Answer (1 of 2): A consultation with a hand surgeon is appropriate. You could try washing the area with hydrogen peroxide, and if it bubbles up white, that means theres an infection (the white is the infection). I had a sliver of glass in my heel which I could not remove after a breakage. Cut my finger with glass now black and blue and swollen. Cut finger on broken glass, the puncture very small but bled a lot, the fingertip very swollen and blue. A non-healing wound can come from a variety of causes, including a retained foreign object, diabetes, infection, and malnutrition. Secondly, it may get embedded in scar tissue and stay there for ever, without causing any problems. Soak the splinter area in baking soda and warm water to loosen the skin. These can be evaluated by an emergency room physician or by a surgeon. Could the glass shard be stuck. If you cannot see it, it is either too small or too deep. But this was a week ago now and while the place where the glass actually cut is fairly healed over, and just walking doesnt hurt, applying direct pressure to the cut spot hurts, like if my flip flop gets skewed and the cut presses on the part where the straps connect to the base it hurts quite a lot. Acute paronychia is a type of hand infection that involves the paronychium, which is the area around the fingernail. How Surprising New Research Is Tapping the Powers of the Immune System. and remove any residual pieces of glass. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Lift out the tip of the glass shard and then grab with the tweezers, pulling the whole piece of glass out. Splinters & Sprains. Larger or buried splinters can result in difficulty removing the entire foreign body or localizing it for removal. Setting a time limit for removal is wise. Your finger jams while trying to catch a ball. For sprains, R.I.C.E. All glass is radiopaque; however, there is limited ability for radiography to detect glass fragments smaller than 2 mm.2 Glass is inert and can be left in place if it is difficult to locate or remove. Use a clean gauze or towel to apply pressure. Ice helps prevent tissue damage and decreases swelling and pain. Patients may not be aware of retained material, but if there is sensation of a foreign body, it is important to explore the wound. Penetrating wounds can damage nerves or blood vessels. Carefully pull it in the direction from which it entered. The foot and tool was sterilised before and after. Dr. Adam Levy and another doctor agree. As the glass is under the skin, a sharp needle (again, cleaned with rubbing alcohol) should be used to break the skin over the needle. Cover it with a towel before you apply it to your skin. See permissionsforcopyrightquestions and/or permission requests. However, if you have glass in a surface wound, remove it by using sharp tweezers to grab it with steady, but gentle, pressure. It's a deep cut & it took time for the bleeding to stop After, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. If the foreign body cannot be visualized, the physician may be able to feel it with the hemostat. Use a small needle dipped in alcohol to remove the splinter. Figure 3. Even more so if it is slightly raised and pink (infection). Danielle Jacks, MD is a Surgical Resident at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana. How to try to remove splinters with baking soda. Then the hook and needle are held firmly together and backed out simultaneously (Figure 2). I think there may be a fragment of glass in my finger but can't see it is it harmful? The pain is in a 0.5cm radius around the wound & is now blue there? When you initially get a cut, white blood cells swoop in on the scene to combat germs so healing won't be delayed. This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics, --------------------------------Advertisement---------------------------------- -. it is too small to see on x-ray. Deeper injuries may require local infiltration with 1% lidocaine or a digital block. So stupidly I walked across a crowded bar in bare feet (dont ask) and inevitably trod on broken glass. Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in less than one minute for common issues such as: colds and coughs, stomach symptoms, bladder infections, rashes, and more. Wipe the blackness off the tweezers with sterile gauze. Although the negative predictive value was high, 57 percent of retained glass foreign bodies would have been missed without radiography.2 In patients with sensation of foreign body, superficial wounds that have been adequately explored do not require radiography. I usually run as hot a water as I can stand over the splinter whenever I am near a sink, and it eventually works its way out on its own. Had a friend who was in a car wreck, during which her head got rubbed along the ground through the broken window as the car slid to a stop. Most cuts and grazes can be treated at home and will start to heal in a few days. Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in less than one minute for common issues such as: colds and coughs, stomach symptoms, bladder infections, rashes, and more. LocationEast TX. Do I need to get jt removed or leave it? I couldnt get an appointment until next friday but I asked my mum (shes a nurse but I didnt want to have to tell her the story before) and she said with stuff like this often it heals over outside but takes longer inside so that could be why its still hurting but if it is still sore by the time I get to the doctor then theres definitely something in there. