Bruises and Puncture Wounds

Bleeding

Use a clean cloth or piece of gauze to cover the wound. Apply firm pressure to the wound with your hand, holding the edges of the wound together. Maintain firm pressure until the bleeding has stopped. When it has stopped completely, sponge the wound gently with antiseptic such as rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and spread in a thin layer over the wound. Cover with wound with a bandage.

Note: If you can't stop the bleeding within a few minutes, seek medical help.

Apply a cold compress (a washcloth soaked in cold water works well) to the bruised area immediately after the injury, if possible. To alleviate continued pain and swelling, apply cold compresses or an ice bag to the area for 15 minutes at a time several times a day.

Wash the area with warm water and soap. If the bleeding is severe, apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. If the bleeding is minor, apply gentle pressure until the bleeding stops. Apply an antibiotic ointment or rubbing alcohol, thoroughly cleanse the wound and remove any debris or dirt. Cover the wound with an adhesive strip. If the cut is large, use sterile gauze and adhesive tape.

To relieve initial pain or throbbing, hold an ice bag on the bandaged wound for 15 to 20 minutes. Change the bandage daily and monitor the cut for signs of infection. Reapply ointment or rubbing alcohol with each new bandage.

Wash the wound well with soap and water. If bleeding is persistent, apply direct pressure until it stops. Apply sterile gauze. Seek medical help in cases of a deep puncture; a tetanus shot may be needed if you have not been immunized within the previous five years.

Thoroughly wash the area around the splinter with soap and warm water and rinse well. Swab the area gently with rubbing alcohol. Sterilize a needle by holding its end in flame for ten seconds. If the end of the splinter is sticking out of the skin, grasp it with a pair of tweezers and pull it out at the same angle it entered the skin. Go slowly and avoid breaking off a bit of the splinter under the skin. If the splinter is embedded in the skin and cannot be pulled out with tweezers, use the needle to loosen the skin around the splinter and expose its end. Then grasp the end with tweezers and remove it gently.

Gently squeeze the wound to encourage slight bleeding, which will wash out some bacteria. Apply antibiotic ointment or swab the wound with rubbing alcohol. Cover the wound with a bandage.

Note: You should seek medical help if the splinter is buried to deep to be removed, if infection develops (indicated by redness, pain, tenderness, pus, or fever), or if the splinter was deep and you have not had a tetanus shot in the last five years. Also seek help if you are unable to remove the splinter completely.