What will happen if you can’t pull out a splinter in time? Can a splinter go out yourself?

The consequences of the splinter in the skin.

A splinter is a foreign body that is under the skin. Very often causes a lot of discomfort due to the fact that pain occurs. In this article we will tell you whether the splinter can go out on its own if it is not pulled out, and the consequences associated with it.

Can a splinter go out yourself?

Indeed, a splinter is a foreign body, so the body is trying in every possible way to get rid of it. You need to independently extract it from under the skin.

Tips:

• For this, a needle or tweezers is often used. But it so happens that a foreign body has settled very deeply and it is very difficult to get to it on its own, especially if you do not perform any surgical manipulations.
• Many are afraid to use a needle in order to extract a fragment of glass or wooden chips, because of a fear that it will be unbearably painful when the needle will pierce the skin. In fact, the painful sensations that are associated with an abscess are stronger than when extracting a splinter.
• Accordingly, do not worry. If it is not possible to remove it independently, it is best to contact a doctor who will help to remove surgically.
• Yes, indeed, it happens that a foreign body independently leaves the body. When the skin is in contact with a splinter, it swells, a large number of leukocytes come to this place, which strive to remove a foreign body. Accordingly, pus arises.
• When the abscess breaks, the pus along with the infiltrate comes out, the splinter leaves the body with the liquid. But for this it takes time, respectively, the place of abscess hurts very much, it swells. It is especially dangerous if a glass or metal splinter enters the body.
• The fact is that glass can additionally cut the upper layers of the epidermis, even if you have extracted a splinter. Often a piece of glass is broken with tweezers and a large number of fragments are obtained, which even more harm the body.
• We do not recommend deleting glass splinters on your own. It is advisable to use tweezers with rubber tips in order not to crush glass. This kind of splinter is extracted with the help of a doctor.
• If this is a metal splinter, then under the influence of moisture under the skin it begins to rust, which causes an abscess, as well as pollution. That is why glass and metal splinter are more dangerous than wood chips that do not crumble and are not covered with corrosion under the influence of moisture.

What will happen if you can’t pull out a splinter in time?

We recommend that you do not wait until the splinter comes out on its own, because it is due to the occurrence of an abscess. It often happens that swelling develops in this place, pus accumulates.

Effects:

• Blood poisoning. This happens if a foreign body falls under the skin on the leg. The fact is that when walking, such a splinter plunges into the skin even deeper, and it is almost impossible to get it on your own. In this case, unbearable pain occurs, since with each pressure on the leg, the spine plunges deeper, affecting and tearing deep tissues
• There is a swelling, an abscess, sepsis
• Tetanus
• Gangrene develops in severe cases
• Even such a seemingly small trouble as a splinter can cause a serious disease that requires urgent hospitalization and treatment

What to do if it was not possible to pull out a splinter yourself?

In this case, try to apply a bandage with ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky ointment to the surface. It is necessary to wait for the night if until the morning the splinter did not come out on your own, swelling or an abscess developed, we recommend that you contact the doctor, and not self -medicate.

The most interesting thing is that even after extracting a splinter, pieces of a foreign body under the skin can remain. And if it is glass, then its fragments after extraction can also remain in the skin. Painful sensations should disappear after a while. The swelling also disappears and there will be no unpleasant sensations at the place of hit.

The skin is normal, there is no temperature, there is no swelling. We recommend after you have removed a piece of glass or metal from your finger or foot, grease the affected area with an antiseptic. Levomekol or Miramistin, chlorhexidine is suitable. You can also use ordinary alcohol or green.

What you should pay attention to? If, after extracting a foreign body, an abscess continues to develop, the destruction is heated, swells, becomes red, maybe you have not removed the remnants of a foreign body, there are fragments or small particles. In this case, we recommend that you make a compress with a stretching ointment. Vishnevsky is suitable, after application you need to wait a day. If, during this time, edema and an abscess with pus develops, we recommend that you consult a doctor. Most likely, an infection fell into the wound or you have not removed the splinter.

If you yourself were unable to extract a splinter, there are several good ways that will help to advance it closer to the surface of the skin and take it freely.

Instructions:

• Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with a teaspoon of water. It is necessary to get a viscous gruel. Apply this mixture to the site where there is a splinter
• Glue with a patch and leave it overnight, after sleep, rinse the composition
• You will notice that the splinter is really stretched and has become much closer to the surface of the skin. Now it can be removed without hindrance using a needle or tweezers
• In exactly the same way, ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky ointment acts. They also contribute to pulling the splinter to the surface

With the development of edema and an abscess with pus, we recommend consulting a doctor. Most likely, an infection fell into the wound or you have not completely removed the splinter.

Video: How to extract a splinter?