General Practice
Wound care and minor injuries
First aid for cuts, burns and grazes, and which ones need to be seen.
4 min read
What it is
Most small cuts and grazes heal well with simple cleaning and covering. What matters is stopping bleeding, cleaning properly, keeping the wound moist and covered, and knowing which wounds carry infection or tetanus risk — farm and animal injuries in particular.
What to look for
Healing wound: reducing pain, edges knitting together, no spreading redness
Infected wound: increasing pain after day two, spreading redness, warmth, pus or fever
Sensible things to do at home
- Press firmly with a clean cloth for ten minutes to stop bleeding
- Rinse with clean running water; do not scrub with antiseptic solutions
- Cover with a clean dressing and change it daily
- Burns: cool under running water for 20 minutes, then cover loosely — never use ice, butter or toothpaste
When to see us
- The wound gapes open, is deep, or is on the face — stitches work best within a few hours
- It was caused by an animal bite, a rusty object, or contaminated soil
- You cannot get all the dirt or glass out
- Signs of infection, or your last tetanus booster was over ten years ago
- Numbness or inability to move the part beyond the wound
To book, phone the practice on 058 813 2777 or send us a message. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department or call 10177.