Gawd DAMN! That burns like hellfire!

[edoggy]

So...I've got this infection in my thumb.  It's been getting worse over the past couple of days, but I won't go into detail.  It's pretty gross.  The worst part is I don't have antiseptics.  I don't even have rubbing alcohol.  A dude I work with gave me tea tree oil and told me it was astringent, but I kinda think it'll fuck up my system if I put

Comments

um, soap?

[elizafae]

and really, tea tree will be fine. at this point, it won't fuck up your system any more than rubbing salt into a festering, infected wound.

dumbass.

Re: um, soap?

[elizafae]

ok, maybe that was a bit harsh. I'm sorry your thumb is owie.

Re: um, soap?

[edoggy]

Soap hadn't worked, so far. I'd been washing it regularly and it usually would be inflamed after I put soap on it. The salt worked pretty well. It stopped pussing for a while. In the end, I went to the store and bought some hydrogen peroxide.

Re: um, soap?

[elizafae]

Good story :) I'm glad you figured it out. Hydrogen peroxide is something you should probably have around the farmhouse anyway, what with the rusty implements of destruction and all.

[onionsniper]

Soak it in warm salt water like you would an infected piercing. 1/4 teaspoon per cup of water. The soaking lets the wound open up to get the pus out and the warmth and salt will draw the pus out. Putting straight salt in there will just abrade it and sting worse. I'm sorry, that shit hurts a lot, I had that happen once.

[becala]

Yeah, I was just gonna say that the less painful solution *is* a solution. I use 1/2 teaspoon per cup and it's still less ouchy than rubbing the grains right in there.

Get sea salt if you can versus regular table salt.

[becala]

Oh, yeah, and I find that having the water as hot as you can stand it helps. But don't burn yourself. That doesn't help.

[edoggy]

I soaked it for a while, but I didn't know if it was effective. I upped the ante and you know the rest. Thanks for the advice.