By virtue of various reasons Quite often and unexpectedly for themselves, people find themselves in such an unpleasant and painful situation as being wounded by a nail. In addition to the fact that at such a moment severe pain is felt, those who had to step on a nail are at risk of developing gangrene and tetanus.
Therefore, it is important to learn the procedure for first aid for such an injury.
I stepped on a nail, what should I do?
First of all, you need to carefully remove the nail from your leg and try to compress the area near the wound. This is necessary in order to squeeze out some of the blood, which may contain rust and dirt left behind by the nail. This simple action is very important because this way you can avoid infection. Therefore, the faster it is done this action, all the better.
It is very important to pay attention to the nail itself to determine whether it is rusty or not. It is also important to inspect the area around you and make sure that there are no other nails nearby, because re-piercing your leg can significantly complicate the situation.
Initially, you need to realize the following: if a person steps on a nail, it will be difficult for him to understand what to do next until he gets out of a stressful state. To bring yourself to your senses, you need to take deep breaths several times and, if necessary, sit down. Next you need to head home. If there is a hospital nearby, then you can safely go to the emergency room.
Treatment of the wound
First natural way At least somehow influencing the puncture site is to apply plantain, but you shouldn’t place much hope on this technique. Especially if a person steps on a rusty nail.
At home, the wound site must be treated. For these purposes, hydrogen peroxide (3%), a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a special ointment are suitable. If none of the above is at home, then you can use ordinary laundry soap to wash the puncture site, but this, of course, is not the best option.
Another way to thoroughly clean a wound is to pour it into a basin warm water and dissolve several crystals of potassium permanganate. It is necessary to hold the injured leg in such water, while simultaneously massaging it near the wound. This will help clean the puncture and squeeze out dirt.
Using ointment
One of the current options for treating a wound is Vishnevsky ointment. It's very popular medicine, which has a wide spectrum of action. It contains xeroform, tar and Castor oil. The value of these components lies in the fact that each of them has antiseptic properties. And this has great importance if the patient steps on a rusty nail. This ointment will be able to eliminate the infection and promote rapid healing.
To avoid dirt getting into the wound, it needs to be treated with brilliant green and iodine. In principle, any alcohol-containing product (cognac, vodka, etc.) will do.
The treatment process is not limited to caring for the foot when a person steps on a nail. Not many people know what to do after the leg is already bandaged. First you need to understand a simple principle - the dressing needs to be changed. It is better to do this three times a day, more is possible.
At the same time, it is better to bandage your leg at night with bandages that will be soaked in a salt solution, without alcohol-containing components. This recommendation is explained by the fact that salt acts as a strong adsorbent. This fact means that during the drying process, the salt will remove all harmful elements from the wound. And one more important point- such a bandage should breathe, which means there is no need to cover it with bags at night.
Visit to the clinic
If someone steps on a nail, the foot becomes swollen and other complications (hyperemia) appear, then the most logical solution would be a visit to the hospital. The fact is that along with rust, tetanus spores can get into the wound. If the victim is not vaccinated against it, that is real risk death (25% of all cases of infection). Death occurs due to asphyxia, which is a consequence of paralysis of the heart muscle and spasm respiratory tract.
Therefore, if rust was noticed in the wound after a person stepped on a nail, first aid should be supplemented by a visit to the clinic, since it is in this place that the patient will be able to receive competent and effective assistance.
In the absence of vaccination (before the injury) and the presence of a wound from a rusty nail, the victim is injected with anti-tetanus serum.
If the doctor detects signs of suppuration in the wound area, he will most likely prescribe antibacterial agent(inside), and will also prescribe the use of ointment. It is also worth considering the fact that there is always a risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa getting into the wound, which can lead to gangrene, and quickly. Therefore, if you delay a visit to the doctor, you may end up facing a problem such as disability or loss of a limb.
Treatment of tetanus
If it so happens that the victim was infected with tetanus when he stepped on a nail, only doctors should determine how to treat it. It is worth noting that the rehabilitation process for tetanus is long - sometimes more than three months in a hospital setting. And even after treatment is completed, residual symptoms of the disease may appear: spinal deformity, muscle weakness and limited joint mobility. For this reason, a patient who has survived tetanus will have to be observed by a neurologist for 2 years.
Why is it important to go to the emergency room?
