What Does Scrape Infection Look Like
When your cut becomes infected, your surrounding area becomes red, and this area grows larger over time. There are a few tell-tale signs of infection, and these are what you should look out for. Following a wound, the area surrounding it becomes swollen, tender, and painful. It could be yellow, greenish, or cloudy pus that forms on a wound that has been discolored or odorous.
What Is The Knee Joint
Three bones come together to form your knee joint. They include the:
A smooth substance called cartilage covers the ends of each bone. Its a cushion between the bones that keeps them from rubbing together. The synovial membrane, a type of tissue that surrounds the joint, lubricates the cartilage.
Arthritis of the knee causes pain and swelling in the joint
Treatment What Treatment Will I Be Offered For My Leg Ulcer
If your wound isnt healing because of venous hypertension and there are no problems with the blood supply to your legs, then you should be offered compression therapy.
Compression therapy improves blood supply by applying pressure to the leg. This can be done by bandaging the lower leg or by wearing supportive socks, stockings or tights. Compression therapy is very effective at reducing swelling, improving blood flow in the veins and healing or preventing sores or ulcers.
There are lots of different types of compression therapy so ask your nurse to find something that is right for you.
Compression can be a little uncomfortable when you first start treatment but should not cause you any pain. Any discomfort should reduce as the swelling goes down. If you do experience discomfort, talk to your nurse or doctor about it and they will advise you on ways of alleviating this.
In addition to the compression, your nurse should also advise you on wound care and dressings to keep your wound healthy.
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Treating Abrasions At Home
Minor cuts and scrapes are a part of everyday life, especially for young, active children. Typically, an abrasion is a type of wound where the first layer of skin is scraped or rubbed off, and sometimes they require more than just a hug and kiss from mom or dad. These wounds, while superficial, need to be treated properly to fend off infection and heal quickly.
Abrasions can usually be safely treated at home following these four steps:
- For severe cases if the wound is bleeding heavily and youre unable to stop the bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure call 911 or head to the nearest emergency department
- Dont remove an object if its penetrated the body leave it in place and call 911
- If the wound is superficial, proceed to the next step
- Wash your hands with soap and water before touching any open wounds
- Clean the wound with cool to warm water with mild soap. Dont clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. Using hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to clean an injury can actually harm the tissue and delay healing
- Gently remove any dirt, rocks or debris and try not to scrub the wound
- Place sterile gauze or a clean towel over the wound and apply direct pressure with your palm
- If the gauze soaks through, keep it in place and add more on top
- Continue pressure for a minute or two after the bleeding stops
You Felt Or Heard A Pop
Sometimes, a popping sound after a movement can indicate something is out of place.
Oftentimes this type of sound upon injury is indicative of a ligamentous injury, says Schwabe. Not all ligamentous injuries are full tears, though, and not all require surgery.
However, if you also experience excessive swelling and instability, get it checked out by an M.D. If you only have a mild sprain then you will be able to rehab it with physical therapy, he says.
The pop is what you hear as a result of a ligament tear, a meniscus tear, strained tendons, or a dislocated kneecap. Usually what happens is youll simultaneously hear and feel the pop.
If youre not familiar with the meniscus, its the cartilage in the knee that functions as a shock absorber. Each knee has two menisci, and theyre shaped like horseshoes. The medial meniscus is on the inside of the knee, and the lateral meniscus is on the outside.
The popping sensation can be difficult to explain, but youll certainly know it when it happens to you. Though the sound originates in the knee, youll hear it as though it was directly in your ear. Its as if the sensation travels up your body, and when it gets to your brain, it becomes audible.
If the pain is severe, youll want to visit a doctor as soon as possible. Surgery is often the recommended course of action, but physical therapy and other non-invasive remedies may be prescribed as alternatives.
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What To Do If Your Knee Hurts When Bending
More than a quarter of adults suffer from regular bouts of knee pain. Its really no surprise as our knees handle a tremendous amount stress day-to-day.1-2 Scientists have found that for every pound of bodyweight, our knees are subjected to up to seven pounds of pressure when they are bent or in weight-bearing.3 If youre here, it is because youve noticed that your knee hurts when bending it, is painful walking down stairs and feels uncomfortable while squatting. The fix for this really depends on the diagnosis. Below are some common causes of knee pain.
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Start Your Journey To A Life Without Knee Pain
If you realise that your knee pain is only getting worse, and you are missing out on creating treasured memories with your friends and family and you want expert help from the best physio for knee pain in the North East arrange a FREE taster consultation today.
