What happens if you don’t get the splinter out? Doctor answers

clinical geneticist, nutritionist and expert of the UniProf Academy of Physicians

For many people, a splinter in the finger is a mere trifle. But how safe is it to not pull it out at all?

What is the danger of a splinter

Often, a splinter only irritates the upper layers of the skin and hurts unpleasantly. In most cases, it does not cause any inconvenience, and the body itself is able to “push it out” after a few days.

But this is only if the fragment sits shallowly, under the upper layers of the skin and almost does not break the dense epithelial protective barrier.

Nevertheless, deep splinters should not be underestimated, because as a foreign body in the body, they can seriously infect not only the skin in the place of ingestion, but the entire body, which can lead to a variety of adverse consequences.

Wooden splinters carry bacteria and fungi with them, since it is a natural material. The risk of infection will be much lower if shards of glass, plastic or metal get under the skin.

Wood also has natural oils in it. The immune system sees this as a threat and inflames the skin around the puncture site.

Transient inflammation is an integral part of normal healing of all wounds. And small amounts of foreign bodies in the wound trigger a normal inflammatory response in an attempt to eliminate them or contain their spread through the body.

But when large numbers of foreign bodies, bacteria, and other irritants are found inside the wound, the defense response is heightened.

What happens if you do not pull out the splinter

Excessive or prolonged inflammation can delay wound healing or destroy underlying soft tissue and subsequently even bone, causing recurrent reactions, osteolytic injury (bone destruction), synovitis (inflammatory disease) and arthritis.

If the foreign body is not dissolved or expelled by the skin epithelium, it creates a fibrous capsule, increasing internal inflammation at the site of formation.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common infection associated with splinters. It usually manifests with purulent inflammation at the site of their entry and generalized fever or chills.

But the most dangerous infection associated with deep tissue damage may be tetanus, caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The danger to humans is the toxin of the tetanus bacillus – tetanospasmin, which is released into the tissues after the destruction of bacterial cells.

In pathological form, it can manifest itself by “tightness” of the jaw, muscle rigidity and general impenetrable fibromyalgia (chronic pain syndrome), and subsequently lead to the most unfavorable consequences.

In the risk zone of tetanus development, people who have received puncture wounds, lacerations, abrasions, stepped on a rusty nail or even received deep splinters. This can happen both outdoors and indoors.

How to properly remove a splinter

The method of extracting a splinter located under the skin layer depends on its size, location, composition of the fragment, accessibility of the location and the expected inflammatory state of the neighboring tissues.

If you notice that inflammation is beginning at the site of the splinter, you can always seek specialist advice.

The first step is to clean the area with an antiseptic product.

• If the splinter is on the surface, it can easily be removed with tweezers.
• If it is difficult, you may have to use a sterile needle and slightly damage the tissue next to the splinter (hooking it to make it easier to pull out).

Of course, if the process becomes more difficult and you still can’t get the splinter out or you’re not sure if it’s completely out, you should see a doctor. Especially if the splinter is large and deep and accompanied by severe pain or inflammation.

How to treat the wound

If the pharmacy is far away, you can use a natural antiseptic: both before and after removing the splinter.

Calendula. An excellent herb for treating open wounds, disinfecting and reducing inflammation.

Chamomile. This flower is not only antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, but also helps soothe pain. It is also very easy to find anywhere. Even tea from a bag will do.

Plantain. Plantain leaves can be very beneficial due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also one of the best options if the splinter is very large, as it also has hemostatic properties that can help stop bleeding after the foreign body is removed.

Thyme. Thyme flowers are also very beneficial for any type of open wound. This is because of its antimicrobial properties that help disinfect and also promote healing.

You can make a concentrated herbal tea of one or more antiseptic medicinal plants. And simply apply it to the site of infection and puncture wounds.

Pure lavender essential oil is also a good prophylactic to prevent infections. One drop every three hours is enough to prevent infection. However, it should be a certified and quality oil.

Even the natural gel of aloe leaves can buy the infection. The best thing to do is to cut and apply a piece of the leaf, as many of the products sold contain other ingredients that are not natural.

But it is important to remember the unsafety of self-treatment, especially if the splinter is deep, the wound is neglected or infection has occurred. It is important to seek professional help in a timely manner.