Help ! Need advice about diving with a wounded toe ?

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Salt water is a lot safer for wounds than fresh water is...

True off the coast of NE. Not correct in tropical SW.

 

[dmaziuk]

Personally I'd be more concerned with chafing and grinding from the fin pocket and try to pad the thing as you would a blister.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

I don't know if these are available where you are, but I have found gel bandages that seal around a wound and are waterproof. They are usually marketed for blisters but I have used them for wounds such as you describe. They are meant to stay on for several days at a time. You have to follow the application instructions carefully to get a good seal but they work pretty well.
Good luck!

^^ Good item to have when on a vacation thanks!!!

I think if Stephaneee takes it day by day and protects it while diving and cleans it off after that would be ok. But if there are signs of infection best stay out.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Just to qualify myself, I am not a medical professional, but am certified as a Wilderness First Responder, so have trained in the treatment of wounds in a non-sterile environment.

Never apply alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to an open wound as you will destroy tissue as well as cause pain. Rinse with clean water and then apply a sterile dressing. (antibiotic ointment can also be applied, if available). You can clean the skin around the wound with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

Clean, salted fresh water, can be used to soak or rinse, but not sea water. One is sterile enough to be safe, the other is not.

Hope this is useful.

Absolutely right! Hydrogen peroxide kills the bad stuff, but also the new cells that are trying to fill in/cover the wound, in other words delays healing. If you have pus then you can use Hydrogen peroxide at 1/2 strength and then rinse well with water. Alcohol, I've never used to clean a wound.

True off the coast of NE. Not correct in tropical SW.

I wondered about that. Why is that? Runoff/sewage, or just a more lets say fertile area because of the heat?

 

[KevinNM]

There was a study that compared wound irrigation with sterile fluids plus antiseptics vs sterile normal saline, and IIRC there was no statistically significant difference in outcomes.

 

[KyriJr]

I don't know how bad and big your wound is but you should be okay! Last summer is worked as a DM with a pretty nasty wound on my toe, I had no choice but to dive couple times every day and it was just fine. All I did before each dive was to put a few plasters over it to reduce friction on the actual wound. After the dive you obviously want to take extra care of it, clean it up and let it breathe! One of the instructors I worked with broke his big toe and kept on diving for a week before going to the doctor, but still kept diving after that too lol