Doctor Care vs. Hospital Care:

When to Visit Your Doctor:

  • All bites and any cut or laceration greater than 1/2-inch long in which you can see fat or deeper tissues (muscle or bone) will require medical attention.
  • If bleeding is brisk or blood spurts with your heartbeat or does not stop after 10 minutes, your doctor should be called.
  • If there is still dirt and debris in an abrasion after your best attempt at cleaning the area, you should notify your doctor.
  • Any redness extending from the wound after 2 days or yellow drainage from the area should warrant medical attention.
  • You should find out from your doctor when you last had a tetanus shot. If the wound was dirty, you should have one if it has been more than 5 years since your last tetanus immunization. You should have this done within 48 hours of the injury.

 

When to Visit Your Hospital:

Most doctors will not stitch a cut or laceration that is more than 8-12 hours old. This is because there is a greater chance of infection after that time. In fact, after 3 hours, the incidence of infection begins to increase. Therefore, do not wait to have the injury repaired. If you are in doubt, call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital's emergency department. An open wound takes longer to heal and leaves a bigger scar.

Reasons to go to the hospital if you have a wound:

  • Obvious life-threatening wounds (Call 911 for emergency services.)
  • Any laceration greater than 1/2-inch long that is through all layers of the skin exposing the underlying fat.
  • If you cannot stop the bleeding
  • If the blood continues to "spurt" from the wound (Apply pressure and go to the hospital's emergency department.)
  • If you think that there may be something in the wound such as glass, wood, or rust, for example
  • If you cannot move your finger or toe in the area of the laceration, or you have lost sensation in the area beyond the laceration
  • For any bite wound (human or animal)
  • If your physician cannot see you that day

 

Health Tip #:001

Benefiting From A Daily Dosage of Aspirin??

May 9, 2007 - A study reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the effectiveness of a daily dosage of baby aspirin (81 milligrams) to prevent cardiovascular disease is just as effective as adult aspirin (325 milligrams). Also, a daily dosage of baby aspirin is much less likely to cause the most common adverse side affects - bleeding, primarily gastrointestinal bleeding.

Researchers concluded that to minimize side effects, every effort should be made to minimize long-term dosage of aspirin, and they pointed out that the optimal regimen for reducing cardiovascular risk for each individual patient is yet to be determined. Until that time, they recommended that all adults who take daily aspirin for this purpose take no more than the lower dosage.