducted studies on using honey for healing only. According to Peter Charles Molan,...

Pressure wounds, also known as pressure sores or bedsores, are ulcerous patches of skin and tissue that form when sustained pressure cuts off blood flow to that part of the body. Without blood,...

Infections in wounds can not only prolong a patient's recovery but do them additional injury. When a wound shows signs of being infected (it may be slow to heal, issue a purulent discharge or give...

Each of the body's lungs are surrounded by an airtight area in the chest. If this area is punctured and air is allowed to enter, the lung begins to collapse. This is referred to as a "open" or...

Soaking a wound can be beneficial when done properly; wound soaking can cleanse the injury site, thereby preventing infection and promoting healing. When an infection is already present, a warm...

Chances are you have experienced the hiccups, known medically as singultus. Singultus is derived from the Latin word "singult," which translates as the process of catching your breath while...

A bed sore, also referred to as a pressure ulcer or decubitus ulcer, is caused by constant pressure to a part of the body. This pressure causes skin breakdown by decreasing blood flow to the area...

Blisters are sacs filled with fluid that usually result from friction. They commonly appear on the feet and are usually the result of ill-fitting shoes. Reddened skin at the area of irritation is...

Scratches, scrapes and acne blemishes can cause the skin to react by developing a scab, which can turn into a scar once the scab has healed completely. Treating a scar early can ensure that the...

A minor wound can be defined as either a laceration, abrasion, or blister, and frequently can be comfortably managed at home without requiring a visit to a doctor. Minor wounds are common in...

Attempting to remove a wound dressing that is stuck to the wound bed is painful and disruptive to the healing process. Some gauze dressings can be used to cover a wound and other gauze dressings...

People who swim in the ocean sometimes come in contact with coral and get coral scrapes or wounds. There are some techniques for treating coral wounds which may save you a trip to the hospital....

Whether you are recovering from recent nose surgery or just got hit a little too hard in last night's basketball game, having a swollen nose can be very uncomfortable. As the soft tissues in the...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a painful wrist condition which is three times more common in men than women.

Finger wounds run a higher risk of infection since our hands are constantly in use and are touching things throughout the day. Finger injuries range from minor cuts and scrapes to serious tissue...

A pinched nerve results when the nerve is compressed due to excessive pressure or injury. It can cause pain, tingling, weakness, numbness or decreased sensation. Fortunately, conservative measures...

Nits are lice eggs. They are small, oval-shaped, white eggs that attach to the hair, usually within an inch of the scalp. Although lice shampoos kills adult lice, any surviving nits may hatch...

A macerated wound is an injury accompanied by soft, white, deteriorating skin around the site of the original injury. Maceration occurs when too much moisture is trapped between the wound and its...

Magnet therapy has been used for years in many cultures to treat injuries as well as chronic health conditions and illnesses. Small magnet-containing pads and magnetic jewelry appeared in the...

A carbuncle is a mass of multiple boils on and under the surface of the skin. Carbuncles are contagious abscesses infected with bacteria that must be drained before they will begin to heal. The...

A knee injury requires special care. To prevent further injury, it is necessary to wrap the knee to protect it, especially during sports or rigorous activities. If an injured knee is not wrapped...

Tendinitis occurs when a tendon, which connects the bone to muscle, becomes inflamed and injured. It is a common sports injury, but can result from any sort of overuse or repetitive movement....

Leg ulcers are open sores on the leg which can result from conditions such as varicose veins or being immobilized for prolonged periods of time (e.g., someone who is confined to a wheelchair or...

Wounds are assessed at regular intervals to ensure the wound heals correctly and to rule out infection. Wound assessment techniques depend on the location, size and depth of the wound as well as...

The mouth is an important part of the body because it's a gateway for providing nourishment to the body, and, course we use it to communicate. When you sustain a mouth wound, you want to find...

Infected wounds can be trouble if not taken care of properly. Continuous inflammation can cause cellulitis, gangrene or even death. That's why it's important to know the signs of infection and...

An incised wound is characterized by clean edges and often is caused by cutting instruments or sharp objects, such as broken glass. If blood vessels are cut, the wound can bleed heavily. Knowing...

There are many types of wounds, including scrapes, lacerations and puncture wounds. You must decide quickly if the wound is deep or severe enough to require stitches. If no stitches are required,...

A wound culture is performed by a health care professional from wounds that exhibit signs or symptoms of infection such as abnormal drainage, redness, poor healing and increased pain. The culture...

Ingrown nails occur when a nail grows into the skin. The most common causes of ingrown nails are cutting the nails too short and wearing tight shoes. An ingrown nail can occur on any finger or...

Sciatica refers to the pain that occurs when the sciatic nerve is aggravated, inflamed or injured. This nerve runs from the back, through the buttocks and down both legs. Sciatic pain can take...

Neuropathy is the medical term for nerve damage, most commonly in the arms, legs, fingers and toes. It can result from certain conditions like diabetes, from medications or from toxic exposure or...

At some point in our lives, most of us fall and scrape our knees, or cut ourselves on a sharp edge. In addition, you most likely have had to deal with other people's wounds. Cleaning a wound is...

A pinched nerve results from excessive pressure applied to a nerve by the muscles, bones, cartilages or tendons that surround it. Patients suffering from a pinched nerve may experience a "pins and...

Knowing how to properly use a cane seems like a matter of intuition, but it is not. For most people, intuition dictates using a cane on the side of the body with the affected leg. This is not the...

Tendons are fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones. Injury can occur due to overuse, causing inflammation. There are different stages of injury. Serious tendon injuries require medical...

Tendinitis is characterized by inflamed tendons, the fibers that attach muscles to bones. This condition can occur in your biceps or any other part of the body. The most common causes are injury...

Tattoo removal can be an expensive process and is vastly more painful than actually getting the tattoo. Therefore, it is imperative that you make the best decision and carefully research all your...