How long does it take tissue to heal?

Question

I was freaking out over something and bit down QUITE hard on my arm...hard enough that I think I must have damaged the tissue. It's been more than a week since then, and the spot where it happened it still just as sore to the touch as it was the day after the incident...does anyone have any idea how long it will take to heal?

Answer 1

go to the doctor because it could have gotten infected

Answer 2

let me first giggle for a second.  

OK.  

I'm done.

Tissue damage can heal rather quickly if it's superficial.  You SAY that you bit down really hard and it hurts even today. I suspect that the damage is deeper than you think.  

You don't need to see it.  It's common for internal tissue damage to be conceiled nicely.  Sometimes as it does heal, u may see slight bruising.

Anyway, if it's deep like it might be, you can add on alot more time to the healing stages.  I'd give a 2-3 week estimation for things to heal.  I can only judge based on the general size of ones mouth and the depth I think you went.  In any case. you should take with you the understanding that there is more than meets the eye so allow for the extra time to heal

IF you broke the skin, you should be careful to note signs of infection.  It's said that human bites carry the higest risks of infection. That said, if your skin is healed on top, you might have some residual problems below.  Again, I can't possibly assess you from here so it's all up in the air.

One last thing, and this isn't from a nursing perspective but my own.  I had surgery on my wrist 7 years ago.  If I touch one corner of the scar, it hurts pretty bad.  It never really got better in terms of pain to touch.  However, if you don't touch it, it doesn't hurt.  

It may be that some areas of the skin are just plain more senstive to trauma, surgery or....

biting ones self :)  

And even if things heal properly, you may have some residual effects linger for some time.  It's not uncommon for folks to have nerve pain, arthritic symptoms if trauma is near a joint--all kinds of extra outcomes can occur.  Remember, what you did isn't normal so the body doesn't always have to react normal.  

Good Luck with this.  No more biting :)

FOLLOW UP:  okay, everything else is still applicable.  Give it time.  Be aware of the depth of tissue damage--allow for this.  Keep it clean.  Try to keep from putting pressure or knocking it around until it's completely pain free.  

If you do see things going in the opposite direction in a few days, maybe you bit down on something so hard that, and I hate to even consider this, but maybe you damaged your radius/ulnar bone.  I've never seen this so I can't comment on it anymore than what I've already said.  

In my occupation, I've see some wierd things.  So nothing to me suprises me.  Just take my last comment with a grain of salt.  For giggles if anything.  Besides, the more thinking I do about this, it seems less likely because you'd have to have broken your skin.

I'm tired.  Good Luck with this!!!

-pete

edit one more time because I care...for clarity, "bitemarks" is essentially a break in skin.  Bleeding isn't necessary.  So, infection can be plausible, though I don't think at this stage that it's your problem.

Good Night!!!  This time I really mean it :)