First Aid for an Injured Lip

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There are many things that can cause injury to your lip. This may come in the form of an accidental fall or a blow to the face. Athletes in contact sports are at amplified risk of lip injury during both practice and games. When one occurs, you’ll want to apply quality first aid to help diminish the pain and reduce the chances of any complications as well as assess the need for professional care.

Wiping away stray blood with a warm, wet washcloth can give you a better look at the lip injury. If you have blood or other debris in your mouth you can rinse it away with lukewarm salt water.

Any swelling may be reduced simply by applying a cold compress to the area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. If you don’t have a cold compress on hand, you can improvise simply by placing crushed ice in a zip-top bag wrapped in a washcloth or tea towel.

You can also control any bleeding by lightly pressing sterile gauze to the wound. If, after 20 to 30 minutes the bleeding hasn’t stopped, it probably means that the lip injury needs the treatment of a trained physician.

If you live in the Orland Park, Illinois area with a significant lip injury that requires further treatment, seek help from the hospital first. If you are not sure what care you require, do not hesitate to call 708-448-2588 to speak with a member of Dr. Christopher Pavletic’s staff.