What do they use to clean a wound ? Betadine ? Is it worth going to a small local clinic ?

[vogie]

2 minutes ago, hugh2121 said:

Betadine is available at all decent pharmacies at a much, much cheaper price than the same thing from doctor, clinic or hospital.

Also all 7/11s sell it.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

 

Everyday you paid the hospital robbers just to clean your wound ?

 

 

 

 

 

When I had an infected ingrowing toenail I used to go to the clinic every day and they changed the dressing for me. Oddly enough it was free of charge. There are no hospital robbers in the part of rural Thailand where I live.

 

If you live in a big city, don't have a Thai medical card and go to the public hospital you will wait a while and you probably will be charged.

 

If you go to a private hospiat or clinins you WILL be charged.

[perthperson]

Most minor wounds can be cleaned with saline dried and covered with a product such as "Opsite" (or similar) 

 

http://www.smith-nephew.com/canada/products/advanced-wound-management/opsite--flexigrid-/

 

No need for daily cleaning ! 

[user4643453]

Had a small bite on lower left leg, that got infected last November 2016 and still have problems now 8 month later (thought it was a mosquito bite that infected in water near beach in Koh Samui) 

[khunPer]

A Thai hospital would clean a wound with (lots of) Betadine, leave it for a moment, and flush off with Saline (salt water), then put bandage (or plaster) on. Talk from experience with a nasty wound on my foot. The doctor also told me, that the wound should be kept wet (the saltwater and wet inner piece of bandage, for example "White Plume Swabs") for fast healing.

 

You can buy Betadine and Saline in any drogstore; a small bottle of Betadine is about 20-30 baht, Saline I think is around 60 baht for a fairly big bottle (½ ltr.).

 

In Thailand – and probably many other places also – it's important to avoid bacteria infection, as there seem to live some really nasty species in this part of the world, which are difficult to get rid of when they succeed to sneak into a wound (talking from experience)...

[perthperson]

Just now, weri said:

Had a small bite on lower left leg, that got infected last November 2016 and still have problems now 8 month later (thought it was a mosquito bite that infected in water near beach in Koh Samui) 

 

Have you sought medical advice --- 8 months is a very long time for a bite (even if subsequently infected ) to heal. 

 

If not done already you should determine your blood sugar level and ask about the circulation in the leg. 

 

 

[Nurseynutcase]

9 hours ago, steven100 said:

correct ..... depends on the severity of the wound ... 

will it heal itself  ?

will it require stitches  ?

use betadine, or dettol to kill any germs ....  cotton wool and bandage and plaster.

Don't risk not going to get it checked for the sake of a few hundred baht ...

a few baht could cost you alot more if it's severe and infection sets in ...

Sorry - but DON'T use cotton wool - loose fibres can stick in the wound and prevent healing.  Far better to use swabs.

Also depends where the wound is, any other conditions i.e. diabetes, and most importantly the cause of the wound.

Due to the amount of flies around I would always cover a wound whereas in the UK if it was small enough I would leave it open.  Again it would depend where it is and the cause.

Iodine is great but if in doubt seek professional advice.  As you say a few baht spent now can save an awful lot later.

 

[jeab1980]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

It is called Alcohol LPSOFF and costs about 35 baht a bottle at almost any pharmacy.

Sounds right 20Bkt local shop

[jeab1980]

7 hours ago, scorecard said:

 Small local clinic  -  keep in mind that at quite a few small local clinics in Thailand the doctor is not a doctor at all and the nurse possibly has no training whatever.

Well im sorry but i don't agree with that at all.

 

[scorecard]

2 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Well im sorry but i don't agree with that at all.

 

 

Well a search would no doubt turn up the report perhaps 12 - 18 months back in regard to how many fake doctors clinics operate in certain parts of Thailand.

 

Same applies to dentists - may 12 months back a very big dentist oufit closed in an instand because it was all fake, on Petchaburi Rd, in Bkk.