A taster consultation is the first step to a happier, healthier and more active life so click the link below to arrange your FREE taster consultation we cant wait to meet you!
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When To Seek Professional Treatment
- You cant remove all debris that may have gotten into the cut
- Bleeding persists for more than a few minutes after the incident and doesnt stop after bandaging
- The wound doesnt heal as expected or opens back up after starting to heal
- There is redness, increasing pain, drainage, warmth or swelling in or around the wound this could indicate infection and may require antibiotics
- If you are cut by, or step on, rusty metal and you arent sure if you are up to date on your tetanus vaccine
What Causes Arthritis Of The Knee
Experts have identified some genes that might cause arthritis, including arthritis of the knee. They predict that there are more genes not yet discovered. You could have a gene linked to arthritis without knowing it and a virus or injury could trigger arthritis of the knee.
Though the cause is unknown, some risk factors increase the possibility of arthritis of the knee. Risk factors of osteoarthritis, specifically, include:
- Age. Osteoarthritis happens to older adults more often than younger adults and children.
- Bone anomalies. Youre at a higher risk for osteoarthritis if your bones or joints are naturally crooked.
- Gout. Gout, also a type of inflammatory arthritis, might lead to osteoarthritis.
- Injuries. Knee injuries can cause arthritis of the knee.
- Stress. A lot of stress on your knees from jogging, playing sports or working an active job can lead to osteoarthritis of the knee.
- Weight. Extra weight puts more pressure on your knees.
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How To Minimize Scarring From A Scraped Knee
Depending on the location and severity of your childs injury, cuts and scrapes may scar during the healing process.
You can minimize the appearance of scarring by keeping the wound moist with petroleum jelly, according to the American Academy of Dermatology . If you keep the area clean, the AAD advises that using antibacterial ointment is not necessary.
Once the wound heals, be sure to protect the area from the sun, as UV exposure can increase scarring for up to six months. Liberally apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or above and reapply frequently for best results.
If you have questions or concerns about your childs scraped knee or other injury, contact your family doctor.
How Do I Care For Knee Wounds
Fact Checked
Your knees are constantly moving, often taking the brunt of pressure and impact when kneeling or falling. Outside the knees is a fragile layer of skin tissue that can be cut or scraped. Inside the knees are more tissues that can be wounded, including muscle tissue and the osseous tissue of the bone surrounded by ligaments, tendons and cartilage. As such, knee wounds can present a challenge when approaching them for wound treatment.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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What Is Arthritis Of The Knee
Arthritis is a disease that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in your joints. It can affect the largest and strongest joints in your body. Its common in knees. Arthritis of the knee can be a serious, debilitating disease.
Although there is no cure for knee arthritis, there are steps you can take that might ease your symptoms and potentially slow the progression of your disease.
When Your Infection Becomes Something More Serious
Skin infections can escalate into a grave threat, and it can happen literally overnight. Staph infections are one example. According to the Mayo Clinic, these infections are brought on by staphylococcus bacteria, germs that are typically found on the skin of healthy people. Theyre usually not problematic its when the bacteria invade your body that a staph infection can turn deadly by creating toxicity in your bloodstream. One of the kinds of infections caused by staph bacteria is cellulitis, which is marked by redness, swelling, sores, or areas that ooze a dischargetypically confined to the feet and lower legs. Impetigo is another skin infection brought on by staph bacteria. Its a contagious, painful rash that typically results in large blisters along with an oozing fluid and an amber-colored crust. Be sure to see your doctor if you have any of these symptoms or suspect your infection has taken a turn for the worse. He or she may prescribe antibiotics or drain areas of your skin to help improve your condition. Dont miss these silent symptoms of sepsis, or blood poisoning. It could just save your life someday.
U.S. News & World Report, Readers Digest, Womans Day, SmithsonianCarl, The Not-so-Crabby CrabThe Cat Who Loved the Moon
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A Knee Ligament Injuries
The most common knee twisting injury is a ligament sprain. When the knee twists too far, one or more of the ligaments may be placed under too much tension and as a result over-stretch. There are three different grades of sprain depending on the severity of the knee twisting injury.
- Grade 1: None, or very few of the ligaments fibres are actually torn, they have just been over-stretched
- Grade 2: Some of the fibres have been torn but the ligament is still intact
- Grade 3: The entire ligament has torn, aka complete rupture
The medial and lateral collateral ligaments sit on the sides of the knee joint, the medial collateral ligament on the inner side and the lateral collateral ligament on the outer side of the knee.
