Cuts

Overview

It’s easy to get hurt when working with sharp objects. A cut is painful, bleeds and, depending on the depth of the incision, numbness or movement restrictions can occur. Small wounds must be rinsed briefly under running water, disinfected and covered with a plaster/bandage.

Symptoms

Main symptoms

• Shooting, burning pain
• Bleeding

Other symptoms

• Numbness around the cut, more seldom also further away (e.g. numb finger if the palm of the hand has been cut)
• Deep cuts can cause injury to tendons (thus restricting movement)
• Depending on what caused the cut, splinters can remain in the wound and cause non-healing wounds, chronic pain, etc.
  

Causes and treatment

Causes

• Sharp edges such as knives, glass shards, paper, etc.

Further treatment by your doctor / in hospital

Possible tests

• Examination of depth and width of cut
• Assessment of numbness and movement restrictions
• X-ray in the case of suspected foreign bodies in the wound or bone injury

Possible therapies

• Tetanus booster
• Stitches
• Operation for deep cuts, if needed
• Antibiotics if a bacterial infection is suspected
  

What can I do myself?

• Wash/rinse the wound with cool water
• Stop bleeding by applying pressure on the wound and raising the affected body part
• Disinfect the wound
• Apply a clean plaster/bandage
  

When to see a doctor?

• Severe or prolonged bleeding
• Wound is very dirty
• Sensory disturbances or restrictions to movement
• Long and/or deep cut
• If you had your last tetanus vaccination more than ten years ago (diphtheria, DTP)
  

Synonyms

incised wound, slash wound, cut