 

[jeab1980]

Just now, scorecard said:

 

Well a search would no doubt turn up the report perhaps 12 - 18 months back in regard to how many fake doctors clinics operate in certain parts of Thailand.

 

Same applies to dentists - may 12 months back a very big dentist oufit closed in an instand because it was all fake, on Petchaburi Rd, in Bkk.

 

Oh god google again. Small local clinics round here 3 of them all run well all with doctors. Google away.

Why search google to fit your assumptions go and visit one first hand and see.

[SunsetT]

9 hours ago, ksamuiguy said:

Kills all bacteria, fungus, viruses we have here in Thailand.

If used immediately on cut or scratch a great antiseptic.

not intended to put on large wounds or infected wounds.

Also remember betadine does kill new skin growth.

Again a disinfectant and antiseptic use on small cuts scratches , best there is .

Large wounds, deep wounds or puncture wounds go to the hospital.

Animal bites put Betadine and GO To The Hospital immediately.

Betadine is the best there is for it's intended purpose, keep a small bottle handy. 

Yes. I carry a little yellow bottle everywhere in my bag along with a couple of the really strong small fabric plasters they sell here by the hundred. They are also impregnated with iodine as they always used to be in the UK. I use the iodine immediately on any cuts and scratches and apply for a day or two after showering or washing until it/they scab over. Never had a problem with healing here with my young 64 year old body......

[natway09]

Yes Stupid!!!.

For initial treatment if need stitching go to a clinic or hospital.You also may need a tetanus shot.

They have a terrible flesh eating disease that I have seen 2 of my friends get due to being "tough but stupid"

I will not go into detail but I would not wish on my worst enemy.

Every 2 or 3 days if need to clean & dress, boil water, wait to cool to warm, 1 litre water  1 capful of Dettol,

clean as required with sterile swabs, dry, (also with sterile swabs obviously) leave for 10 minutes then dress with sterile dressing (can buy from pharmacy)

they come in differing sizes.

ANY sign of dark discolouration around the wound get to a doctor

[perthperson]

10 minutes ago, natway09 said:

They have a terrible flesh eating disease

 

What is this and are you claiming it is unique to Thailand ? 

[NancyL]

2 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Yes. I carry a little yellow bottle everywhere in my bag along with a couple of the really strong small fabric plasters they sell here by the hundred. They are also impregnated with iodine as they always used to be in the UK. I use the iodine immediately on any cuts and scratches and apply for a day or two after showering or washing until it/they scab over. Never had a problem with healing here with my young 64 year old body......

Those fabric plasters have really strong adhesive.  So strong that if I use them for more than a couple days on a wound, I develop an allergic reaction at the site of contact of the adhesive that is usually worse than the wound itself.

[perthperson]

Just now, NancyL said:

Those fabric plasters have really strong adhesive.  So strong that if I use them for more than a couple days on a wound, I develop an allergic reaction at the site of contact of the adhesive that is usually worse than the wound itself.

Take a glance at my post #33.

 

The product recommended is hypoallergenic !   (The product and similar ones are available in Thailand)

[NancyL]

2 minutes ago, perthperson said:

Take a glance at my post #33.

 

The product recommended is hypoallergenic !   (The product and similar ones are available in Thailand)

I'll have to look around.  Usually I get into problems when I am on holiday and walk more than normal, develop blisters and buy plasters based on the limited inventory of whatever shop is at hand.  Sometimes I end up with those fabric plasters and come home with a raging rash on my feet that takes weeks to heal.  

 

Maybe I should just wear my exercise shoes when on holiday and forget about trying to look good.

[perthperson]

Just now, NancyL said:

Maybe I should just wear my exercise shoes when on holiday and forget about trying to look good.

 

Good idea ! 

[jeab1980]

Think we are all old enough to know our own bodies. Severities of injuries ect. I know when a cut is deep enough to warrant stiches either by me or by a doctor usualy by me the sterrie strips are brilliant. Comon sense tells us if there is something wrong a few days later or rather the body itself does then its time for a visit to the doctors. 

