Starting to get worried, should I be?

E

Ecoman75

New member
Two days ago, I was playing a softball game. I was, as usual, stationed at 1st base. Unfortunately, sometime between that day and the previous game the field hands had laid some rough dirt down on the baseline. As I dove for a ball I gave myself two nasty scratches on my left leg, and one on my right. I went home after the game and took a shower, cleaning the wounds. I, stupidly, then went to bed with no further attention. The next morning, all looked the same and I used rubbing alcohol and some neosporin to treat the most severe. I then placed a bandage over that wound. I went to school and when I came home I washed all of the wounds out with saline water, applied neosporin and gauze and went to bed. This morning all seemed relatively the same and I repeated the above process. Throughout the day I changed the gauze once on two of the wound. When I arrived home today, and my leg seemed swollen and there are yellowish scabs over the wounds. I again washed the wounds with saline water and alcohol, applied an anti-bacterial solution and neosporin and covered them again with gauze.

Does anyone have an idea as to what the problem could be? I've taken some advil and have my leg raised to reduce swelling. I assume some of the swelling could be attributed the fall I took while diving, but I don't know.

I know the answer "see a doctor" will come up and I know that is going to be a next step. My biggest problem is that I don't have health insurance, and I don't know what to do next.

Thank you.
 
It sounds like it is infected, do you have any peroxide? Get some peroxide, it will clean any bacteria, and hopefully you can maybe squeeze some of the infection out. Watch for any red lines coming from this area, if you get any, go straight to the ER, this is big trouble.

Sunny
 
Thanks Sunny. I'll be on the look out. Right now things seem to be about the same. Much less swelling today, and the cut on my right knee is a bit red around the edges but no lines. I think I'll try to head down to the college health center tomorrow if nothing improves.

Thanks again.
 
Ouch.... You may wanna try to get some bactracin, it is what the use in the hospitals along with iodine. If you take aleve it will reduce the swelling sone. It is a anti-inflamitory. Leave the wound open to the air as much as possible. Also short periods of direct sunlight helps kill bacteria...(and its free). Keep a look out for discoloration and red streaks. Clean it with peroxide as often as you can and then put the bactracin on it. (that can be found where the neosporin is) Good luck and hope you feel better!


Jenneypooh
 
Thank you both for your help. My mom (who is a nurse) had me running scared. She convinced me I had MRSA, but now, six days on, I am feeling great. Everything is healing up very well and with maybe two or three more days under the gauze I'll start letting the cuts breath a little more. Again, thank you both for keeping me sane throughout this process! :)
 
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