I stepped on a long, dirty and rusty nail

[heartless]

Hey peops,
Today I stepped on a nail at work, and I skewered my foot. I felt it inside. I could continue to work, walk and the like despite the pain, but right now the pain has increased exponentially, and I can baraly walk, or rather scarcely-barely walk. I hydrogen peroxided the wound however the thing is that it doesn't hurt me at all, what really hurts me are two smallest toes, and I feel like I broke them, and after all I've broken my bones several times and I know the pain, and it feels like that. I don't know what to do. Family says that it'll pass away 'til monday, however I don't think so. I need it to stop for Monday, because I want to continue to work, because as the guy said, if I keep on good work, I'll be allowed to work with boilers, you know - doing pipes and operating some strange machines. I can't afford them because those machines are quite expensive, and I need experience with them for sake of satisfaction. So guys and girls, do you have any ideas what to do with the pain, how to cure, and be well on monday?
Great thanks for any kind of help and replies!

 

[Mattara]

Hey peops,
Today I stepped on a nail at work, and I skewered my foot. I felt it inside. I could continue to work, walk and the like despite the pain, but right now the pain has increased exponentially, and I can baraly walk, or rather scarcely-barely walk. I hydrogen peroxided the wound however the thing is that it doesn't hurt me at all, what really hurts me are two smallest toes, and I feel like I broke them, and after all I've broken my bones several times and I know the pain, and it feels like that. I don't know what to do. Family says that it'll pass away 'til monday, however I don't think so. I need it to stop for Monday, because I want to continue to work, because as the guy said, if I keep on good work, I'll be allowed to work with boilers, you know - doing pipes and operating some strange machines. I can't afford them because those machines are quite expensive, and I need experience with them for sake of satisfaction. So guys and girls, do you have any ideas what to do with the pain, how to cure, and be well on monday?
Great thanks for any kind of help and replies!

Ignore what everyone besides myself are telling you. Go see a doctor. NOW.

One of my friends stepped on a pitch fork. It wasn't a pretty sight.

 

[Kurdt]

I'm no biology expert but I think perhaps you have damaged the tendons to your smaller toes. the best thing to do is go to the doctor because you'll at least need a tetanus booster shot and they'll be better ale to treat your foot. If you're worried this will affect your income I say what's more important? Your income or your health.

Anyways hope it heals soon.

 

[Rach3]

Go to a doctor, obviously. You're vulnerable to all sorts of infections, not to mention tetanus, which can be fatal.

...not to scare you or anything, you just need a vaccine booster and you'll be fine.

 

[berkeman]

Doc, x-ray, tetanus booster shot, take doc's advice from there. Kind of a no-brainer, wouldn't you think?

 

[Evo]

First a tetanus shot, but you could have some nerve damage, an infection could set in which could become gangrenous, you could lose your foot.

GO TO THE DOCTOR NOW!

 

[Rach3]

Go to a doctor! The consensus here is overwhelming.

 

[arildno]

Why are you still online??
For your life, get yourself to the hospital, or call 911 or something.

 

[Rach3]

Calling 911 is excessive. Go to the ER of course, but don't burden the ambulance system if you don't need it. Also bring some light reading, as there is often waiting.

 

[Pengwuino]

You wouldn't put a bandaid over a knife stab-wound so why aren't you at the doctor right now?

Oh my god you're still online and not in the ER.

 

[Rach3]

I hydrogen peroxided the wound

Read the label. Topical antiseptics aren't intended for deep or puncture wounds.

 

[Evo]

You wouldn't put a bandaid over a knife stab-wound so why aren't you at the doctor right now?

Oh my god you're still online and not in the ER.

Maybe he's gone into shock.

 

[Kurdt]

I think after these replies he ran to the ER in so much haste he left the PC on

 

[arildno]

He's finally logged off. I hope he makes it.

 

[Kurdt]

Depends if he's walking or taking a taxi.

 

[arildno]

GET OFF THE NET heartless!

 

[Cyrus]

Nice job kid, you take it like a real man

Go see a doctor, but you didnt run around with your head cut off like pengwuino would...

He makes threads when he burns himself making pizza, how pathetic.


You could always pull it out with the backside of the hammer. Hard core! Just kidding

 

[heartless]

Well... I can't just go, I can't go myself, and my parents don't want to for various reasons. (One of them is they think it'll be over in a few days.) It takes too much time in a hospital. I once twisted my ankle and it took me entire day for x-rays, cast and all others. Hospital is an hour-long drive from here.

If you're worried this will affect your income I say what's more important?

Doesn't insurance cover hospitalization?

Thanks for replies. I think I'll wait until tomorrow with this. We'll see how it goes.

 

[arildno]

Well, nice to have met you. Rest in peace.
Blood poisoning isn't something to ignore.

 

[Cyrus]

Rust in peace?

 

[Kurdt]

Damn you americans and medical insurance. Whats wrong with the NHS

 

[arildno]

If you get any of the following symptoms of blood poisoning, you need to get to the hospital FAST. As in EMERGENCY:

Symptoms may develop suddenly and can include the following:

fever,
chills and shivering,
rapid breathing and headache,
nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea,
low blood pressure and possible loss of consciousness,
skin may feel pale, cold, and clammy,
delirium and/or depression

Treatment is then needed within hours.

 

[Evo]

Well... I can't just go, I can't go myself, and my parents don't want to for various reasons. (One of them is they think it'll be over in a few days.) It takes too much time in a hospital. I once twisted my ankle and it took me entire day for x-rays, cast and all others. Hospital is an hour-long drive from here.

