Causes of Puncture Wounds

• Metal: nail, sewing needle, pin, tack
• Pencil: a pencil lead is actually graphite (harmless). It is not poisonous lead. Even colored leads are not toxic.
• Wood: toothpick or splinter
• Glass
• Plant Matter: thorns from garden bushes or spines from houseplants, such as cactus

Problems with Puncture Wounds

• Retained Foreign Object. This happens if part of the object breaks off in the skin. The pain will not go away until it is removed. It can be hard to tell if this has happened. If you are not sure, contact your doctor.
• Wound Infection. This happens in 4% of foot punctures. The main symptom is spreading redness seen 2 or 3 days after the injury. Do not ignore.
• Bone Infection. If the sharp object also hits a bone, the bone can become infected. Punctures of the ball of the foot are at greatest risk. The main symptoms are increased swelling and pain 2 weeks after the injury. Contact your doctor right away.

When to Call for Puncture Wound

Care Advice

What You Should Know about Puncture Wounds:

• Most shallow puncture wounds do not need to be seen.
• If the wound is deep and hard to clean, you should seek care.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Cleaning the Wound:

• First wash the punctured skin with soap and water.
• Then soak the puncture wound in warm soapy water for 15 minutes.
• For any dirt or debris, gently scrub the wound surface back and forth. Use a wash cloth to remove any dirt.
• If the wound re-bleeds a little, that may help remove germs.

Antibiotic Ointment:

• Use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed.
• Then, cover with a bandage. This helps to reduce the risk of infection.
• Re-wash the wound and put on antibiotic ointment every 12 hours.
• Do this for 2 days.

Pain Medicine:

• To help with the pain, take an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
• Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
• Use as needed, but do not take more than the maximum recommended dosage as stated on the package.
• If you are not sure what to take, ask a pharmacist.

What to Expect:

• Puncture wounds seal over in 1 to 2 hours.
• Pain should go away within 2 days.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Dirt in the wound is still there after 15 minutes of scrubbing
• Pain increases or becomes severe
• Looks infected (redness, red streaks, draining pus, swelling, fever)
• Not getting better within 2 days
• You think you need to be seen
• Your symptoms get worse

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.




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