Clive Anderson - AT THE DERMATOLOGIST IF HURRICANE Ivan has done any good, it would be to remind us that we should always be grateful for those things which we take for granted, such as piped water in our homes and electricity. For those of who have not yet had their water supply restored, daily hygiene becomes more of a challenge.
Persons in areas where the floodwaters have not yet receded should remember that floodwaters often contain many disease-carrying organisms from human and animal wastes. Some common illnesses carried by sewage-contaminated water include tetanus, hepatitis, dysentery, typhoid and food poisoning. Therefore, it is not wise to go swimming in these waters or to use them for bathing. Good wound care becomes especially important in these times.
A wound is a break in the skin. There are several different types of wounds:
Abrasions Shallow wounds generally caused by scraping off the skin's outer layers. These wounds bleed little but are usually dirty, may contain dirt or gravel imbedded in the skin and often become infected.
Incisions These wounds are caused by sharp objects such as knives, metal edges and broken glass. The amount of bleeding will depend on the depth of the wound.
Lacerations These are jagged irregular, cuts or tears in the skin. Bleeding may be heavy and the chance of infection may be high.
Punctures These are small wounds of varying depth, caused by an object piercing the skin. These wounds may be shallow or very deep. Objects causing puncture wounds are pins, nails, wood splinters and glass. Punctures often become infected, as proper cleaning is difficult.
Treatment for minor wounds
Wash hands carefully with soap and water.
Cleanse the wound by washing with soap and flush with lots of clean water. The cleansing should be done carefully but firmly to remove all foreign matter such as dirt, grass and gravel as well as dead tissue which
promotes bacterial growth.
Cleanse the area around the wound to remove all dirt and oils with soap and copious water.
Antibacterial ointments may be applied. These do not speed up healing but may help to prevent infection.
Seek help if the following complications occur:
Redness, excessive swelling, tenderness or increased warmth around the wound.
Throbbing pain or tenderness in the wound.
Pus or watery discharge beneath the skin or draining from the wound.
Tender lumps or swelling around the neck, armpit or groin.
Foul odour from the wound.
Good early wound care is especially important to prevent contracting tetanus. Tetanus, commonly called lockjaw, is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. It is contracted through a cut or wound that becomes contaminated with tetanus bacteria. The bacteria can get in through even the tiniest cut or scratch, but deep puncture wounds or cuts made by nails or knives are especially susceptible.
The tetanus bacterium is present in the soil, dust and manure. If they enter a wound beyond the reach of oxygen, they produce a toxin that affects the nerves controlling the muscles. Treatment is available but is lengthy and the disease is often fatal. The best treatment of tetanus is prevention. Adults who have not had a tetanus booster in the past 10 years should do so now. If you have a wound that is deep or contaminated with dirt or flood waters and you have not had a booster in the past five years, it is wise in addition to the measures noted above to get a tetanus booster shot.
Dr. Clive Anderson is a dermatologist and venereologist; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
