What are the signs that an injury is infected?

Injuries can become much more serious if they get infected. Perhaps you were bitten by a dog while you were out for a walk, or maybe you suffered a serious cut in a car accident. Maybe you were injured in a slip and fall on someone else’s property, or you got road rash from a cycling accident or a motorcycle accident.

No matter how the initial injury happened, it should ideally begin healing as soon as you get treatment. If it instead gets infected, you need to know what symptoms to look out for so that you can get medical attention.

Common symptoms

Although every case is unique, one of the most common signs that a wound is infected is increased pain and bleeding. The initial wound should hurt, but that pain should lessen in the days and weeks to come. If it gets worse, swells, and becomes inflamed, that is a problem.

Discharge from the wound can also indicate infection. This discharge could be clear, brown, yellow or green and may have a foul smell.

Finally, when a wound gets infected, it often brings on symptoms of sickness or disease. You may experience nausea and vomiting, for example. You may also have a fever and chills. Your body tries to fight infections through some of these methods, so they can indicate that your injury is getting more serious, rather than healing.

Seeking compensation

If you suffer from an infected injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.