Is There Harm in Doctoring My Wound at Home on My Own?

Most of us get cut or scraped from time to time. Fortunately, the body has a remarkable ability to heal wounds. 

That doesn’t mean, however, that things always go as expected here. Without proper care — and, in some cases, even with it — your wound might not heal without medical intervention.

Our team wants to help you learn how to best care for an injury at home, and when it’s time to come see our wound care specialists. Our team treats infected and non-healing wounds at Medical Associates Of North Texas in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Ideally, though, with good home care, you can avoid both of those issues. 

Home care for your wound

You can safely care for many wounds at home. That starts with attending to the wound as soon as possible after you get it. 

To best care for your wound, take the following steps:

• Thoroughly wash your hands before you touch the wound
• Clean the wound with warm, soapy water
• Thoroughly rinse the wound
• Pat the area dry
• Apply a thin layer of over-the-counter antibiotic ointment
• Apply a sterile bandage

Repeat all of these steps daily. Keep a close eye on the wound for any signs it’s time to seek medical care. 

When to see a doctor for a wound

Two wound categories warrant medical intervention:

• Non-healing wounds
• Infected wounds

Let’s help you learn to watch for the warning signs of both.

Non-healing wounds

A wound can be classified as non-healing if you haven’t seen any signs of healing within two weeks, or if it hasn’t fully healed within six weeks. 

Oftentimes, this slow healing is a symptom of another underlying condition, like diabetes or a circulation problem. Our team can step in to both address the underlying cause and help the wound heal.

We offer treatment like debridement, which removes dead tissue that could be hindering your body’s healing processes. And if something like diabetes makes you more likely to reencounter non-healing wounds in the future, we can also work with you to be proactive. We might recommend compression stockings or dietary changes, for example.

Infected wounds

We’re also here to help if the wound shows signs of infection. Those include:

• Redness, especially red streaks around the wound
• Pus or other discharge coming from the wound
• The area around the wound is warm to the touch
• A bad smell is coming from the wound
• Systemic symptoms, like fever, chills, body aches, and nausea

If your wound is infected, it’s important to get prompt care so the infection doesn’t spread any further. Fortunately, you can see our team however it’s convenient for you. 

If you’d like to set up an appointment for wound care,  send us a message online or call our office at 972-433-7178. Alternatively, you can walk into our Fort Worth office for same-day care.