The first reason is fast reception. If you have to make an appointment with a regular doctor and wait in line, which is completely irrelevant if you are injured, then in the case of a traumatologist, you can get qualified help without waiting. And this is important, especially if rust got into the wound after the victim stepped on a nail. The traumatologist knows very well what to do with such a problem as a puncture with a nail and will be able to provide quick, effective assistance.
In addition, an anti-tetanus vaccination will be given. Moreover, the doctor will issue sick leave, which may be useful for those who are actively working. When all treatment measures have been taken, maximum efforts must be made to fast healing wounds. This means that you should not put any weight on the injured leg, and in principle you should try to step on it as little as possible.
Thus, if you react quickly and competently, you can avoid negative consequences wounds from a nail, even a rusty one.
In the warm season, you need to be extremely careful when walking barefoot, as there are sharp objects on the ground: a useful activity sometimes results in serious injury and serious consequences.
Infection in nails
When a child or adult steps on a nail, you should immediately seek help from a medical facility: sometimes a small injury carries the risk of contracting many diseases. Any non-sterile sharp object that has had contact with soil or rust may be a carrier dangerous disease– tetanus.
The pathogen quickly spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body and damages the muscular and nervous systems. He calls so much severe pain, convulsions and spasms, that during contraction, bone fractures occur, and the body bends into an arc. This condition leads to death from respiratory arrest or cardiac arrest.
First aid
If a child steps on a rusty nail, he must be calmed down immediately. Then you need to remove foreign object if it entered shallowly, and assess the condition of the wound surface (relevant for patients of any age category). In cases of deep penetration, take the victim to the hospital, as the sharp edge may affect large vessels or tendons.
Treatment of the wound
When a person accidentally steps on a nail, first aid begins with washing the injury site antiseptic solutions. You can independently treat a leg puncture with hydrogen peroxide, furatsilin or potassium permanganate solution. To prevent infection, the edges of the wound should be lubricated with brilliant green or iodine; any alcohol-containing product is also suitable for disinfection.
During the treatment period, it is important to prevent the wound from getting wet and foreign particles entering. All opened and prepared solutions for treatment are stored for half an hour.
Using ointment
What to do if you step on a rusty nail?
To quickly heal the wound, use external agents that contain antibiotics (Levomikol). Before applying the ointment, you need to take a bath with sea salt and apply the medicine to the injured area. Afterwards, the limb is bandaged with a sterile bandage and fixed. The dressing is changed daily and when soiled.
If the foot is swollen and pus appears, apply compresses with Vishnevsky ointment and seek help from a medical facility.
Visit doctor
If a child steps on a nail and the wound becomes swollen, you should consult a doctor to determine the titer of antibodies to tetanus and prevent the spread of infection.
The doctor assesses the degree of damage, collects the circumstances of the injury and palpates the wound surface. If necessary, he prescribes additional examinations.
Treatment
What to do if a person pierced leg with a nail- the doctor will explain.
Injuries can be treated either at home or in an emergency room. It is important to prevent the development of diseases and eliminate the consequences after damage.
The patient has no injured limb obvious signs inflammation, then the doctor prescribes local remedies that help quickly heal the wound. Treatment of the injury must be carried out at least three times a day; it is recommended to use it at night. antibacterial ointments, creams.
Taking antibiotics wide range Oral action is prescribed in cases of inflammation spreading throughout the entire foot, when the leg is swollen and painful, and purulent discharge is observed from the wound area.
Children should be treated local means according to the age.
Tetanus
If a person pierces his leg with a rusty nail, there is a high risk of developing tetanus. Pathological process may occur even in vaccinated patients if more than 5 years have passed since the last vaccination. In such cases, antitetanus serum is administered. Tetanus vaccination in adults is carried out every 10 years.
When symptoms of the disease develop, the patient is hospitalized in a hospital, where a long course of treatment is carried out. After therapy, a person is observed by a neurologist for several years, since there is a high risk of developing complications that lead to vertebral deformation, joint stiffness, and muscle atrophy.
Sepsis
When in the background local symptoms fever, shortness of breath and chills appear – the development of sepsis is possible.
Treatment of this disease carried out under medical supervision. The patient is prescribed antibiotics that have a high antimicrobial effect (drugs from the azalide group and containing levofloxacin).
