What are minor wounds and injuries?

A wound is defined as any break in the soft tissue of your body such as a bite, cut, puncture or tear. Minor means it doesn’t need medical treatment. 

An injury is more general, almost any kind of damage or trauma to your body.  They can range from a skinned knee to a concussion.  Most injuries are an everyday thing, and need only a good cleaning, and a bandage.  Sometimes, though, they’re more than skin deep and call for medical attention. 

Remember that pain, swelling, and other symptoms are your body’s way of saying something is wrong.  Pay attention and you’ll recognize which are everyday ailments and accidents you can treat yourself, and which require professional help.  For ear pain, toothaches, and vomiting, you are very likely to need a doctor visit. 

Quick solutions for minor wounds and injuries

Always clean a minor injury by gently first by rinsing under running water or a saline solution

Banana peel or potato slice for nicks and scrapes – If you can’t find an ordinary bandage, a banana peel or potato slide taped over the wound can take the “ouch” out.

Cinnamon for cuts. This spice can numb your pain, kill infection-causing bacteria, and stop bleeding.  After you wash and dry your cut, shake on some cinnamon powder and cover with a bandage.

Frozen water and rubbing alcohol for sore muscles and aching joints – Fill a resealable plastic freezer bag with a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol and have ready in the freezer.  Bring it out when you need to place it on a hurt.

Honey for any skin wound. Honey can keep your wound clean, kill bacteria, prevent scarring, and help your body health itself.  While supermarket honey can spread some healing, unprocessed honeys – like you find at natural food stores, work better.  The very best, we are told, is Active Manuka Honey from New Zealand.  You can buy it over the internet.

Papaya for burns and skin ulcers. Also nicks and scrapes.  A dressing of papaya removes dead tissue, reduces infection, and encourages new skin growth.  Be warned that papaya can burn when you first put it on.  As long as the problem is there, spread a new layer evenly and thickly over the wound every day.

Put ice on. You know that icing a sprain, twist, bang, or other injury is a key step in good first aid.  Ice lowers swelling and numbs the pain.  The problem then is holding the ice in place.

Cut a roll of plastic wrap in half. Then take one side of it and use as much as it takes to secure the ice pack over your injury.  The ice will stay in place while you’re free to move around.  You can even use plastic wrap to strap ice onto your back if that’s where the pain is.

Rolled oats for poison ivy, sunburn or other rash – Cut off the foot of an old pair of panty hose, fill it with rolled oats, tie the end and hold the sack under the running faucet in your tub.  Then settle down for a deep soak and ease the itchiness.

Superglue for a paper cut of dry cracked skin – Drop on a bit of superglue.  Just don’t try this remedy on deep or bleeding cuts, and let the glue dry thoroughly before touching anything, especially your eyes.

Tea bags for sun burn – Drop two or three bags into your bath, or use moist gauze to hold them directly onto your burns.

White glue for splinters – Dab on some white glue, let it dry, and then peel the glue and the splinter right off.  A piece of tape will work well on those tiny splinters you can’t see.

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