[SunsetT]

1 hour ago, NancyL said:

Those fabric plasters have really strong adhesive.  So strong that if I use them for more than a couple days on a wound, I develop an allergic reaction at the site of contact of the adhesive that is usually worse than the wound itself.

Well Nancy, if u r allergic to the adhesive then obviously dont use them for more than a couple of days......I can use one on a deep cut and just forget about it; virtually pain free and washing and showering as usual, and I can carry on with any manual work  I have to do. With me, the cut seemed to get cleansed through the plaster and by the time I peel it off, going black and wrinkly, the skin has knitted together and healing is well under way. OK occasionally a wound remains more sensitive and painful than usual, so I will change the plaster and apply more iodine. When a wound heals I often feel wonder at the human body's amazing capacity to heal itself. It is the most sophisticated and amazing machine on Planet Earth  Forget all the quack medicine.One just has to be patient and most times, it will heal itself.

[Dipterocarp]

The best thing for skin wounds is Colloidal Silver. The benefits of Silver and Gold (Ormus) have been known since ancient times.

Very effective and completely painless and non-toxic to the body, In my experience Colloidal Silver will hasten the clearing of any topical infection.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, zoza said:

it comes in an orange colored little plastic bottle "iodine" I think its called.

 

 

NO WAY I'd use iodine- it stings like crazy. Betadine doesn't. As said, it's not normally used to clean the wound, but applied after.

Unless knowing how to clean with no touch technique, a large wound might be better treated in a reputable clinic, as infection is always a possibility.

Also, if a large wound, proof of correct treatment might be required if eventually applying for insurance if it became infected and required a hospital stay for IV antibiotics.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Well Nancy, if u r allergic to the adhesive then obviously dont use them for more than a couple of days......I can use one on a deep cut and just forget about it; virtually pain free and washing and showering as usual, and I can carry on with any manual work  I have to do. With me, the cut seemed to get cleansed through the plaster and by the time I peel it off, going black and wrinkly, the skin has knitted together and healing is well under way. OK occasionally a wound remains more sensitive and painful than usual, so I will change the plaster and apply more iodine. When a wound heals I often feel wonder at the human body's amazing capacity to heal itself. It is the most sophisticated and amazing machine on Planet Earth  Forget all the quack medicine.One just has to be patient and most times, it will heal itself.

If you get that many cuts from manual work, have you considered using protective gloves or clothing? Always better to not get injured than treat an injury.

That magical healing process stops working as well as we get older.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, steven100 said:

correct ..... depends on the severity of the wound ... 

will it heal itself  ?

will it require stitches  ?

use betadine, or dettol to kill any germs ....  cotton wool and bandage and plaster.

Don't risk not going to get it checked for the sake of a few hundred baht ...

a few baht could cost you alot more if it's severe and infection sets in ...

Using cotton wool is not a good idea on wounds. Bits stay in the wound, and the hospitals I worked at only used gauze for cleaning.

[thaibeachlovers]

 

19 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

Thank you, doctor is met already. I am asking about daily wound "maintenance" in case I am lazy to go to a clinic (also because it's boring to take a shower often with a wound and I don't want to show myself dirty anywhere 555).

 

Ok so standard betadine shower :-) and plaster. Nothing special.

 

What I always wonder is why we always cover wounds when they actually "dry" better with air flow ?

I guess its to avoid bacteria, but is it stupid to say that I like to let it dry in aircon room few minutes daily when I am at home ?

Thank you again.

 

 

So finally I started to read and of course my ideas were wrong:

http://woundcaresociety.org/do-wounds-heal-faster-when-exposed-to-air

 

 

Perhaps letting a wound "dry" isn't such a good idea. We used spray to put on wounds that didn't need cleaning every day, which kept bugs out and prevented the wound from drying. Good for taking showers with.

[steven100]

10 hours ago, natway09 said:

Yes Stupid!!!.

For initial treatment if need stitching go to a clinic or hospital.You also may need a tetanus shot.