Local reaction in the wound in the presence of edema and hyperemia is eliminated using gels and ointments based on horse chestnut. The product should be applied around the damaged area. The injured surface is treated with iodine or brilliant green.
Possible consequences
If you receive an injury, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible and determine a treatment regimen. It is important not to waste time and prevent serious complications from occurring.
A nail can pierce ligaments and tendons. Their improper healing leads to the inability to move the toes fully. When the infection starts, there is a high risk of developing gangrene. The dead tissue is subsequently amputated to save the patient's life.
Injury from a rusty nail is dangerous at any age. You should not take it lightly even with minor injuries, especially if it occurs in a child. Timely provision of medical care and consultation with a doctor will help quickly solve the problem and heal the wound.
Many of us find ourselves in difficult situations, and they can come right out of nowhere: we twisted our ankle on the stairs, got a splinter on the railing, cut our leg on the glass. “I pierced my leg with a nail, what should I do?” - this question can often be found on various forums and blogs, and it is to this question that we will devote this article.
If someone pierces their foot with a nail, the wound should be disinfected as quickly as possible. As you disinfect your wound, examine it carefully and try to see how deep the nail is in your leg. If the nail penetrates deeply, you should immediately go to the hospital or the nearest emergency room, where you can receive qualified and more professional help.
Don't put off going to the hospital! If the nail penetrates deeply, the wound can fester and thereby develop into such a terrible disease as gangrene. If a nail damages a tendon, it can have a significant impact on motor functions legs. What does first aid include when someone gets stabbed in the foot by a rusty nail?
Self-help
If the nail was small (no more than 2 cm), then you should carefully examine the wound, wash it and bandage the leg. If you feel headache If your temperature starts to rise and your leg becomes noticeably swollen, consult a doctor immediately. Do not delay going to specialists, because this can lead to quite sad consequences.
Deep puncture with a rusty nail
I pierced my leg with a nail - what should I do first? First, you should treat the wound with a disinfecting solution (iodine, brilliant green, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, etc.), then apply a bandage. Next, you should carefully monitor changes in your health: if you are vaccinated against tetanus, then you practically do not need to worry, but if not, then you should immediately consult a doctor. For what? And then, so as not to add to the statistics of the unfortunate who neglected medical care. Keep in mind that every fourth person who gets sick dies from tetanus!
Tetanus: what is the danger?
I pierced my leg with a nail - what should I do? This question is answered in the above points. Now we should consider a disease such as tetanus. First of all, it is dangerous due to its toxins, which very quickly penetrate the body along with the bloodstream. Within 5-7 days, tetanus can cause damage to neuromuscular synapses.
Symptoms include seizures, changes in bone and muscle tissue. Among other things, it violates cardiovascular activity, respiratory tract spasms may occur. Symptoms of the disease also include pain in the spine.
Now you are savvy in the question: “I pierced my leg with a nail, what should I do?” If this trouble happens to you, don’t be upset. All in your hands! Knowledge backed by practice has never hurt anyone. But it’s best not to get into such unpleasant situations.
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I pierced my leg with a nail, there is a risk of infection
Piercing your foot with a rusty nail is not much fun. This is certainly not a knife wound or some other deadly danger, but nevertheless not a pleasant injury, which, if not provided the right help, can develop into a terrible disease with a disastrous outcome.
Absolutely anyone can pierce a leg, heel or finger with a nail (personally, this happened to me twice, despite my caution and attentiveness). If you pierced some part of the body with a brand new nail, for example during repairs, this is not very scary. In most cases, the usual products that should be in every home medicine cabinet(peroxide, iodine, brilliant green, bandage, etc.). But if we are talking about skin damage while working in the garden or coming into contact with a rusty nail, you cannot limit yourself to just treating the wound with an antiseptic and a bandage.
Such a wound can fester if an infection gets into it (and it will definitely get there if the wound channel is long and narrow).
Well, the accumulation of pus in a wound does not end well; in addition, among the bacteria there may be the so-called “Pseudomonas aeruginosa”, which leads to rapid gangrene. Then the person may simply lose his leg. A puncture of the body with a nail is a serious wound, it is not a bruise after a bruise. So if possible, do not self-medicate, but go to the emergency room, they know how such wounds are treated.
