Wound in the tropics ?

[The Chairman]

NO, it will remain open when you soak it every day is dirty water. A sock is not going to help.

Have you tried it? I have and it's worked well for me. I'm not a germophobe, but my feet don't heal as well as they used to. I'll dive oceans and caves with few problems and so far, no infections.

 

[The Chairman]

Keep diving unless things get serious.

Exactly.

 

[Scuba Scott]

A foot wound in your environment is going to be problematic and will put a damper on your vacation. You need to keep it dry.
I don't offer medical advice but what I would do is cover it with New Skin. It will form a watertight seal. You may or may not be able to find it in a local drug store. I travel with it.

Link for reference only:

There are off-brand alternatives that would likely be as good.

 

[berndo]

Have you tried it? I have and it's worked well for me. I'm not a germophobe, but my feet don't heal as well as they used to. I'll dive oceans and caves with few problems and so far, no infections.

Read what I wrote. If you kept diving for days in the tropic with an open wound without getting an infection you got lucky. Tag a doctor.

 

[The Chairman]

If you don't like my suggestion, please don't follow it. However, when I lived in the Keys, which in the summer was the tropics, I often dove for weeks on end guiding and teaching not only off the boats, but off of canon beach (putrid) and absolutely never got an infection. Ever. I almost always dove with some cut of some sort and often on my feet.

I wouldn't do this if you have a depressed immune system, but for those of us blessed with normal levels of immunity, infections are the exception and not the rule. Mind you, I avoid areas labeled as having flesh eating bacteria or the like. And, if I detect a sore/cut not healing well, then I might take some time off (gasp) from diving.

 

[scrane]

Yes, the tropics are a cesspool of infectious bacteria. Infections can easily take hold. But with a little awareness and care they can usually be taken care of.
Use antibiotic cream to deter bacteria from entering the wound.
Dress the wound tightly to limit exposed tissues. In the tropics I am not a fan of airing out a wound.
Administer systemic antibiotics at the first sign of infection.
I am not a doctor. But I have lived and played in the tropics and hurt myself enough times to know what works for me. If I am on a dive vacation * I Will Dive *. I might be better off sitting in the hotel watching TV, but I'd probably be safer if I had stayed at home.

 

[berndo]

I almost always dove with some cut of some sort and often on my feet.

A little tiny cut that bled two drops of blood is not the same as an open wound that's been deeper. This advice of your's and scrane is stupid. You don't need to have an depressed imune system to get an infection.

 

[arew+4]

Also not a doctor, I have dove with wounds in all stages of healing, from the tips of my toes to the middle of my chest.
So long as your cleaning, drying and keeping it covered between dives and using a topical AB ointment. So long as you do not have and circulatory issues, immune system issues, or are taking any immuno suppressant medications you should be fine.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

PLEASE! Do not put brad spectrum antibiotics on a wound without a doctors assessment that it actually a) needs antibiotics, and b) if it really is so in the S*** that it needs brad spectrum antibiotics.
Resistance to antibiotics is real, and if you don't need it, don't get it. If you need it, use the most specific kind, and use it per the doctors orders!

not ON the wound. i meant orally (or rectally if that's your thing) but yeah, you are correct. If you don't need it, don't take it. but DO take it as soon as you need it.

The spread of drug resistant bacteria is real and eventually they will be our ultimate demise. If we live through global warming, of course.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Is there a doctor in the house? How about a FNP? @uncfnp