Infected Cut on Foot

Our skin acts as the first defense mechanism by protecting our vital organs by enveloping it. It is the first one to bear the attacks by the bacteria, viruses and fungi. But small cuts or scrapes can breach this defense and open the way in for infection causing micro-organisms. There are two basic types of infections: localized and systemic. But the problem is, how do you know if a cut on your foot is infected? Let's find out all about infected cut on foot below.

How Do You Know When a Cut is Infected?
You may start worrying about the wound on your foot, if it starts giving you pain because of infected cuts and scrapes. What does an infected cut look like? Inspect the cut for redness or swelling in and around the injury. You can also touch the skin around the cut, to know whether it is warm or hot. These, along with the fever and swollen lymph nodes, are the infected cut symptoms. On the other hand, the presence of thick yellow, green or grey-white pus or discharge from the cut on foot will be enough to answer the question, "How do you know if a cut is infected?" However, the presence of pus in the cut is sign of infection that has advanced a few steps further than the infiltration stage. Localized infection is observed, when the protective skin is cut and a wound becomes infected. Before you take proper steps to counter it, the infection is carried throughout the body in the bloodstream. This is a case of systemic infection.

How to Take Care of an Infected Cut?
Once you are aware that there is a infected cut on foot, you must clean it. For cleaning an infected cut, you can use running water from the tap. You can also use hydrogen peroxide, iodine or other antiseptics, after consulting with your doctor. These chemicals are known to irritate the wound. Next obvious query is, "How do you treat an infected cut?"

At this stage, it is important to cure an infected cut and prevent the localized infection from developing into a systemic infection. You can do so, by using antibiotics for infected cuts. Anti-bacterial or antibiotic creams can be applied topically, as infected cuts treatment, to first control and then heal infected cuts. Use a non-sticky sterile gauze and adhesive tapes to cover the infected cut and to prevent clothes, shoes, or any other things from rubbing against it. Check the infected cut daily for 3 or 4 days, in order to take proper action, if the infection due to bacteria etc., gets developed into a systemic infection. Get in touch of your doctor who is fully qualified to help you get rid of a systemic infection due to infected cut on foot. Knowing how to treat cuts and scrapes can be of help.

Home Remedies for Infected Cuts
You don't have to go to mall or store to collect things that you can use as home remedies for infected cuts. They are not only available in your house but you use them in your kitchen. Following are some of them.

• Honey: Honey has been used to cure infections by the man, for thousands of years. It has antibiotic properties as good as modern antibiotics for infected cuts and works as a home remedy for infected cuts or wound care, especially, to fight off staph infections. Apply a drop of honey on the infected cut on foot and cover it with a sterile gauze.
• Garlic: How about using garlic? It is one of the home remedies for infected cuts that you can use. Don't believe it, do you? Garlic has antibiotic, anti-fungal as well as antiviral properties because of the hydrogen peroxide in it. It helps the immune system in its tasks of controlling infections. Raw garlic juice is harsh on the cuts, hence apply one part garlic juice mixed with three parts water to the cut and cover it using sterile gauze.
• Turmeric Powder: Turmeric is antiseptic and also has antibacterial properties because of fluoride present in it. Sprinkle turmeric powder directly on the infected cut on foot and cover it with sterile gauze.

It is very common to wound yourself on the foot. It can be a minor scrape or a 1-inch cut that you have received, when you landed awkwardly on a pointed stone. If you fail to take precaution, this wound can become an infected cut on foot. It is hard to keep the foot out of such troubles. They support us every time we move from one place to another, while walking, jogging and running. This is why we need to take care of them by preventing infected cut on foot. It is easy to use the home remedies, to take care of an infected cut. All in all, knowing about the first aid too, can come in handy in an emergency.