Road rash is essentially a general term used to refer to rashes, abrasions, and skin scrapes resulting from contact with rough road surfaces. Often a result of major or minor road accidents, road rashes can be quite painful but can be treated at home for the most part. In extreme cases, however, an accident can scrape away many layers of the skin, requiring a skin grafting surgery to promote effective healing.
Whether it’s a major or minor rash, there are certain steps that need to be followed in order to prevent infections, while also staying aware of possible complications, and instances where medical attention may be warranted. In this article, we provide a brief primer on road rash injuries along with medical treatments that might be required depending on the nature and seriousness of the injury.
Recognizing The Severity Of A Road Rash
Depending on the nature of an accident, road rashes come in differing degrees, or overall levels of severity. Understanding the degree of the road rash is essential for deciding on the ideal course of action, that is, if they can be treated at home or if a trip to the emergency room is warranted.
- First Degree – Small scrapes, redness, minor bleeding, and tenderness is classified as a first-degree rash. If victims can keep the area clean, and disinfected, most such rashes will subside within a week at most.
- Second Degree – If the wound continues to bleed, shows excessive swelling, or exposed bones, and tendons, it does require medical attention immediately.Such rashes are often extremely painful, and victims themselves will likely realize the need for quick medical assistance right away.
- Third Degree – This is the stage when a road rash can even become life-threatening, with the wound either deep enough to result in excessive bleeding, or covering 10% of your body causing severe damage to bones, tendons, nerves, and muscles.
Medical Treatments For A Road Rash
Treating a road rash again depends on the level of severity, with minor scrapes and bruises perfectly capable of being dealt with at home, and more severe injuries requiring extensive medical interventions.
- Cleaning & Disinfection – The first, and the most ideal course of treatment for minor abrasions involves a thorough cleaning of the affected region.Once the wound is clean and doesn’t have any debris, or external particles, consider antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin, to avoid bacterial infections.
- Tetanus Shot – A booster shot for tetanus can come in handy in case of deeper wounds, or if the individual hasn’t received a tetanus shot in recent years.Being a life-threatening bacterial infection, victims must beware of tetanus infections after a road rash or other related injuries.
- Medical Interventions & Long-Term Care – As discussed earlier, severe cases of road rashes may require extensive medical interventions to promote recovery.
This includes skin grafts if deep layers have been scraped away, along with additional surgeries for the repair of nerves, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
A complete recovery might also require plastic surgery to hide the scars, or retain a pleasant outwardly experience, along with long-term care, and physiotherapy, in order to regain functional mobility after an incident.
Seeking Compensation To Cover The Costs Of Road Rash Treatment
While they tend to be trivial for the most part, road rashes can get quite serious, requiring expensive treatments before an individual can get back to normal.
This, coupled with the lost time, lost earnings, and the trauma of it all, makes it necessary to seek adequate compensation for the accident. Even though there are likely to be numerous side effects in the aftermath of an accident, it remains quite essential to try your best and bludgeon the consequences of a road rash, at least on financial terms.
Final Words
Cuts, scrapes, and rashes have long been among the many risks associated with the streets, and are for the most part unavoidable.
With the right awareness, however, simple rashes will no longer have to result in life-threatening consequences or unnecessary visits to the emergency room.
