Best treatment for road rash

redvision

Any tips?
Was knocked off my bike earlier this week, fortunately no breaks, just bruising and road rash down my side and shoulder. Had dressing put on and changing it each day as advised but still bloody sore and seems to be constantly pusing. Have been using sudacrem (which hospital recommended) but it doesn't appear to be helping much, so just wondered if there are better soothing creams which will help more? Any recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Ordinarily, I would say what doesn't seem to helping you much at this stage... Sudacrem.

redvision

Ha, cheers. I have always used Sudacrem when treating road rash but this time it just doesn't seem to be making a difference, although i guess it's still early days (only been a couple of days).

pblakeney

I've always thought keeping it clean, then dry was the best.

thistle_

pblakeney said:

I've always thought keeping it clean, then dry was the best.

This is what I tend to do - let it scab over asap and try not to scratch it.
But obviously depends on location and extent.

harry-s

I've used Tegaderm in the past with good results. It's a waterproof breathable dressing that seals the wound, - leave it on till things are looking ok. It also means you can bath and shower without a lot of faff.

Tashman

Pawpaw ointment is something I've used to quite good effect

MattFalle

I presume it's already been cleaned out properly by someone in the know - no residual bits of dirt, clothing, etc? If not, this is your first stop - you can also soak it out in a bath.

i always recommend medicinal honey (available from a decent chemist or Amazon) over Sudacrem - i like the way it soaks in really nicely, doesn't leave everything greasy and is generally blimmin' good stuff. natural as well.

used it for years in loads of different places (from jungles to deserts) for different things (bites, road rash, cuts, etc) and always worked a treat.

Alcohol wipe it clean, if no wipes good old fashioned TCP (if using it with cotton wool please make sure every infernal bit of the wool is cleared out of the wound), let it all dry, apply honey, either leave open or use a Melanin patch (about 10p each from Boots) - non adhesive/absorbent dressing thats easy to remove.

Remember when wiping to move central outwards in long strokes - the aim is to bring all dirt out of the wound, not to leave it on the wound, dab at it or rub it in.

The problem with using Tegaderm or any other hydrocolloid dressing is that they trap fluid inside in cases such as this and won't allow the wound to breathe and heal - mega for holding stuff down or immediate post procedural stuff but they can cause road rash and ilk to fester on a bit.

Get it open, get it clean, honey, Savlon spray if you can find it. Aim to allow the body to heal.

Remember you're looking at initial superficial trauma to the area followed by deeper tissue trauma to the impact point and further secondary/terziary surrounding tissue trauma as well.

Ibuprofen or similar for pain and swelling control, allow the body to process bruising naturally.

Post a piccie up for us to be nosey.

Red wine also helps a lot. Shitloads of it. But not cheap red wine - life is too short to drink cheap wine. It can also help to wankit out. I recommended an episode of Nina and the Neurons for this for lab coat and therefore medicinal effect.

HTH

Ncovidius

Soap and warm water when it happens. Then get some antiseptic cream ( Savlon et.al.) and use a bit of that to stop it getting infected.

MattFalle

or just wankit out as above

its the best option

MattFalle

Ncovidius said:

Soap and warm water when it happens. Then get some antiseptic cream ( Savlon et.al.) and use a bit of that to stop it getting infected.

its not working for him.

photonic69

Soft nailbrush, coaltar soap, 120 seconds of agonising and brutal pain through clenched teeth and lots of swearing after a 1/2 bottle of Brandy (or a couple of Tramadol if you have them handy). As MF said above they key is getting all the sh!t out of the wound to aid healing. Any dirt will just encourage the gree/yellow pus.

Good luck.

imposter2.0

Ncovidius said:

Soap and warm water when it happens. Then get some antiseptic cream ( Savlon et.al.) and use a bit of that to stop it getting infected.

Don't you ever read posts before replying?

Apart from ignoring anything that Ncovidiot says (because it's usually either bollox, or has already been said by someone else), I would tend to agree with Mr Falle.

Best advice I had from years ago was - once it's clean - to let it dry out and harden as quickly as possible. Which generally means leaving it uncovered. I'm aware this might no longer be current thinking, but it did the trick for me about 20 years ago, so things can't have changed that much..

pblakeney

imposter2.0 said:

Stuff

I believe I said as much with a lot less words in the 3rd reply. 😉

photonic69

redvision said:

Any tips?
Was knocked off my bike earlier this week, fortunately no breaks, just bruising and road rash down my side and shoulder. Had dressing put on and changing it each day as advised but still bloody sore and seems to be constantly pusing. Have been using sudacrem (which hospital recommended) but it doesn't appear to be helping much, so just wondered if there are better soothing creams which will help more? Any recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks

Didn't you have a really nasty crash a couple of years back? Hope you are OK? Don't seem to have the best luck do you. Hope you mend soon. Best wishes.

redvision

photonic69 said:

redvision said:

Any tips?
Was knocked off my bike earlier this week, fortunately no breaks, just bruising and road rash down my side and shoulder. Had dressing put on and changing it each day as advised but still bloody sore and seems to be constantly pusing. Have been using sudacrem (which hospital recommended) but it doesn't appear to be helping much, so just wondered if there are better soothing creams which will help more? Any recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks

Didn't you have a really nasty crash a couple of years back? Hope you are OK? Don't seem to have the best luck do you. Hope you mend soon. Best wishes.

