How to Tend to a Papercut, a Sliver, a Bee
Sting  and Life's Other Little "Ouchies"
by www.SixWise.com

Life is filled with bumps, bruises and other "ouchies" that may not require a trip to the emergency room, but still require some TLC to feel better. Further, without the proper treatment, even something as minor as a papercut has the potential to become serious (if it became infected, for instance).

Most minor cuts and bruises can be cared for at home with some basic first-aid supplies like bandages, cold packs, rubbing alcohol and soap and water.

Whether you're the parent of small children, work in a day care, live in a house with someone who is constantly tripping or getting bumped, or are just a bit clumsy yourself, here's what to do when inevitable minor accidents happen.

Of course, feel free to pass this "Ouchie Guide" on to your fellow accident-prone friends and loved ones.

Cuts and Scrapes

• Use a clean cloth or bandage, applied with gentle pressure, to stop any bleeding. Minor cuts will stop bleeding on their own.

• Rinse the wound with plain water, then use tweezers to remove any debris.

• Apply an ointment, such as Porter's Liniment Salve, to aid healing and prevent infection.

• Cover the wound with a bandage to help keep it clean. Change the bandage daily, or whenever it gets wet or dirty.

• Watch for signs of infection, like redness or swelling. If these appear, contact your health care provider.

Bruises

• Elevate the bruised area.

• Apply an ice-pack to the area for 30-60 minutes for a day or two.

• If the bruise is painful, consider using all-natural BlueStop Gel With Emu Oil for pain relief.

Black Eye

• Apply an ice-pack to your eye area gently (do not press on your eye).

• Use the ice-pack immediately after the injury, if possible, and continue to apply the pack for one or two days to reduce swelling.

• If you have severe pain, vision problems, or blood in your eye or nose, seek medical help.

Spider Bite

• Clean the area with soap and water.

• Apply a cool washcloth to the bite location.

• Apply Quret Drawing Salve to the area to eliminate itching and promote healing.

• If you experience chills, fever, nausea, abdominal pain, rash or listlessness, you may have been bitten by a poisonous spider, such as a black widow spider or a brown recluse spider. You should seek medical help immediately.

Bee Sting

• Remove the stinger by scraping it with a credit card or other flat-edged object (don't use tweezers, as these can increase the amount of venom released).
  " Wash the area with soap and water.

• Place an ice-pack, wrapped in a cloth, on the site for 10 minutes. Wait 10 minutes more without the pack, then reapply the ice for another 10 minutes.

• An anti-itch cream, such as Quret's, may be used.

 

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Papercut

• Treat the injury like a minor cut or scrape.

• Stop the bleeding using a cloth applied with gentle pressure.

• Rinse the wound with plain water.

• Apply an ointment, such as Porter's Liniment Salve, to aid healing and prevent infection.

• Cover the wound with a bandage to help keep it clean. Change the bandage daily, or whenever it gets wet or dirty.

• Watch for signs of infection, like redness or swelling. If these appear, contact your health care provider.

Sliver

• If the sliver can bee seen, pull it out with a pair of tweezers. It may help to soak the area in warm water first, then apply Quret's Drawing Salve to help draw out the sliver.

• If the sliver cannot be easily seen or removed, leave it alone and watch for signs of infection (if you notice redness or swelling, contact a health care provider).

Blister

• Wash the blister with soap and water.

• Swab it with rubbing alcohol or iodine.

• Sterilize a clean needle with rubbing alcohol, then puncture the blister.

• Let the fluid drain, but leave the overlying skin intact.

• Apply Porter's Liniment Salve to promote healing and relieve discomfort.

• Cover the blister with a bandage.

• After the area has healed, use tweezers and sterilized scissors to cut the dead skin away.

• If necessary, apply more ointment and another bandage.

Sprain

• Rest your injured limb and don't use the joint directly (if you sprained your ankle, for instance, use a crutch or a splint to protect the sprain).

• Apply an ice-pack wrapped in a cloth to the area as soon as possible to reduce swelling.

• Use an elastic bandage to compress the area.

• Keep your limb elevated as much as possible to limit swelling.

• If the sprain doesn't get better in a couple of days, you experience severe pain, or you're unable to use your joint at all, seek medical treatment.

Recommended Reading

What to Do if You Cut Off Your Finger (and 9 Other Important Injury Tips)

Serious Injury Toll in the Supposed Safest of Places Now Tops 12 Million: What You Need to Know to Be Safe

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Sources

MayoClinic.com