When to go to urgent care: Small cuts that may require stitches
Cuts are among the most common injuries out there and it is highly likely we have all suffered a cut at one time or the other. There are a number of ways one can suffer a cut, from cuts when using a knife in the kitchen to prepare food to cuts when handling machinery at work and so forth. As per discussions on the same over at frontlineer.com, most of the time the cuts we suffer are minor and in most cases only require covering up with an adhesive bandage after which your body will do the rest as far as the healing of the cut is concerned. What happens however, when you suffer a cut that requires medical attention? How will you know that you need to have your cut looked at? How also will you decide if you need to go to the ER or urgent care for your cut for stitches. Stitches, as per the gurus over at frontlineer.com, help close up wounds to help them heal quicker and to prevent infection. This article, with the help of the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, will look to highlight the instances when you should go to urgent care for small cuts that may require stitches.
One of the instances when you should go to urgent care for small cuts that may require stitches is if you have suffered a straight cut where you can easily push the sides together. As per discussions over at frontlineer.com, cuts with jagged edges, where it is difficult to push the edges together should be handled at the ER. On the other hand, if you have suffered a straight cut, with smooth edges and one that is not deep, then you can go to urgent care and have them stitch it for you. You are likely to suffer such a cut from using a knife in the kitchen to prepare food. Another instance when you can go to urgent care for small cuts that may need stitches is if you have suffered a cut that is shallow. As per the gurus over at frontlineer.com, if the cut is so deep that it exposes underlying tissue such as muscles, fatty tissue, blood vessels or even bone, then it is safer to go to the ER. On the other hand, shallow cuts where you feel like you need to get stitches can be safely handled at an urgent care clinic. This includes cases where a flap of skin has been left behind due to the cut and needs reattaching.
Speaking of shallow cuts, while most cuts on the face need to be handled at an ER given the sensitive nature and the aesthetic value of the face, shallow facial cuts can also be handled at urgent care. As per the folks over at frontlineer.com, as long as the cut is shallow, is not severe and is not located on the eye or eyelid, then it can be stitched up at an urgent care clinic. Another category of cuts that can be handled at an urgent care clinic are those cuts that have dirt embedded in them. When you go to urgent care for such cuts, the physician who will attend to you will clean up the cut and remove any debris, disinfect it and then stitch it up if required. Therefore, if you suffer a cut with embedded dirt, head over to urgent care to get yourself attended to. Such cuts come with a high risk of infection and that is why one should always look for medical attention as far as they are concerned, as per the instructions of the gurus over at frontlineer.com.
Speaking of a high risk of infection, bites caused by animals or humans also come with a very high risk of the same, not to mention a risk of rabies for bites by stray animals or those that are not up to date with their vaccines, as covered in detail over at frontlineer.com. That is why, in most cases, such bites should lead to a visit to the ER, especially when severe and when caused by unknown animals or those animals whose vaccination history is unknown. However, if you suffer a minor bite from an animal or a human, one that is not that severe and deep, you can safely have it handled and stitched at an urgent care clinic. This is especially the case when getting bitten by an animal that is up-to-date with its vaccinations, most likely your own pet. Such minor bites can be handled at urgent care. Cuts that were caused by a rusty or dirty object should also be handled at an ER due to the risk of infection and tetanus. However, as per the gurus over at frontlineer.com, if the cut was caused by a rusty or dirty object, but is not serious or deep or doesn’t have the object still embedded in it, then you can go to urgent care for it and have it attended to and stitched.
The above are some of the instances when you can go to urgent care for small cuts that may need stitches, with the excellent frontlineer.com being the best place to go to for more information on this and other related topics.
