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Quick question: Salt in wound?
Topic Started: Feb 1 2010, 10:19 PM (513 Views)
NAK
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Senior Carp
What are the pros/cons of rubbing salt in a wound? I dragged my knuckled across the ground on the weekend and the scab just came off at work. I didn't have any ointment so I sprinkled some salt into the gash and let it sit. Do I need to wash it out or can I bandage over it?
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
There are no pros. "Rubbing salt in a wound" is a catch phrase for adding insult to injury, not medical advice.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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NAK
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Senior Carp
I've heard the phrase before, but I vaguely recall hearing something about salt being a good cleanser for open cuts. I can't get a straight answer online, though. Some say go, some say no. Most of the negative feedback is merely directed at the burning sensation it causes.

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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
NAK
Feb 1 2010, 10:19 PM
I dragged my knuckled across the ground on the weekend
Don't admit that here - some of the Lefties will start calling you a.....gasp......

Republican!.....
Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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Mark
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HOLY CARP!!!
:lol2:
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musicasacra
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HOLY CARP!!!
Without any peroxide or such, I would just keep it clean and let it continue to heal. FWIW, I've heard it's best to leave a minor wound unbandaged if it isn't bleeding and isn't likely to get dirty.
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
Well, I suppose it could desiccate the wound. Saline is a wash, but that has a low dose of salt that approximates the body's salt content so it does not sting. I'll let GK and bach and Frank speak to this, but as far as I know it just hurts to put salt into the wound.

I have heard that sugar is an emergency antiseptic -- any truth to that?
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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lb1
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ivorythumper
Feb 1 2010, 11:23 PM

I have heard that sugar is an emergency antiseptic -- any truth to that?
It makes the blood sweeter when you suck on the wound.

lb
My position is simple: you jumped to an unwarranted conclusion and slung mud on an issue where none was deserved. Quirt 03/08/09
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Frank_W
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I've not heard that about salt or sugar. Perhaps horseradish or barbecue sauce would give it a bit more of a tangy flavor? :D

For something like that, plain ol' soap and water is best. The hands come into contact with about fifty-bajillion different kinds of germs, every single day. Without getting overly neurotic about it, wash your hands often enough to keep them reasonably clean.

Beyond periodically checking for signs of infection, you should be just fine.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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NAK
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Thanks for the tips. I was more concerned with cutting off the bleeding - damn stuff gets everywhere - but it's dried up pretty well. Whether the salt helped at all is up for debate. Maybe it's because of all those years using alcohol on scrapes, but I tend to think that the more it hurts, the better it works - the same reason I don't trust that no-bite Listerine stuff. Make those germs feel the burn! :D

Larry, :lol2:
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
ivorythumper
Feb 1 2010, 11:23 PM
Well, I suppose it could desiccate the wound.
Your body is a temple - it is not nice to dessicate it....
Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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QuirtEvans
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A friend of mine had his toenail removed this week, it had a fungal infection.

The podiatrist wanted him to do twice-daily soaks in hot salt water.

Apparently, the salt promotes healing.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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George K
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Finally
Salt water reduces swelling (osmosis) of tissues.That may promote healing, but the physiology is to reduce cellular swelling by making what your soaking in hypertonic relative to what you're smoking. Water will cross membranes in an attempt to equalize.
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
I just rub some dirt in it and get back in the game.
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QuirtEvans
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George K
Feb 2 2010, 06:19 AM
Salt water reduces swelling (osmosis) of tissues.That may promote healing, but the physiology is to reduce cellular swelling by making what your soaking in hypertonic relative to what you're smoking. Water will cross membranes in an attempt to equalize.
You're smoking what you're soaking? Is this some anesthesiologist kink that I'm unaware of?

:whome:
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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George K
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Finally
:doh:


It was a Biden moment...
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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apple
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Frank_W
Feb 2 2010, 12:11 AM
For something like that, plain ol' soap and water is best
it behooves me to behold
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Frank_W
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QuirtEvans
Feb 2 2010, 04:28 AM
A friend of mine had his toenail removed this week, it had a fungal infection.

The podiatrist wanted him to do twice-daily soaks in hot salt water.

Apparently, the salt promotes healing.
Yes, there is soaking in Epsom Salts, but that's different than grabbing a handful of iodized table salt and grinding it in.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
ivorythumper
Feb 1 2010, 10:36 PM
There are no pros. "Rubbing salt in a wound" is a catch phrase for adding insult to injury, not medical advice.
I believe the phrase originated from the British Royal Navy. Back in the days before liberalism spoiled all of our fun and people were press-ganged into serving on ships, infractions were typically punished by judicious use of the cat o' nine tails. Since the whipping would break open the skin, salt was then rubbed into the wound to prevent or reduce the likelihood of infection. The added benefit as far His Majesty's Navy was concerned was that it hurt like hell, hence the phrase.

Another phrase that originated from this practice was the 'not enough room to swing a cat' that is now most frequently used when renting accomodation in London.

I have no idea whether the salt worked. Presumably the Navy didn't want to waste their rum ration, which would also have had a similar effect.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Sugar works and was commonly used as late as WWI to treat wounds.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Frank_W
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Hrmmm... I didn't know that, Jolly. Cool! Thanks!
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
I've always used alcohol to disinfect cuts, but my ex-girlfriend's daughter, who is a RN, told me that I should use hydrogen peroxide instead.

Thoughts?
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
QuirtEvans
Feb 2 2010, 07:42 AM
I've always used alcohol to disinfect cuts, but my ex-girlfriend's daughter, who is a RN, told me that I should use hydrogen peroxide instead.

Thoughts?
Bloody hell, I wondered what had happened to that Balvenie.


And stop drinking the peroxide!
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
John D'Oh
Feb 2 2010, 07:48 AM
QuirtEvans
Feb 2 2010, 07:42 AM
I've always used alcohol to disinfect cuts, but my ex-girlfriend's daughter, who is a RN, told me that I should use hydrogen peroxide instead.

Thoughts?
Bloody hell, I wondered what had happened to that Balvenie.


And stop drinking the peroxide!
But I want to be blonde all over!
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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sue
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HOLY CARP!!!
I was always told salt water was good for healing (i.e. when we were kids and scraped our feet on barnacles, put the foot back in the water, don't come running up the beach dripping blood and crying :tongue: )

If I had nothing else on hand I'd be tempted to put table salt and water on a wound, don't think it could hurt anyways.

Hydrogen peroxide is great for wounds, infections. Doesn't sting like alcohol, and you can pour it on freely (minor owies), repeatedly. It's dirt cheap. I've found it to help speed up healing. Great stuff. I've always got a bottle in my first aid cupboard at home.

My vet used sugar on my cat's tail injury. I thought he was joking, but no. Healed up nicely.

Oh, and some table salt has sugar in it (really, check out the labels) so if you used that maybe you got a double whammy of healing power. :)
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