r/firstaid

Is ice and pain relief still the best option? (tw: bruising)
▲ 2 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

Is ice and pain relief still the best option? (tw: bruising)

This bruise is about two days old. The upper arm formed immediately and the lower is still coming in. I am not too worried because I bruise easily, but I am concerned that I am not doing enough to relieve it. I am admittedly an alcoholic so I don’t want to take pain medication, however, should I get this evaluated or am I overreacting?

u/Silver-Bullfrog-7545 — 13 hours ago

Should I take my mom to the ER?

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My mom is 40 years old and has diabetes.

Since yesterday she's been having mild pain that comes and goes. Sometimes it's in her left chest, sometimes in her left shoulder/left arm. She also says she feels tired sometimes. The pain isn't severe, and she doesn't have shortness of breath. Her fasting blood sugar this morning was 120 mg/dL.

She thinks it's just stress because she's been under a lot of tension and doesn't want to go to the hospital.

I'm worried because I've heard that chest pain with left arm pain can sometimes be heart-related, especially in people with diabetes.

Would you take her to the emergency department for an ECG and blood tests, or does this sound more like muscle pain or stress? Has anyone experienced something similar?

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u/ultrabhartiya — 9 hours ago

Do I need stitches?

Quick Summary: I’m in Japan, fell because a building site was left open so slipped onto some rough tarmac. Grazed knee quite badly, saw skin / a little bit of knee fat fall out. Has been a couple of days using some squishy plasters which has masked the pain. However, the cut isn’t creating a scab (has been a few days now)

u/ProfitPips — 21 hours ago

HELP Oil Burn On Face!

Hi guys, i was cooking on Wednesday night (it’s Sunday morning) and i accidentally got oil splatter on my face. I didn’t think much of it but now it’s still red & a friend told me I might need plastic surgery??

I was scrolling Reddit & only found rlly old posts so I’m not sure if the medicine/advice is still applicable…

What should i do? I have been using moisturizers from both senka + aquaphor 2-4 times a day since Friday.

I bought Target’s scar/burn ointment with active ingredient Allontoin 0.5%. I have also bought silicone scar tape which i don’t know when to use & Mederma PM which I plan to use starting tomorrow night (1x a day).

Sorry if this seems really dumb. I tried asking my mom and partner but none of them have been really helpful cause they aren’t familiar with USA medicine & neither am i!

Also, I googled a lot and it said to use the ointments after the wound is closed but I’m also unsure if my wounds are closed or not. They’re not wet but also not smooth… My parents aren’t familiar with USA medicine since I’m not from here so I’d appreciate all help possible.

Please help! Thank u!

u/amandamchlleee — 20 hours ago

Burn injury recommendation! URGENT URGENT

Pressure cooker water got all over my hand and chest this is the condition after 2 days (happened on 2nd July)went into emergency they said dont dress it and make sure no water gets in contact
I need serious suggestions should i have rhe dressing done
And how much time does recovery take
Please if anyone knows

u/Total_Repair_6250 — 1 day ago

Help me how do I cure this splinter

It hurts so bad it’s under my finger nail

u/Yannual — 1 day ago

Is my burn healing okay?

I got my burn from a hot stone at a massage parlor. It wasn’t on my direct skin. It was over a sheet didn’t realize how badly it was burning because I have a lot of nerve damage in my lower abdomen from surgeries. I got the burn June 20th. The blister ripped off my skin today how should I help it heal and not get infected?😭 also anything I can do to minimize the scarring?

▲ 2 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

Pain in elbow after self harm

21M, two days ago, I harmed myself (inside of wrist) it was fairly severe wound, about 1/2” wide, not sure how deep, but now I’m experiencing pain in the inside of my elbow when I stretch my arm or push on my elbow. Did I nick something important? The pain in my elbow only started after the injury. I’m experienced and have gotten muscles stitched but nothing that goes up my whole arm like this. Picture isn’t of the wounds but the location did the injury and where the pain is. It’s a sharp burning pain almost feels bruised but no swelling or bruising, just point tenderness

u/Empty_Client_666 — 1 day ago

After reaction to injection skin died & fell off.

At first it was just the gray dead skin but then it just fell off and I had this sort of thing for a couple days. I'm not a complete idiot I cleaned it up applied alcohol, triple antibiotic & then a large bandage, topped with stretch bandage.

