Mercy Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center can help
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
For more information contact:
Megan Loveless, Public Relations Coordinator at 530-225-6115
REDDING, Calif. - - Minor cuts and scrapes can be a part of summer and for some people the inconvenience and expense of seeking medical care may outweigh health concerns about the injury itself.
"It often isn't easy for the average person to judge the severity of a bite, minor burn or cut so people tend to wait to seek treatment. Minor scrapes can be treated with supplies from a well-stocked first aid kit, but major injuries or infections need to be seen by a health care professional before they have time to develop into something more severe," said Dr. Scott Covington, a regional medical director with National Healing Corporation, who trains and advises physicians on the latest therapies for chronic wounds.
The Mercy Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center, a National Healing Corporation Wound Healing Center, offers the following guidance on when it may be appropriate to seek medical care.
- Sunburns can be treated with over-the-counter remedies, but can also be associated with shock, heat exhaustion and dehydration which need professional attention. Symptoms indicating a serious sunburn can include severe painful blisters, nausea, fever, chills, extreme thirst, rapid breathing, faintness and dizziness.
- Break in new shoes before wearing them on a hike or vacation. People with diabetes, who are at a higher risk for chronic foot wounds, should always wear socks and avoid wearing sandals or shoes that irritate the skin and can lead to blisters.
- Deep puncture wounds made by nails and knives are especially susceptible to tetanus bacteria commonly found in soil. All wounds should be cleaned immediately. Adults who have not had a tetanus-diphtheria shot in 10 years or children who have not been vaccinated should seek professional attention and receive the vaccine.
- People with certain medical conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease as well as the elderly and those who have had radiation therapy should closely monitor all wounds for signs of infection or failure to heal, especially wounds on the lower extremities.
- Seek medical treatment if a burn or wound shows signs of infection including increased pain at the wound site, redness or swelling spreading away from the wound, a foul wound odor, change in color or amount of drainage from the wound, or if you experience fever, chills, nausea or vomiting.
- Bites from unknown or wild animals require immediate medical attention. Also seek treatment if the bite is deep or large, on the face, neck or hands or if there is swelling, redness, pain or infection draining from the wound. Animal bites also pose a tetanus threat to those who have not been vaccinated.
- Seek emergency assistance for insect bites if you are experiencing trouble breathing, facial swelling or turning blue, weakness or tightening of the throat. Emergency rooms and wound healing centers equipped with hyperbaric oxygen chambers are needed to treat serious spider bites, like those of the brown recluse spider.
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About the Mercy Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center:
The Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at Mercy Medical Center is located at 1950 Rosaline Avenue, Suite A. A National Healing Corporation Wound Center, it specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions and offers hospital-based outpatient wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy as well as disease management and diabetes care. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has awarded National Healing Corporation Disease-Specific Care Certification for wound care. Call (530) 245-4801 or log on to: redding.mercy.org/wound for more information.
