Injuries and bruises can result in tetanus caused by bacteria getting into the body through the wound, such as a cut while gardening, or from an animal bite. The symptoms usually appear between two days and three weeks after the bacteria entered the body. The most common symptom of tetanus is a spasm of the muscles nearest to the infected wound. However, once the infection reaches the bloodstream, other symptoms start. These include spasm of the:

1. chewing muscles, making it very hard to open the mouth,
2. throat muscles, making it difficult to swallow,
3. facial muscles which can make it seem like the person’s face has a sardonic grin,
4. neck, making the head tilt,
5. chest, making breathing difficult,
6. back muscles, arching the spine (common in children with the infection),
7. stomach wall, and
8. arms and legs.

Other symptoms include:

1. extreme sensitivity to touch,
2. high fever,
3. sore throat,
4. rapid heartbeat,
5. difficulty breathing,
6. headache,
7. bleeding into the bowels, and
8. diarrhoea

Bruises

Bruises appear where tiny blood vessels, called capillaries, have broken or burst, leaking blood under the skin. The blood vessels burst as a result of banging or hitting your skin.

Bleeding under the skin makes a red or purple mark, which over time fades through shades of yellow or green. Bruises often feel tender or swollen at first.

Some people are naturally more likely to bruise than others, for example, because they don’t have as much fat covering their arms or legs. But if you suddenly get lots of bruises, or start to bruise for no apparent reason, tell your doctor. Unusual bruising is sometimes a symptom of illness, such as a problem with your liver or blood-clotting mechanisms.

Treat bruises on your skin by limiting the bleeding. You can do this by cooling the area with ice packs. Place ice cubes or frozen vegetables in a plastic bag, wrap in a towel, and press over the area.

Bruises don’t just happen on the skin – they can happen deeper in your tissues or organs. While the bleeding isn’t visible, they can also cause swelling and pain. If you are worried that you may have internal bruising from an injury or accident, visit your doctor.

Minor injuries units

Minor injuries units (MIUs) provide treatment for less serious injuries, such as sprains, cuts and grazes. Many people go to Accident and Emergency (A&E) with minor injuries, when they could be usually treated much more quickly at a minor injuries unit.

In A&E staff must give priority to serious and life-threatening conditions, so if you go there with a minor injury, you may have to wait a long time to be seen.

If your injury is not serious, it’s usually better for you to go to a minor injuries unit if there’s one in your local area.

You do not need an appointment to visit a minor injuries unit. They are run by a team of highly qualified nurse practitioners who have experience and expertise in treating minor injuries.

Minor injuries units can treat a wide variety of problems including:

1. cuts and grazes,
2. sprains and strains,
3. broken bones (fractures),
4. bites and stings (including human bites),
5. infected wounds,
6. minor head injuries, and
7. eye problems, such as minor eye infections, scratches or something that is stuck in your eye.

Conditions that minor injury units cannot treat include:

1. chest pain,
2. respiratory problems,
3. abdominal pain,
4. gynaecological problems,
5. pregnancy problems,
6. drug overdose,
7. alcohol related problems,
8. mental health problems, and
9. health conditions that would normally be treated by your doctor or hospital.

Minor injuries units are also not normally equipped to treat children under three years of age

Injury cause by used niddle

If you pierce, or puncture, your skin with a used needle, you need first aid straightaway. You should:

1. encourage the wound to bleed, ideally by holding it under running water,
2. wash the wound using running water and plenty of soap, and
3. dry the wound, and cover it with a waterproof plaster, or dressing.

Do not scrub the wound while you’re washing it, and do not suck the wound.

You should also seek medical advice immediately. For example:

1. go to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your nearest hospital, or
2. contact your employer’s Occupational Health service (if you injure yourself at work).

Used needles can carry infections

Injuries from needles that have been used in medical procedures are sometimes called needlestick, or sharps, injuries. Sharps can include other medical supplies, such as syringes, scalpels, and lancets, as well as glass from broken equipment.

Once a needle has been used, it may be contaminated, for example, by viruses in the person’s blood (blood-borne viruses). Other sharps can also be contaminated in this way, as can needles that are used to inject illegal drugs.

Used needles and sharps can sometimes pass infections on to other people. Infections that can be transmitted from needles include:

1. hepatitis B,
2. hepatitis C, or
3. human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Assessing the risk of infection

When you seek medical advice, your healthcare professional will assess the risks to your health. They will ask you about your injury, for example:

1. how the injury happened,
2. when it happened, and
3. who used the needle that you injured yourself with.

It may be necessary to take samples of your blood in order to test it for conditions such as hepatitis B and C, or HIV.

Your healthcare professional may also arrange to test samples of the other person’s blood, subject to them giving their consent.

Relate articles:

1. Injur­ies and bruises : Will I need any treat­ment?
2. Emer­gen­cies – A crit­ical or life threat­en­ing situ­ations
3. Improve your First Aids skill (part 1)
4. How to help someone who is chok­ing
5. Belly But­ton dis­charge
6. How to apply a band­age and the three main types
7. Infec­tions from used needles or sharps
8. Tech­nique for apply­ing plasters and dress­ings
9. Radi­ation emer­gen­cies
10. Five poten­tially ser­i­ous con­di­tions your baby may face

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