My question is should I allow air to help it scab over & close it up? I'm thinking yes.

The old bandage was wet & went through to stretch wrap. As was the previous one. Not like bloody, just you know a combination wound fluid and a bit of blood.

u/Jack-knife-96 — 2 days ago
▲ 57 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

First proper road rash: the hospital dressing dried/stuck, now on Tegaderm after reading threads online. Do you guys have any tips for avoiding maceration? And any general advice!

Crashed on a super steep descent on a big busy road in the Dolomites, slid a few metres, got lucky but ended up with road rash.

Hospital cleaned it and dressed it with hyaluronic cream, non-stick mesh, sterile pads and wrap. They said keep it on 3 days, but after 1 day it already felt dry/stuck, so I softened it with saline and removed it slowly. Some parts had stuck and left a mesh pattern on the skin.

I switched to Tegaderm, as per your advice, and it already feels much better🥲 Less friction and bulk as well. I’m concerned about maceration though, especially overnight, since a few areas are still oozing.

For those who’ve used it, do you put it directly over everything, or use silicone foam / an absorbent layer under it for the weepier parts? How often did you change it early on? What does normal moisture look like versus actual maceration?

Do you use any gels/creams before applying Tegaderm? I’ve been pouring saline on it to disinfect it. Perhaps i need something else

Some pics of the trip and of the three peaks at the end! Maybe it was worth it..

u/AYlakanto — 4 days ago
▲ 2 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

Deep cut wound

18, 5'11, 65 kg, male

I accidentally pressed my leg (front leg, just a bit below the knee) on the stairs of a pool. What do I do? It doesn't hurt that much but of course it hurts when like I rinse it with soap and water (which I have done). Thanks for your help

u/some-guy69 — 4 days ago

(TW sh) is this burn infected? (3-5 days old)

Really hope it’s not bc I don’t have health insurance lol

u/honeybunsguy — 3 days ago
▲ 135 r/firstaid+2 crossposts

California state / Office of Civil Defense First Aid Kit

Unknown dates. The hole in the wall surplus store I found it at, buried under other defense items told me the papers that accompanied the crate this was in had it listed at being from 1950 or 1960 I can’t remember the exact date he gave. No idea what year any of the supplies is actually from, but it definitely appears to be 1940-1960s. The tourniquet is wrapped up, as was the tape but I was able to buy opened examples to add from a separate kit.

u/Raftpnk — 6 days ago
▲ 2 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

Warning slightly graphic scrape on arm 25m

Okay i got a bad scrape and I just want to know what is going on, in the middle there are clearly scabs but I dont get if this middle white part is a scab and I should let it dry out or is it new skin that I should continue putting a little vasoline on. When I let it dry it it gets pretty tough. For context I dont usually keep stuff moist like I guess I'm supposed to? I've always let stuff immediately scab. But this seemed pretty bad so while researching scrape care I found out to keep vasoline on it, then I was putting to much and my skin got kinda soft. Anyways looking for advice on caring for this. This happened 5 days ago. Also 25 M

u/Global-goon — 4 days ago
▲ 41 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

Bruises won’t go away

This happens anytime I get a bruise. When i run into something, after a while it somewhat fades but it feels like it’s hardened tissue underneath. Vein docs say my veins are fine. Other docs can’t tell me what’s wrong. Does anyone else have this issue?

u/Gloomy_Addendum_2580 — 6 days ago
▲ 32 r/firstaid+1 crossposts

Dog bite, is it healing okay?

Hi everyone, I was bit by my dog 5 days ago. He was attacked by a family members dog and he needed to defend himself. I tried to break it up and he unintentionally bit me. He is up to date on all his vaccinations and has never bared his teeth before. I’ve debated going to a doctor because they’ll have to report it and my dog will need to quarantine for 10 days. I know he’s healthy and up to date on vaccines. He doesn’t need to quarantine.
Does this bite look like it is healing alright? It doesn’t hurt unless I press on it or accidentally bump into something. I’m having some minor skin irritation from bandaging because I have sensitive skin. I wash it a couple times a day, put Neosporin on it, and bandage with gauze and wrap.
It was bandage before the photo was taken, so it looks pruned.
Am I good to let it heal on its own?
Thanks for any help and advice!

u/MistyJohns89 — 6 days ago