I ran into a nail, there is a danger of tetanus
Rust itself is not terrible, but tetanus spores may end up in the soil or on the surface of a dirty old nail. For an unvaccinated person, in a quarter of cases, tetanus infection ends in death (death). Even now, doctors cannot cure this disease once it has already developed. Therefore, if you pierce your leg with a nail or other object, when the wound is narrow and air access to it is closed, and it is impossible to fully treat it with an antiseptic, you must urgently go to the emergency room so that the doctor can administer anti-tetanus serum.
Why is tetanus dangerous?
In the most serious forms of the disease, tetanus toxins manage to enter the central nervous system (central nervous system) in 5-8 days along with the bloodstream and damage neuromuscular junctions. As a result, the sick person experiences:
Convulsive syndrome,
- the structure of muscle tissue changes completely,
- the musculoskeletal system suffers
- violations from outside are simultaneously observed of cardio-vascular system. Death when infected with tetanus can occur due to paralysis of the heart muscle or asphyxia (suffocation) caused by spasm of the respiratory tract.
Treatment and consequences of tetanus
Treatment of tetanus lasts up to 3 months in a hospital setting, but the person who has recovered from the disease must be observed by a neurologist for another 2 years, and for the same time the patient may continue to have residual consequences of the disease: spinal deformity, limited joint mobility, muscle weakness. This is the serious price to pay for lack of vaccination and improper behavior in the event of injury.
Proper assistance when piercing a leg with a nail
What actions can be called correct when piercing a leg with a nail?
Firstly, this is washing the wound. weak solution potassium permanganate, treating the area around the puncture with iodine or brilliant green, bandage on the leg. And secondly, this is a visit to the clinic to see a traumatologist in the very near future.
If vaccination against tetanus was carried out more than 10 years ago, the victim will urgently need the introduction of anti-tetanus serum.
A vaccinated person usually has enough foot baths with sea salt for faster wound healing. At the first signs of suppuration, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics orally, that is, in the form of tablets, and locally, in the form of ointments.
Various cuts have long ceased to be a rarity. After all, it is simply impossible to insure against them. No matter how careful a person is, sooner or later he will still get small wound. But most people treat such minor injuries completely calmly. But in case a person stepped on a nail , he begins to really panic. Let's try to figure out whether there really is reason to panic and how to behave if this happens.
Before you begin to provide first aid, you must take correct posture. You probably know from biology courses that deoxygenated blood flows out quite quickly, and under the influence of gravity this process accelerates. That is why it is necessary to first take a horizontal position. This way, you can slightly reduce blood loss, since in a horizontal position, venous blood is distributed throughout the body.
Next, you need to remove the nail from the wound, if it remains there. Before you pull out the nail, try to assess the situation sensibly. Sometimes it's difficult to do this on your own. For example, if the nail goes deep into the flesh, then it is advisable to seek help from a clinic. Since inept actions in in this case may cause negative consequences. Therefore, if you doubt that you can cope without outside help, you should visit the clinic as soon as possible.
But if you were able to pull out the nail yourself or you were lucky and it went in very shallowly, you need to provide proper first aid. What to do if you step on a nail?
The most common mistake is applying a bandage to an untreated wound. Applying bandages to fresh wounds that have not been treated is strictly prohibited!
You must first clean the wound. You can use a soap solution for this. To prepare it, you can take either household or baby soap. It is recommended to wash the wound with a gauze bandage or any other clean cloth. The use of cotton wool or cotton pads is not recommended, since cotton fibers can get into the wound and will be very difficult to remove. When washing a wound, it is highly undesirable to rub it too hard.
As soon as you finish washing the wound, you can begin treating with antiseptics. You can use iodine and hydrogen peroxide, which are well known to everyone, or modern disinfectants that are sold in pharmacies. Please note that the wound must be treated with extreme caution. Try not to get the antiseptic inside the wound, as this can cause minor burn. Apply antiseptics it is necessary strictly along the “contour” of the wound.
Once you are finished with the treatment, cover the wound with a sterile dressing. Of course, this bandage should not put too much pressure. Because in this case, you will end up pinching your leg, and the blood will not be able to circulate normally. But remember that the bandage should not dangle. The fixation should have medium rigidity.
How to heal a wound faster?
