Infection?

[IAmNumberZero]

Ok so about five days ago I cut myself with a pair of trimming scissors. It's nothing big, maybe an inch or so long and neither wide nor deep, on the inside of my right arm, about halfway between the wrist and elbow. But now the right side of my jaw is kind of stiff, especially in the morning and afternoon. I have TMJ, so that might be the cause, but my jaw normally doesn't get stiff for so long. And it feels bruised. Also, my right hand had pins and needles for a few minutes earlier today, though there was no cause for it. Am I just freaking out, or is there a possibility of an infection? I've cut before, and the scissors seemed fairly clean, and I've been taking decent care of the cut. But still, kind of concerned.

[Croconaw]

Did the cut get dirty? The only way it can get infected is if some type of bacteria got into it. That's what band-aids are for. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about.

[Katiya]

Unless its very swollen, very red, oozing puss or extremely painful around the cut your good. Any thing of the above and go to the hospital as its likely infected.

now the following is kind of info for anyone...

What I always do for mine is... Wash them with soap and water then clean them with alcohol right after. Then I put a very thin line of triple antibiotic in the cut and tape it closed with that silk tape stuff that's soft and shinny. I leave the tape on for 4-7 days and longer for deep stuff. This is what they do in A&E for most cuts but they use steri strips which are very expensive had hard to make stay. Tape Works just as well as steri strips and works on deeper wounds. BUT if you ever cant get one to stay closed with the tape it needs stitches!!! Don't leave those open. These are generally very wide or have jagged edges. Or spurting blood like a fountain. Wrap those with a towel and ace bandage and head to hospital ASAP. IE if it wont stop bleeding you can't use tape, needs stitches.

Yeah, I've been doing this to my self a long time haven't I...

[ksdnfkfr]

Cuts can get tetanus also known as lockjaw.

[Desuetude]

The jaw just sounds like TMJ, I get the same thing. I wouldn't have thought an infected cut could have caused jaw stiffness. Also seeing as the cut was neither wide nor deep and you're taking care of it there is little chance of it being infected. Like the above posts state, if it's oozing, red and swollen or especially painful then I'd think about it being an infection.