Ouch! Cut my hand badly at a restaurant - should I go to the ER?

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Will make this short since I have to type one-handed but at Easter lunch today a server knocked over my heavy iced tea glass and it shattered and I cut my hand pretty deep between my pinkie and ring finger. It took about 20 minutes (and 2 soaked cloth napkins) to stop bleeding (I have a clotting disorder). The restaurant brought me a bandaid which I put on as soon as the bleeding stopped. When I got home I rinsed out the wound and put on Neo-sporin and a clean bandaid. The cut is about an inch long and feels like it went pretty deep - my pinkie, ring and middle fingers are hurting pretty bad and my hand is swollen. The manager had me fill out an accident report but acted like the whole thing was somehow my fault (right - like I wanted a lap full of tea and blood).

I would prefer not to go to the ER and wait to call my Orthopedist tomorrow. Is there any harm in waiting until the morning?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[ducklite]

Yes--although it might be too late. If you get a cut that needs stiches, you hae to get them within four-six hours, otherwise they won't do it due to risk of infection.

Maybe one of those Urgent Care palces would be a better choice, they are usually less crowded. Hope things work out!

Anne

 

[dumboiu]

You have a window of opportunity (I think about 5 hours) to get stitches (without further invasive treatment). I would go to the ER, but that is just me. I would want to make sure there is no glass left in the wound. The restaurant will pay the ER bill, I am sure. And no, it isn't your fault.

 

[floridafam]

Do you take any medications?

If you took something like Coumadin (sp?) then I would go to the ER.

If the pain persists, I would go.

 

[clh2]

Since you have a clotting disorder - that would sway me to going to the ER.

Since you have a specific Dr. that you would prefer to see - do you know for sure he will be in tomorrow. In my neck of the woods - every doc I know takes off if they can get off while their kids are on Spring Break. (so not a huyge sample, but I do know 2 docs.)

But from what I've heard from my friends that work in the ER's - holidays are generally the worst, with the longest waits. Too many things going on, people stuffing themselves and can't tell the difference between heart attacks and heartburn, too many bumps/bruises/sprains from a friendly family game of football etc.

But back to to the question, yes, you probably should go to the ER.

 

[Stacerita]

Sorry about that. At least they made out an incident report.

If im not mistaken, if you need stitches you need to get within so many hours of getting the cut. If not, bacteria can set in and they wont stitch it closed. They will keep it open while it heals. So if you think you may need stitches, then you need to get them soon. Waiting till tomorrow you might not get them. I could be wrong. But thats what I was told about a cut a family member had gotten once.

If you are going to wait.....keep it clean.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I would go to an urgent care if the hand is swelling.

 

[grlpwrd]

Since you have a clotting disorder and it's swollen I would go at least to an urgent care center.

I just took my refresher first aid class last week and we learned that you should seek more advanced care, especially due to your medical history and it's swelling. Please don't take any chances.

take care!

 

[DVC-Don]

Hold on - I'll go ask the guys on the Ford Truck board and get right back to you. I think one of them works on ambulances and knows all about this stuff.

 

[floridafam]

I would go.

I forgot that something like this happened to my Mom. She bumped or cut her hand at work and thought nothing of it. It started to bleed and swell. She finally went to the ER after a while and they took her right into surgery BUT she was on Coumadin at the time and that had a lot to do with why she needed surgery.

Keep us posted.

 

[DWDreams]

I'd go, I can't tell exactly where you mean the cut is, but I'd want to be certain it didn't effect any tendons in the hand or fingers.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Swelling is a reason to go.

 

[luvdzne]

I would definatly go to ER or a urgent care. If anything I would be worried because of your clotting disorder. Also, you are opening yourself up to infection. It is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Thanks, this happened close to noon so I see that it is too late for stitches. DH is a firefighter/EMT and he made sure the wound was cleaned out properly when we got home. I am not on Coumadin currently but am under the care of a Hematologist for the clotting disorder (antithrombin deficiency) - I will call him in the AM too I guess.

My hand is still pretty swollen so maybe I will head to the ER. Ugh. Holiday weekend so I bet it is packed.