There is an opinion that high-quality first aid can have a positive effect on the wound healing process. One small clarification needs to be made here. Indeed, if first aid is provided on time and correctly, then no complications will arise in the future, and the wound will heal at a normal pace. This is the key point. In other words, correctly provided assistance can only increase the period of recovery and healing, but in no way speed it up.
However, there is still a way to speed up the process of tissue regeneration. So man stepped on a rusty nail and wants this wound to heal as quickly as possible. To do this, you need to use special wound healing agents. The most popular of them are:
- Eplan;
- Solcoseryl;
When choosing the right product, remember that some are designed to treat dry wounds or wet wounds only.
Having purchased a product, hope not only for its effect, but also try to contribute to more quick recovery. How? Everything is very simple! If you step on a nail, you need to ensure that the load on the injured leg is minimal. If you stress your leg with frequent walking, the regeneration process will take much longer. That is why it is recommended, if possible, to limit the mobility of the injured limb.
Tetanus shot
What do you associate with a rusty nail? That's right, with dirt. And as you know, any dirt is potentially dangerous. And a wound caused by contact with such a dirty object as a rusty nail can lead to dire consequences. The most common consequence of any wounds and abrasions is the penetration of infection into the body and, as a result, the development of a disease such as tetanus.
Tetanus is infection. It has symptoms of toxicosis and is characterized by the occurrence of seizures. Because the toxin affects the motor cells of the central nervous system. The causative agent of the disease is a bacterium that can affect nervous system. This disease is quite common in nature. This rod gets into the soil along with the excrement of herbivores.
Therefore, the risk that you can catch such a disease is quite high, so it is necessary to get vaccinated. We remind you that doctors recommend urgent prophylaxis of tetanus if a person receives an injury that violates the integrity of skin. What is meant by emergency prevention? Vaccination. After treating the wound, the doctor administers the ADS or ADS-M vaccine to the patient. If the patient has never been vaccinated before, then he needs to undergo active-passive immunization in parallel.
Are you sure that you have not contracted tetanus, since after 5-7 days no symptoms of the disease have appeared? Then you have no reason to believe that you are healthy, since incubation period tetanus is 20 days.
Doctors insist that patients do not refuse vaccination. After all, it is impossible to say in advance whether the infection really has not penetrated the body. Because if a person pierced his leg with a nail , on which there was a bacterium, he is guaranteed to become infected, but will not even suspect it until it is too late.
Folk remedies
But what to do if you couldn’t get to the pharmacy or hospital? In this case, you can resort to help folk remedies. After all, in the old days our ancestors successfully used these methods. Some followers alternative medicine insist that such means are more effective. We bring to your attention several popular recipes traditional medicine, which will help not only relieve pain, but also speed up the wound healing process.
- Aloe juice is good disinfectant, which has a bactericidal effect. It can be used both for lotions and for regular wound treatment.
- Coffee - if you have coffee beans, grind them and sprinkle a little on the wounds. Thanks to the properties of coffee, you will not only be able to stop bleeding and significantly speed up tissue regeneration.
- Carrots – Grate some carrots and apply it to the wound. It will draw out all the dirt from the wound.
- Cranberry juice – an indispensable tool. It is customary for them to treat wounds that have festered. Therefore, if your wound begins to fester, we recommend regularly treating it with cranberry juice and using it as a lotion.
- Plantain is a well-known remedy from childhood, which was often used by children who were injured. Take a few leaves and chop them. Place this paste on the wound and apply a sterile bandage on top. Plantain will stop bleeding and prevent bacteria and germs from entering the wound.
If your wound does not heal for a long time, you can use effective means. To prepare a decoction, take 40 grams of dry eucalyptus leaves and pour 1 liter of boiling water over them. You can replace eucalyptus leaves with calendula. You can use the resulting decoction both for washing the wound and for baths.
Consequences
If a person steps on a nail, treatment can be beneficial and protect against consequences. We have already mentioned that injuries that result in the integrity of the skin being compromised are extremely dangerous, as they can cause tetanus infection. But even if you are lucky and you do not introduce the wand that is the causative agent of this disease into the wound, the lack of treatment and proper care of the wound will cause suppuration.
In this case, there is a high risk that the wound, which has festered, will cause gradual tissue necrosis. And, as a result, the patient’s leg may even be amputated. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to contact the clinic in a timely manner and not neglect the doctor’s recommendations regarding further treatment.
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