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects three parts of the hand: the middle . For more tips on pulling out a stubborn piece of glass, keep reading! Plain films can be clinically beneficial in locating glass foreign bodies in deep wounds with or without exploration.5 In patients without sensation, the history can guide the decision for further investigation. Fever over 100 F (37.3 C) Red streaks coming away from the wound; Wound does not stop bleeding after pressure is applied for 5 minutes; Wound has part of an object remaining in it, such as a pencil tip, nail, or piece of glass; Dirt remains in the wound; Wound is gaping or there is white tissue (fatty tissue) or muscle visible Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. Swelling. But i think your skin will have to be under water for a while! You could try washing the area with hydrogen peroxide, and if it bubbles up white, that means there's an infection (the white is the infection). Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Definately soak your hand - my brother went to the ER with several toothpick shards pretty deep in his foot. Hence, a trip to the doctor skilled in foreign body removal is the best plan of action. I would not try this at home as it may lead to further injury or infection. X You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. Glass being stuck in your foot can be annoying at best and pretty painful at worst. It is best to show it to a doctor You to have this injury checked medically. This article is limited to objects that have penetrated the skin. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered. By using our site, you agree to our. How To Remove Glass From Finger. They thought they got them all out but weren't sure, so they had him go home and soak itin warm water for a few hours (this lat toothpick shard was pretty deep). Feature Article Frances Tepolt, MD; Patrick M. Carry, BA; Michal Taylor, MD; Nancy Hadley-Miller, MD The management of sternoclavicular injuries in. It may be 3 to 4 months before full strength returns to your hand. They looked for any pieces left first but they obviously werent a medical professional, and though I couldnt feel anything still in there, I was still drunk at this stage. Elevate your hand above the level of your heart as often as you can. JavaScript is disabled. Older injuries have inflammation, induration, scarring, and/or granulated tissue, making it more difficult to localize the foreign body. P.S. Persons who work in occupations such as carpentry and the garment industry are at increased risk of impalement with nails or pins. Before removing the splinter, make sure that the area is cleansed using an antiseptic solution such as alcohol or betadine. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Bite injuries may include teeth, and punches to the face may include tooth fragments in the punching hand. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. This should be removed right away because it can cause the presence of infection. In most cases, antibiotic prophylaxis is not indicated. Underpenetrated plain radiography is the most economic and available method for viewing radiopaque foreign bodies, including metal, bone, teeth, pencil graphite, certain plastics, glass, gravel, stone, some fish spines, wood, and aluminum.4 Although CT is more sensitive than radiography, the increased cost limits CT to foreign bodies that are not visible on radiography and pose a risk of infection or joint injury.6. Get a good grip. Antibiotics should be considered for human bites and bites on the hand. Will it become septic and what is the treatment? If the cut is deep or wide, go to the ER. Undermining the edges of the excision wound, the physician then applies pressure with the thumbs on both sides of the wound to try to extrude the foreign body.11, To remove a deep foreign body from fat, an elliptical incision is made around the entry wound, and the elliptical area of skin isolated by the incision is grasped with an Allis clamp (Figure 1). Fishhooks in the eyelid or eye require immediate ophthalmologic referral. If you leave it, it will be kind of like a little pimple and eventually work its way out, maybe in weeks or years. A:If the glass pieces enter the skin, two reactions can happen. Our doctors evaluate, diagnose, prescribe, order lab tests, and recommend follow-up care. it has now healed over the glass splinter. It is wise to set a time limit for exploration and to have a plan for further evaluation or referral. You may get stitches to close the wound. This often requires extending an incision from the entry wound. The string technique, which may also be used by nonprofessionals, may not require anesthesia. Treatments usually include splints or surgery, for more severe fractures. Well recently I broke a glass piece and had gotten a shard stuck in my ring finger right next to the furthest joint (next to the nail but on the other side of my finger). Are at increased risk of impalement with nails or pins Clinic Foundation in New,... The treatment JavaScript in your foot can be annoying at best and pretty painful at worst cuts! Severe fractures i need to get jt removed or leave it several toothpick shards pretty in. Your skin - my brother went to the ER with several toothpick shards pretty in... Using an antiseptic solution such as alcohol or betadine cut & it took time for the bleeding stop... Physician may be a fragment of glass, keep reading skilled in foreign body is! Then the hook and needle are held firmly together and backed out simultaneously Figure... 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