Injuries can happen without warning. While a minor cut may not require urgent medical treatment, it is important to understand warning signs that suggest your injury needs care from a medical professional. Even small injuries can become infected or have healing complications without proper care.
If you’re in need of rapid care for a minor injury, AFC Urgent Care Back Bay is here to help. Our walk-in urgent care clinic offers same-day injury care right in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Simply walk into the clinic for prompt injury care or save your spot in advance online using the button below.
When Does a Cut Need Medical Treatment?
Minor injuries like small cuts happen all the time. You may think nothing of a minor injury when it happens, however, there are scenarios when minor injuries should be checked out by a medical professional. The main risk of getting a cut is an infection developing during the healing process. Seeking medical care and having the injury cleaned and closed up with stitches in a medical setting greatly reduces your chances of an infection forming. You should seek medical care for a cut if:
- The injury is on a knuckle or a sensitive area
- The injury occurred from a rusty metal surface
- There is something stuck in your skin
- You cannot control the bleeding
- The injury is dirty or has debris in it
Signs of Infection to Watch For
If you get a cut, it is important to watch for signs of infection during the healing process. Infections can occur even if your injury is cleaned by a medical professional. Infections typically start with redness and swelling around the injury. They can also produce pus from the injury in some cases. Severe infections can cause flu-like symptoms, including a fever, chills, and body aches. If you notice signs of an infection, you should seek immediate medical care. Infections often require medical treatment to resolve, and early intervention will help prevent delays in the healing process.
Tips for Preventing Infection at Home
When treating an injury at home, it is important to take steps to prevent an infection from forming. While your injury is healing, it is vital that you protect it from dirt and debris. Germs and debris that enter the wound may cause an infection. Covering the wound lightly with a dressing will help prevent debris from entering during the first few days of healing. If you do get debris in the open wound, washing it with warm water and a gentle antibacterial soap is the best course of action to prevent an infection. Applying vaseline will also help protect the wound during the later stages of healing after the covering is removed.
Walk into AFC Back Bay for Same-Day Injury Care
When you injure yourself, it is important to know when seeking medical treatment is necessary. Stitches are a helpful form of treatment that can help prevent infection. If you believe your injury requires stitches or may be infected, AFC Urgent Care Back Bay can help. Our urgent care clinic is conveniently located in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood and open 7 days a week for same-day minor injury care.
Our walk-in clinic is available everyday from 8am to 8pm to provide rapid injury care to patients in Boston, MA. We never require patients to schedule an appointment in advance, simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient. We work with most medical insurance plans and offer affordable care. Walk into the clinic, or contact us by calling (617) 869-0500 for more information.