The cruciate ligaments control how much the knee bones glide forwards and backwards so are often overstretched with a twisted knee. The ACL is the most common knee ligament injury.
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Why Are Little Paper Cuts Such A Big Pain
Office workers know it. Paper pushers of any kind can testify to it, too. Even though theyre small, paper cuts pack a real pain punch. What is it about these small cuts that prompts such big reactions from us? In a word, particles. If a woman cuts herself shaving her legs, the razor makes a clean cut, leaving behind few, if any, particles that trigger pain. A paper cut, on the other hand, leaves paper fibers coated with chemicals from the papermaking process. These fibers and bacteria remain in the wound and stimulate pain receptors in the skin. What to do? If you can see the particles, remove them with a clean pair of tweezers.
Crazy as it sounds, consider Krazy Glue. The glue binds the outer skin together, allowing inner layers to heal faster. Fill your cut with a tiny amount of Krazy Glue using a toothpick or the rod portion of a cotton swab. Apply the glue so that its flat and smooth, with no bumps. Take care not to stick your fingers to each other or to objects. Dont use Krazy Glue for anything but paper cuts and small cracks in the skin. Stay alert for the sign of an allergic reaction: red, inflamed skin.
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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Arthritis Of The Knee
There are many signs and symptoms of arthritis of the knee:
- Creaking, clicking, grinding or snapping noises .
- Difficulty walking.
- Joint pain that changes depending on the weather.
- Joint stiffness.
- Knee joint pain that progresses slowly or pain that happens suddenly.
- Your knee locks or sticks when its trying to move.
Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of arthritis of the knee. Some treatments might reduce the severity of your symptoms or even stall the progression. See your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of knee arthritis.
How Are Knee Injuries Diagnosed
To diagnose a knee injury, health care providers ask about how the injury happened and what symptoms it causes.
The health care provider will do a physical exam that includes pressing on the knee and legs and moving them in certain ways. These tests can show what part of the knee is injured.
Imaging tests done sometimes used include:
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You Arent Exercising Which Is Bad For Your Knees
It may seem counterintuitive to exercise if you have joint pain, but the Arthritis Foundation tells people to be active. The knee joint loves motion, says Brian Halpern, MD, a sports medicine physician with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and author of The Knee Crisis Handbook. The challenge is to find the best types of activities for you. Dr. Halpern recommends bicycling, swimming, and elliptical trainers, as well as strengthening exercises that help muscles support the knee joint.
How To Heal A Skinned Knee
This article was medically reviewed by Ronn Callada, RN, MS. Ronn Callada, ANP, RN is a Nurse Practitioner at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Ronn is also part of the adjunct faculty at New York University in nursing. He received his MS in Nursing from Stony Brook University School of Nursing in 2013.There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 13 testimonials and 84% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 545,180 times.
Although a skinned knee is a relatively minor abrasion, you still want to take steps so that it heals as quickly and safely as possible. With a few easily-available supplies, you can clean and care for the wound. Take the right steps, and you’ll be back to normal as soon as possible.
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Venous Hypertension / Insufficiency
The most common cause of poor healing on the lower leg is venous hypertension. You may also hear it referred to as venous insufficiency, venous reflux or venous disease. Venous means anything related to our veins. Blood is pumped from our heart to the rest of our body through our arteries and returns to our heart through our veins. It is then propelled back to our heart by our heart pumping. Our leg and foot muscles help this along by circulating blood as we walk and move our ankles. This is why standing a lot or sitting with our legs down for long periods may stop a wound from healing.
Our veins contain one-way valves to stop the blood falling back towards your feet. These valves can become weak or damaged. When this happens, our veins become so swollen that blood is forced into the tissue of your skin. This makes our skin swollen, fragile and unable to heal as normal.
You might also notice that your ankles are swollen, that there is brown staining on your legs or that your wound is leaking.
To help our veins work better and to control any swelling, compression therapy is an essential part of any treatment plan.
Why Would A Teenager Have Knee Pain
Knee pain isnt a condition that only happens to older people. Despite being young, your teenager can develop knee pain too.
Knee pain in teens is a common result of overuse, but also results from specific knee injuries and medical conditions that affect the knee. Knee pain can also be temporary and not related to an injury, but rather a change in your teens level of activity or sport.
Because of the many different reasons for knee pain, if your teen complains of pain, its wise to get it checked. Never think that knee pain in your teen is simply growing pains. This is not a typical cause of knee pain in a teenager.
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