How does one know they need stitches from a cut?
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| Jo, I cut myself with a broken glass while doing dishes one night... I'm not a person to go to the hospital for anything, but if you need to ask, chances are perhaps you should go. When I looked at my cuts, I thought, no way this is going to close with out some assistance so off I went. I had to drive my self, the night before I took Lee to the airport for some business travel and I drive a stick shift.... took his car, an automatic and got things taken care of...
Can you get the bleeding to stop? |
| If you can clean (flush it) well, and get the bleeding to stop enough to get a strip of tape or strips to stick and pull it together, then you may not need to get stitches. The problem is getting the edges to match nice and smooth and not move around. Harder on a finger than more stationary body parts.
Got a picture?? |
| Can you see hand meat inside? You have to go. |
| Easy question--
Go for an evaluation at the hospital and let the Doctor make the decision about suturing. You also need to know when you had your last tetanus (Td) shot. You may need a booster. So sorry to hear about your cut, let us know how things go at the Dr.'s evaluation. |
| thanks. i think it's fine now. ...was only worried because i could indeed see what looks like meaty skin inside...
it bled through 6 band aids), but now it seems fine. Well, I can't see through a band aid, but I feel fine and it's not bothering me. If it doesn't close up in a day then I'll be sure to stop at the hospital. |
ButtersStotch wrote: Can you see hand meat inside? You have to go.
At least Jill didn't ask you if your hand needed to be amputated like she did to me... 
Heal quickly  |
| Another important issue to keep in mind would be infection. You might be able to heal with or without a scar, but staph infections ect.......... can be pretty bad, even life threatening. |
| I'd say, if you see bone, you need stitches.
I have never gotten stitches while awake, only during surgery. But it looks painful. I had a bad gash on my knee when I was a kid, Dad did not feel like taking me to the E.R., so he put a butterfly band-aid on it. It left a lovely scar!! Thanks Dad! My Grandmother told me don't worry the scar will be gone before you get married. LIAR!!  |
Maggie McGee IV wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: Can you see hand meat inside? You have to go. At least Jill didn't ask you if your hand needed to be amputated like she did to me... Heal quickly I told you, I vowed to make no more medical jokes in fear of what could happen! |
Don't you hate when you've got a gash on your finger and it's time to shower? I think I'm going to pass on the shower today (mostly b/c Mr. J isn't here).  |
ziplock your hand, you should be fine in the shower, stinky  |
Darcy wrote: ziplock your hand, you should be fine in the shower, stinky
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| oh my jus finding this............. can't have stitches if it is over 12 hours old..........
hope it's fime.......!!! |
| I just found this. Ali, I thought it was 8 hours?
The rule of thumb we use for sending in for evaluation: When in doubt go in. Anything 1/4" deep or won't stop bleeding after 5 minutes of pressure and elevation. If the cut is across a joint, such as a knee. The repetitive movement in using the joint tends to pull the cut open and delay healing. Face (duh) - anything deeper than a scratch is the parents choice, but we usually send them in. Anything longer than 1/2 inch. Anything that gravity tends to pull open. That's off the top of my head, so there may be more. |
Mom of 3 wrote: That's off the top of my head, so there may be more. Anything with a railroad spike sticking out of it....? |
| I thought it was actually 6 hours for the time limit for stitches? |
| Found this:
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/art ... =100059241 |
| 12 is the tops.................... normally it is 8 your right....... Vy then too much baceria has had a chance at hitting the site and they wont close the wound.........
Good luck!! I'm off to paint/waterproof 10.000 ft of fence and our deck. Honey do list is geting smaller, but so is his time here at home........... Norm leaves again on Thursday. BUT we shouuld have some GOOD news to report tomorrow morning!! Ali |
| hey Jo.....did you shower yet????????? |
| this morning. i felt like a grease ball from skipping out yesterday. ate greasy food which fueled the icky feeling. my friend, nurse next door, said they would have given me a few stitches if i would have gone ...but says it should be fine as long as i keep it clean esp. since it was a clean cut and not jagged. i just feel stupid for doing it. next time i'll know! |
| Ali, I thought the reason for the 8 hour time limit was that granulation has started by then and the edges won't bind together tightly. But nursing school was a long time ago.
The bacteria sounds more like the reason they don't sew up a puncture wound - like Ron's spike. And you never pull out the puncture item, like the ER do it. |
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