When i put salt into a wound, such as an ulcer, is it actually cleaning it, or just hurting it?

Answer 1

This is how salt works to kill germs (and salt and preserve a ham, interestingly enough!) :

The salt doesn't have any water in it, and putting salt near an item (cell) that is full of water causes the water to leave the cell through osmosis. All substances want to have the same amount of molecules evenly spread out - so the salt pulls out water.

This will cause a bacteria to die (thus cleaning a wound) but it also kills some of YOUR cells, creating a bigger scar.

In salting a ham, it kills any bacteria on the ham, and takes away the water any other bacteria would need to survive.

Weird, huh? I love science!

Answer 2

The reason that salt stings a cut is that as the salt dissolves, it causes the fluid surrounding damaged tissues to become extremely hypertonic (which means that the concentration of salt and other electrolytes is higher than it is in normal body fluids).

Pain-sensing neurons have receptors on them that respond to a variety of stimuli. For example, there is a specific receptor that responds vigorously to capsaicin, which is the substance that gives jalapeño and habanero peppers their kick. So, quite literally, when you are adding hot pepper to food, you are (carefully, I hope!) inducing the sensation of pain to complement the other flavors of the meal.

More recently identified is a receptor that responds to changes in electrolyte concentration—such as the change that a large amount of salt induces. Thus, putting salt on a wound stimulates pain-sensing neurons in much the same way hot pepper does.

When tissue is damaged, many pain receptors become sensitized—that is, they need a much lower level of stimulation to respond than they normally would. (For example, after you have burned your mouth, try eating some spicy food that you could normally handle—ouch!) Salt may then compound the pain by further damaging injured tissues and making them more sensitive in general.

Answer 3

Salt helps to kill the bacteria at the site of a cut or other injury. It also draws liquid from the surrounding cells ( through osmosis ) to flush out dead bacteria.
It is possible to overdo the salt therapy - too much or too often will kill the cells near the injury and create a bigger ulcer.

Answer 4

I don't know if I'd say it hurts. BUT it does burn. I would also say it does help to clean it as well as heal it. I remember as a kid I had a servere problem with Poisen ivy and oak, and sumac. When I would catch these my parents would take me to the beach and make sure I spent as much time as possible in the water. And I would always get over this outbreak quicker than normally without saltwater. SO it must work.

Answer 5

just hurting it. Salt does not kill many microbes, but it does throw the electrochemical gradients of your nerves off which causes pain. Try some peroxide or rubbing alcohol instead. Still painful, but more effective.

Answer 6

you are causing your body more harm by doing this you can cause your ulcer to bleed

Answer 7

It will clean it, and severely scar you. Use hydrogen peroxide and neosporin buddy.

Answer 8

Just hurting it.