Walk-in Urgent Care Clinic for Minor Cuts, Lacerations, and Wounds Treatment

The words “cut” and “laceration” are often interchangeable. Both words indicate that your skin has been damaged by a sharp object, like a knife or shard of glass. In most cases, the wound will bleed. However, a cut is usually referred to as a minor wound while a laceration is often more serious.
 
With a cut, you will damage your skin, and the bleeding will stop with some pressure and a bandage, and some antibacterial ointment. Most cuts can be treated at home with a first aid kit. Even a deeper cut can be treated with some bandages. Be sure to gently wash the wound first to prevent infection.
 
A laceration is usually a deeper cut of the flesh, sometimes down to the bone, cutting tendons and ligaments in the process in severe cases. Most lacerations need medical attention as they will not easily stop bleeding on their own. More often than not, you will need sutures or stitches to keep the skin together to promote healing. Many times a jagged cut or skin that has been torn will often be referred to as a laceration.

A puncture wound is a wound made by a sharp object that penetrates deep into the flesh. Many puncture wounds are the result of a sharp piece of metal or wood, like a nail or a branch. Puncture wounds can be misleading, as usually only a small diameter hole is left in the skin. But don’t let the unimpressive size fool you, they can become easily infected. A puncture wound can carry germs and bacteria deep into the skin. They can even leave foreign objects behind, like pieces of wood, metal, or cloth. Puncture wounds should be examined immediately by one of our doctors at Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic.

If any of the following is true, come to our urgent care center right away.
 
• Bleeding that won’t stop after 20 minutes with constant pressure.
• Problems with feeling below the site of the wound.
• Loss of function of a limb.
• Constant, throbbing pain.

Not all wounds are alike, and some have a higher chance of becoming infected than others. Puncture wounds and bites are some of the most likely to get infected as germs get below the breaks in the skin, sometimes deep into the flesh. Injuries that crush a part of the body do so much damage that the immune system may struggle to fight off infection as well. Your feet are also an area that is likely to get infected, as it spends most of the day in a damp and dark place, where bacteria love to live: your shoes and socks. Finally, wounds that are dirty and not promptly cleaned also have a higher chance of becoming infected.
 
If you suffer a cut, laceration, or puncture wound get treated promptly at Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic. You can visit either our locations for high-quality service! We serve patients from Ellington CT, Unionville CT, East Haven CT, Cromwell CT, Oxford, CT and Newington, CT, and BEYOND!