Uncontrolled Bleeding

While some wounds can be treated at home with a little extra care, more serious wounds should be treated by medical professionals.  Gaping wounds deeper than 1 inch and wounds that do not stop bleeding after you’ve applied pressure and elevated them for 10 ­­– 15 minutes are usually serious enough to necessitate a trip to the ER. Bite wounds, both from humans or animals, should be treated as especially serious, including painful insect bites. Additionally, wounds caused by rusty nails, glass or wood splinters, or wounds that are showing early signs of infection should be seen by our medical practitioners.

If your wound begins to develop an infection, it is important to recognize the symptoms so they can be treated as early as possible. If redness begins to spread out from the wound, or if it begins to swell and increase in tenderness, or if you see green or yellow pus, you should seek medical attention immediately. Other signs include swollen lymph nodes, body aches, chills, or fever.

When you come to iCare with a wound injury, our highly trained staff will perform a physical exam to assess the seriousness of your wound. Depending on how large, deep, or infected it is, our team will treat you in the appropriate setting. After a medical history review and exam, our qualified doctor and nurses will clean and treat your wound, usually with stitches or antibiotic ointments. They will then dress or bandage your wound.

After your wound is treated at iCare, the practitioner will leave you with specific instructions for caring for your wound after your visit. However, as a general guide, it is best to keep all wounds clean in order to prevent infection. Wash your wound with clean water and a mild soap per your doctor’s instructions. If provided with an antibiotic cream, apply a thin layer before dressing it. Dress or bandage your wound loosely so that blood flow is not restricted, and be sure to change the dressing daily so that an infection does not begin to grow. Refrain from scratching any itchy scabs so that they can heal properly. In the event that a patient requires hospitalization or other procedures that we do not offer at iCare, we are able to transfer them to a hospital for admission.