They have a terrible flesh eating disease that I have seen 2 of my friends get due to being "tough but stupid"

I will not go into detail but I would not wish on my worst enemy.

Every 2 or 3 days if need to clean & dress, boil water, wait to cool to warm, 1 litre water  1 capful of Dettol,

clean as required with sterile swabs, dry, (also with sterile swabs obviously) leave for 10 minutes then dress with sterile dressing (can buy from pharmacy)

they come in differing sizes.

ANY sign of dark discolouration around the wound get to a doctor

unless your Rambo ....   then it don't matter because your so tough ...

[SunsetT]

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If you get that many cuts from manual work, have you considered using protective gloves or clothing? Always better to not get injured than treat an injury.

That magical healing process stops working as well as we get older.

 

Im talking about very occasional cuts over many years of DIY maintenance and gardening mostly in the UK. I do wear gloves when appropriate but sometimes impossible as they inhibit dexterity.

 

Im 64 and and with a mostly healthy diet and exercise  thankfully my machine's magical healing process still works well.

[thaiguzzi]

On 12/07/2017 at 8:07 AM, bangkokairportlink said:

Thank you, doctor is met already. I am asking about daily wound "maintenance" in case I am lazy to go to a clinic (also because it's boring to take a shower often with a wound and I don't want to show myself dirty anywhere 555).

 

Ok so standard betadine shower :-) and plaster. Nothing special.

 

What I always wonder is why we always cover wounds when they actually "dry" better with air flow ?

I guess its to avoid bacteria, but is it stupid to say that I like to let it dry in aircon room few minutes daily when I am at home ?

Thank you again.

 

 

So finally I started to read and of course my ideas were wrong:

http://woundcaresociety.org/do-wounds-heal-faster-when-exposed-to-air

 

 

Everything we learned in the West does not apply in the Tropics. Back home i tried never to cover a wound or cut.  Clean with water, shower bath, no problem. The opposite is true here. Bad infections/ wounds must be kept away from water and covered up, cleaned, dressings changed daily.

I've had some bad stuff over here in 14 years, 12 stitches in my head (2 occasions - 5 and 7), bad cuts and abrasions on my hands (work), legs - m/c accident, all no problem. But if you get a cut or small wound on your foot, in the rainy season, in the countryside, GO STRAIGHT TO THE DOCTOR. Don't ask me how i know, but 3 times now, the worst one was an 1/4" wound that took 3 months to heal and left me with a 2" square scar on my ankle.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎7‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 4:12 PM, thaiguzzi said:

Everything we learned in the West does not apply in the Tropics. Back home i tried never to cover a wound or cut.  Clean with water, shower bath, no problem. The opposite is true here. Bad infections/ wounds must be kept away from water and covered up, cleaned, dressings changed daily.

I've had some bad stuff over here in 14 years, 12 stitches in my head (2 occasions - 5 and 7), bad cuts and abrasions on my hands (work), legs - m/c accident, all no problem. But if you get a cut or small wound on your foot, in the rainy season, in the countryside, GO STRAIGHT TO THE DOCTOR. Don't ask me how i know, but 3 times now, the worst one was an 1/4" wound that took 3 months to heal and left me with a 2" square scar on my ankle.

You appear to have a healing problem if it took 3 months to heal, but perhaps some other cause. Anyway, if one is so susceptible to poor healing it would seem prudent to wear protective footwear as much as possible.

I get my share of cuts etc, and while I don't heal as well as I used to, normally not too big a problem.

[thaiguzzi]

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You appear to have a healing problem if it took 3 months to heal, but perhaps some other cause. Anyway, if one is so susceptible to poor healing it would seem prudent to wear protective footwear as much as possible.

I get my share of cuts etc, and while I don't heal as well as I used to, normally not too big a problem.

No, it's a common problem;

1. Rainy season.

2. Countryside.

3. Farm.

4. Feet - only.

But you are correct, i am a dirty, ignorant, pig headed bastard and should and will wear boots and socks more often. (I still mig weld in flip flops...).