Very painful inflamed cuts (tissue under scab)

[unfortunatelyrelapsing]

Hello, I'm fairly new to this website so sorry if I'm doing everything wrong already!

Unfortunately, I had a relapse 2 nights ago and cut on my leg. I taped tissue over the fresh cuts (as I always do) and the blood dried, I changed it again, then they were obviously weeping or something over night and the yellow fluid crusted over the tissue and I soaked it off in the shower, but theres tissue very visibly underneath the scab. This has caused quite crippling pain all night and all day for the past two days. They don't look infected but the area around them is very read and inflamed. I've never experienced post-cutting pain at all, apart from if I catch them or hit them accidentally. But these cuts are hurting when I'm completely static.. So you can imagine what its like when I'm moving... let alone when I touch them. These aren't the 'worst' cuts I've done either, so it's not like it's just a new type of severity that I'm not used to.

Has anyone had this issue of scabbing over tissue paper or very painful inflamed cuts?

Thank you very much!

M

[littlehippo]

I suggest getting someone to look at them, as it doesn't sound good. It doesn't matter that there not the worst you've done if there bothering you.

I think i have done the once , but i'm not sure what i did.
Also if there red and inflamed by be an early sign of infection

[not_so_insig]

I am not sure but it's against the rules to post the size of cuts, so can you remove them please.

[Pi.R^2]

In terms of pain, there are particular parts of the legs that seem to hurt significantly more than other areas (can't go into any more detail because of the rules!).

The tissue under the scab doesn't sound like a good healing environment, so I would get it checked out by a medical professional, either at a minor-injuries unit or at your GP surgery.

[not_so_insig]

Also I think that using tissue is the problem. I know that Animad (first aid adviser) always recommends using proper dressings or plasters. I think that the problem is with tissue and towels is that the fibres get stuck in the wound and can lead to infection.

[Animad]

How's your cut doing? Hopefully it's improving as a couple of days gave passed now.

It does sound as if it's infected and they don't have to ooze when infected but the inflammation and pain are classical signs of it and any wound whether a paper cut to a really nasty wound from a bad accident can become infected or heal without any infection. I don't know how bad this one is but I'm just saying that even if it's not your worst it doesn't mean it won't act differently or cause more problems that others.

In terms of looking after wounds you've done a couple of things that I personally would not recommend. Firstly, as mentioned above, using tissue paper is a bit of a no no. As you've seen, fibres can come off and stick in the wound. When this happens it increases the chance of an infection and also your body sees the paper as a foreign body as it tries to heal over/ around it and starts to react against it (which could be another reason why your cut is so inflamed). Also, unlike other dressings which have proven to aid healing, tissue paper doesn't do this at all or even reduce the chances of infection. Also, what tape are you using? Unless it is medical tape (microporous tape (micropore)/ zinc oxide or clear medical tape) it shouldn't be used as it's not breathable so the wound won't get he air that it needs to help heal and also can lead to sweating which won't help if it gets in the wound. Also, these are often much stronger and so when your skin is more likely to react and even if it doesn't, you will damage the skin when you remove it (even if it's at a microscopic level) which won't help with healing.

I would recommend that you have a browse though the Wound Care Guide.

KimA, RYL First Aid Advisor