Yes I did, and believe it or not that was also on a Tuesday and in October! I've already been told I'm not allowed on my bike in October again. Lol.

Very fortunate this time, have avoided any major injury and my neck is ok, which was my immediate worry (because of the injury in sustained in 2018). This time I can remember the whole thing and can't actually get it out of my head, keep seeing the collision.
Won't say too much though as been advised not to whilst the police are investigating. Hopefully it won't take too long as there was a witness and it is pretty clear what happened - at least I hope it is.

Thanks for all the tips on treating road rash, particularly your advice MF. Really appreciate it. Had the dressings changed again this morning and most is now showing signs of scabbing, apart from my butt cheek which is still pusing. Nurse said that's just because I'm sitting/ lying down and each time I get up it breaks the scabs bit it will improve. She then proceeded to give pretty much identical advice to MF, so either you both have similar training or she reads this form 🤣

MattFalle

What she recommened wankingit out? Get in!

that's what i call a medical professional there my son.

#soundmedicalknowledge

MattFalle

Seriously though, no dramas dude - pleasure to help any time.

redvision

MattFalle said:

What she recommened wankingit out? Get in!

that's what i call a medical professional there my son.

#soundmedicalknowledge

Haha, unfortunately she didn't, assume she missed that part of the medical training. Lol

MattFalle

😁

veronese68

Can't add anything useful but just wanted to say heal fast and good luck with everything RV.

Defblade

Hate to break it to all you folks (and that nurse), but moist wound healing is generally preferred these days. Lots of info on the internet - https://www.woundsource.com/blog/benefits-moist-wound-healing is a quick overview.
However the dressings involved are ££ to £££ and so may not be the first choice in your local surgery for simple wounds, even though they produce faster and better healing. (Although if the wound is not exudating much, these dressings will usually stay on for days at a time, which can actually make them more economical...)


Currently rocking 4 dressings of various sizes myself after an uphill lowside last weekend

sungod

^^^this

years ago i had a visit to a&e with large patch of roadrash (cd size) and several trivial scrapes

they put a big tegaderm film dressing on it, it's a sheet of sticky-back plastic, we had a chat, they said if the wound were deeper they'd use something different that absorbs more ooze, but still keeps the wound moist

healed fast and scar free, the trivial scrapes dried and took far longer

masjer

^^^this for me too.

Keeping a wound moist (without antiseptic cream) under a barrier (eg Tegaderm) promotes faster healing with less scarring.
It can look a bit gooey under the dressing but, is less painful

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

Hydrocolloid dressings are specifically designed to absorb exudate from a wound whilst keeping a moist environment at the healing wound surface. They also allow some of the moisture to permeate out through the dressing surface so it isn't really soggy. Unlike other dressings you leave them on for a few days until they start to come away on their own.
Definitely give better and quicker healing, work a treat on bad blisters too.

MattFalle

hydrocolloid on bad blisters that didn't heal until hydrocolloid was removed, area cleaned, treated, left open to tge air.

this is why you want to air stuff out.

MattFalle

this is why you clean, expose, monitor.

johngti

MattFalle said:

this is why you clean, expose, monitor.

Decent looking blisters there, MF. Military issue boots? I got similar ones after deciding I didn’t need proper walking boots for a weekend hiking in the Clwydians when I was a teenager. Doc martins, they’ll do, I thought. They didn’t. 😶

Defblade

MattFalle said:

hydrocolloid on bad blisters that didn't heal until hydrocolloid was removed, area cleaned, treated, left open to tge air.

this is why you want to air stuff out.

Nah, what you want to do is use the correct type of dressing (foam absorbent would have been better if it was producing that much plasma... or was it also sweat? But the thickness would have made putting the boots back on much harder), or/and change it regularly when full. Importantly, remove the pressure that caused the damage in the first place - that dressing looks like you've continued to walk on it.

Yes, blisters will heal in the air... but I'd also guess that you simultaneously removed the source of the pressure damage. Either way, you gave it a head start during the moist period (or at least lessened further damage if you were still walking on it). Moist wound healing does look horrible when you're used to dry healing... until suddenly it's healed.

Evolution came up with a way to repair damage, but it is a way that is "good enough" and not optimal. We may discover better ways again, but currently moist is best.

Or you can continue to ignore the results from hundreds and thousands of patients who have been treated with the correct dressings, changed at the appropriate times, and with pressure-removing interventions... you will still generally heal "good enough"... ~shrug~

trevor.hall12

Probably too late but I use iodine on an absorbant patch for 2 days to make sure the grit is out and then air it the sooner it scabs up the better

lesfirth

MattFalle said:

hydrocolloid on bad blisters that didn't heal until hydrocolloid was removed, area cleaned, treated, left open to tge air.

this is why you want to air stuff out.

That is fine if you can work with one bare foot or phone in sick. A self employed brick layer might have problem.