Infection in finger concern

[kmg650]

I got a small cut over my thumb nail and under the skin.
It is now red, sore, hot and my arm is going numb from time to time.
Should I be going in to see a Doctor???


This discussion is related to Infection in finger.

[margypops]

I would say it would be a good idea to check it out, you may need a tetanus shot and it sounds like it is infected, put some OTC anti biotic cream on a band aid on it till you can get it checked out, Good Luck

[caregiver222]

You have an infection which requires prescription antibiotics. As of yesterday.

Unless your ambition in life is to play a man without an arm the next time they remake "The Fugitive", I would suggest you make seeing a physician a number one priority.

[kmg650]

Ok!   I tried to se a Doctor and the wait there was like 8 hrs, So I went home, covered the wound with polysporin and placed a (Spongebob)band-aid over the infected area.
Today I checked the wound and it looks much better, lost most of the redness, and not half as sore.

Thx for the comments  ;)

[caregiver222]

Well, not many people win at Russian Roulette.

Congratulations.

Soak the finger in warm salt water several times a day.

[kmg650]

Today the area is looking even better although the swelling is not red anymore it is still apparent.  
In time, will this swelling just go away???

I'm a 35 year old male whom rarely ever cleaned a cut but just kept workin or playin, but two years ago I had a small wipe out on my dirt bike and scuffed my leg.  You would not believe what happend next,,Yup!! Infection...  I didn't bother to get checked out for nearly a week. The first doctor I seen, said I would be fine and gave me cruches to use.
The next day I couldn't walk,my leg just kept on getting bigger, hotter, redder and more sore. I then decided to go back to the hospital and the doctor that took me in this time could not believe that another doctor had sent me home.
This doctor then had me go to a clinic for two weeks getting wound care and an iv daily.
Ouch!!!   what some of us have to go threw to learn.
Now I've become more concerned with smaller cuts and scrapes and I hope others will to.

Thank You.  

[caregiver222]

Human beings have several "systems" for dealing with infectious pathogenic organisms. The inflammation response brings cells that destroy the organism. Body temperature is raised to defeat replication (a means of defense invalidated by taking aspirin or anything else to lower temperature).

Finally, after all else fails, the organisms become encapsulated. The encapsulation remains until death, and when it breaks down the organisms will again proliferate. mtb, the tuberculosis bacteria, is a case in point.

If the infections are not eliminated within a certain "window", they tend to become encapsulated and persistant. Surgery or amputation of the infected body part is often the only option.

So-called "antibiotics" interfere only with replication.

One of the "worst-case" scenarious for untreated minor infections is they they will migrate to the blood stream and settle on a heart valve. Because of the rapid movement of blood antibiotics won't work. If the infection is allowed to remain filamentaceous debri are thrown off from the valve and cause strokes.

Thus, it is foolish to permit an infection, no matter how minor, to go untreated.

[kmg650]

I was totally unaware of this.
You think I should still go see a doctor????