Growing up, you’ve probably stepped on a nail at least once. It’s quite a common accident during childhood, especially if you’re one to play around in the yard barefooted. The pain that shoots through your leg is a very unique pain and somewhat unbearable depending on how deep the nail has driven up into your foot.
When you step on a nail, being in a lot of pain shouldn’t be your only concern. The fact that a nail has driven into your leg, means that it is now busted. That becomes an injury site and an entrance for bacteria to get into your body. So while you’re concerned about the throbbing pain you feel, also think about the infection that comes with this injury. In this article, we’re going to look at how to deal with a situation like this.
What Happens When You Step on a Nail?
When you step on a nail, you have a puncture wound which is where the nail pierces through the skin of the under foot. As previously mentioned, the pain can differ. You can’t compare the pain of two people who have been in the same accident and expect them to be the same. Each person would have a unique way of experiencing how they felt about the situation. That has to do with how far into the skin the nail had gotten, how much pain the injury caused, and of course, the person’s pain tolerance; how high it is. In a puncture wound, there is bleeding but it isn’t always serious, most especially if the wound is small.
Since a nail creates a small punctured entrance, bacteria from the surrounding like those bacteria found on the nail itself (esp. When it is rusty), or the bacteria from the floor can make its way into the injury and cause infection. One of the bacterial infections that can be gotten through a puncture wound is tetanus.
This type of infection can develop in cases where the wound was contaminated with rust, soil or other debris.
Home Remedies For Puncture Wound In Feet After Stepping On A Nail
First Aid
Step 1: Wash your hands thoroughly before examining your wound.
Step 2: Clean the wound immediately by rinsing it out with clean water to remove debris and other sources of bacteria from the wound.
Step 3: If your wound bleeds, try applying a gentle but firm pressure on the affected area to stop the bleeding.
Step 4: Use tweezers or forceps if they’re available to you, to remove the debris stuck in the wound.
Step 5: After thorough cleaning, apply a layer of antibiotic ointment to the spot.
Step 6: Use a sterile bandage to cover up your wound to prevent further contamination.
Tetanus shot
When you get such an injury from a rusted nail, you have to go to the nearest pharmacy or clinic to get a tetanus vaccine if you haven’t gotten one. This vaccine prevents you from getting the tetanus infection that comes with the injury.
When Should You Be Concerned?
Typically, puncture wounds don’t bleed as much. If you notice your injury is bleeding non stop, you should see a doctor. If after performing a first aid treatment, and you notice things like redness, swelling or pus around the wound, then you should definitely see a doctor who will provide you with the accurate treatment.
Conclusion
Accidents like this can happen not only in childhood but in adulthood as well. For puncture wounds like this one, you need to clean and stop whatever bleeding is coming from the wound. Then observe your injury for any weird symptoms like redness or swelling in the injury site. If any, you should see a doctor where he’d give you a tetanus vaccine to reduce the risk of getting a tetanus infection.
