Treating a weird cut...

[JollyBarton]

So I recently gave myself a pretty bad cut on my wrist. It could use stitches.

I then cut into it again the next day, and made it deeper and longer. At one point however, I sliced and had a bad sharp weird tingly pain. The flesh that showed looked different than the rest and tingle hurt.

I started getting a numb pain up to my elbow and fingers and flexing my hand or bending my wrist was difficult and hurts/feels weird. i still have that. My arm from elbow to fingers hurts and feels weird. typing with my left hand causes me pain. Just moving my fingers is painful sometimess.

I'm wondering if I started to cut into a tendon or something?

Also, is it okay to just press the sides of the gash together and bandage it tightly, or will that increase risk of infection on the deeper layers?

[georgiamay]

It sounds like you might have cut some kind of nerve or tendon, I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound like it'll go away on it's own. I don't know where you live or how old you are, but I'd recommend getting medical attention. If you live in the UK and you're 16 or over, you can go to your GP and they don't need to tell your parents unless they think you're suicidal. They'll be able to help you, but if they can't treat it they might tell you to go to A&E. If you're over 16, they don't have to call your parents unless you tell them you're suicidal. If you're under 16, I honestly don't know what the laws are I'm afraid.

Have you heard of steri-strips, or butterfly strips, or whatever they're called? You can get them from any pharmacy/chemist, and they're really easy to use. They help keep the sides of the cut together so they heal quicker and don't leave as bad a scar. But if it's really that bad, they might not do much and you might to get proper stitches.

[JollyBarton]

I'm sixteen, but I live in the US so I can't do that. I have been keeping the sides kind of closed because I haven't been able to get butterfly strips. I think it should heal fine on its own, it just gets bad sometimes. Thank you very much for the input.

[Noirtier]

I then cut into it again the next day, and made it deeper and longer. At one point however, I sliced and had a bad sharp weird tingly pain. The flesh that showed looked different than the rest and tingle hurt. I started getting a numb pain up to my elbow and fingers and flexing my hand or bending my wrist was difficult and hurts/feels weird. i still have that. My arm from elbow to fingers hurts and feels weird. typing with my left hand causes me pain. Just moving my fingers is painful sometimes.

From what you described there, it sounds very likely to me that you cut a nerve, or at least nicked it. That's number one thing that isn't good. You then went on to say that the flesh looked different than the rest, which tells me you're fairly deep in your muscle. Since you're still getting the numb pain and even just moving your fingers feels weird and hurts, I honestly think you cut or nicked a nerve, and that you've gone deep enough where, regardless of whether you want to or not, you really need to see a doctor about it. Nerve damage in general is nothing to mess around with--many times the nervous system cannot even repair itself. And if you cut that deep, it will need stitches. In the mean time, steri-strips would help, but please see a doctor. I don't know if your doctor has to tell your parents or not, but something like that could very easily get infected, and the damage to the nerves should be dealt with by a professional before it gets worse. Please at least consider going to a doctor, because they're the only ones who can really help an injury this severe..

[JollyBarton]

I don't know if your doctor has to tell your parents or not, but something like that could very easily get infected, and the damage to the nerves should be dealt with by a professional before it gets worse. Please at least consider going to a doctor, because they're the only ones who can really help an injury this severe..

Thanks for that. I do think you're somewhat right. It seems to be healing up alright though. No signs of infection and it's not bothering me much, unless I don't let my arm rest and use it too much. I will see if I can go to a doctor without having to inform my parents or if it starts to get worse.

[HunterSteele]

It could use stitches.
If it could use stitches, then it's not just gonna heal on its own.

What you described sounds pretty severe. You could have damaged a nerve, or something else. You should go see a doctor.

[Castle of Glass]

where in the US do you live. because there are some places where you can go, teen centers that can help you. like where i live, just a half hour away by bike there is a teen walk in clinic, does everything from STD testing and treatment to helping with things like these. most of their teen services are free. only the more serious ones cost.

[JollyBarton]

Thank you everyone but the cut is healing alright and my hand isn't feeling to weird anymore so I guess I just nicked a nerve. Finding a way to treat without my parents is no longer an issue as they have found out. I just am not getting it treated as it seems alright. I appreciate all that each of you has done. You're all wonderful people!