This sounds pretty serious, I don't care how long the drive is or how long the wait is, if you were my child, you'd already be there.

 

[arildno]

heartless:
I once experienced this when I was in the boy scouts on camp:
A friend of mine cut his thumb on a rusty nail. This was out in the woods, so we hoped it should go okay.
A few hours later, his thumb had swollen to twice its normal size, and began to be really sick.
Fortunately, we managed to get him to a hospital in time.

This is nothing to be macho about.

 

[Rach3]

Obviously health insurance covers emergencies. That's the whole point...

 

[Astronuc]

Well... I can't just go, I can't go myself, and my parents don't want to for various reasons. (One of them is they think it'll be over in a few days.) . . . . Hospital is an hour-long drive from here.

I have have stepped on several nails and a thumb tack in my earlier years. When I did it at home, I went to the family physician. When I impaled my arm an a piece of sharp metal, I went to the ER.

Since it is a long, dirty, rusty nail, you most likely need a tetanus booster, and maybe antibiotics.

As others indicated, topical anti-bacterials work on the outside, not on the bacteria deep in the wound. You need to be concerned about a staphlococcal or streptococcal infection.

Doesn't insurance cover hospitalization?

Thanks for replies. I think I'll wait until tomorrow with this. We'll see how it goes.

Hospitalization is normally covered by insurance programs. You however, likely do not to go to hospital, but rather your family physician - and this should have been done already.

My doctor has emergency hourse - and a puncture wound could be considered an emergency.

Medical Treatment
The wound will be thoroughly cleansed. The doctor may use instruments to look for objects in the wound. You may be given a tetanus shot. Antibiotics may be given to people with diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, contaminated wounds, or deep wounds to the foot. Most healthy people without signs of infection do not require antibiotics.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/puncture_wound/page7_em.htm

Otherwise -
http://www.lpch.org/HealthLibrary/ParentCareTopics/SkinLocalizedSymptoms/PunctureWound.html

 

[Kurdt]

I have no idea about medical insurance I'm English

 

[arildno]

I have no idea about medical insurance I'm English

It's called taxes here in Norway.

 

[heartless]

arildno, thanks for those symptoms, I'll watch for them.

My grandma has just passed me a rivanol solution and ichtiol ointment, maybe this will help. It says that the former works as disinfectant and the last one, as antiphlebitis, cures infected wounds and so on.

 

[heartless]

By the way,

have have stepped on several nails and a thumb tack in my earlier years. When I did it at home, I went to the family physician. When I impaled my arm an a piece of sharp metal, I went to the ER.

Astro, what did they do to you?

 

[arildno]

arildno, thanks for those symptoms, I'll watch for them.

My grandma has just passed me a rivanol solution and ichtiol ointment, maybe this will help. It says that the former works as disinfectant and the last one, as antiphlebitis, cures infected wounds and so on.

This is insufficient.
You need a DEEP cleansing of that wound at the very least (as Astronuc says), and only qualified medical personell can do that.
Surface cleansing as we ordinary mortals can do is not enough.

What WILL happen, even if you do not get blood poisoning, is necrosis around the wound. That dead flesh will need to be scraped out if it is of some quantity.
You might be VERY lucky that it won't be much, but you shouldn't gamble on it.

 

[Kurdt]

It's called taxes here in Norway.

Well ditto here except they don't cover you for lovely things like loss of earnings and all these lovely insurance terms that are coming up. Its shocking realising how little you know you just take it for granted that you'll get treatment but never think of anything else.

 

[Rach3]

arildno, thanks for those symptoms, I'll watch for them.

My grandma has just passed me a rivanol solution and ichtiol ointment, maybe this will help. It says that the former works as disinfectant and the last one, as antiphlebitis, cures infected wounds and so on.

As two people have pointed out, TOPICAL antibiotics are for minor scratches, not deep PUNCTURE wounds like you have. Read the labels! You're at risk of very serious infections, see a real doctor!

 

[Cyrus]

Yeah, don't be a bonehead, bonehead. Drive to the hospital or I'll come down there and kick you in the arse and drive you myself.

 

[Bystander]

You are looking at the possibilities of tetanus, cellulitis, gangrene, who knows how many other infections, and most of them are treated by AMPUTATION
if given the time to become serious. Waiting over the weekend is more than enough time to become fatal rather than just an amputation.

Explain to your parents that you're going to get a lawyer and sue them for negligence if they don't get you to the emergency room on the double-damn-quick.

 

[arildno]

He can die well before the weekend, Bystander, if he develops a serious case of (untreated) blood poisoning (which is not a too rare complication in such cases).

 

[Evo]

what really hurts me are two smallest toes, and I feel like I broke them, and after all I've broken my bones several times and I know the pain, and it feels like that. I don't know what to do.

Even if your parents don't have insurance, the emergency room will not turn you away. If your parents don't have insurance, the hospital will get them forms to appliy for aid and charity. The point is, you will be treated.

This sounds very serious.

Tell your parents that if they won't take you to the hospital ER, you will call 911 and tell them what's happened and that your parents refuse to get you medical help and let the authorities decide. Maybe your parents will suddenly decide a one hour drive to the ER is better than watching tv.

 

[Rach3]

Look on the bright side! You can go to the hospital, get a tetanus booster, possibly antibiotics (a couple of shots), and more likely than not you'll just go back home! Best part of all, no dying! Now isn't that a sensible option?

As you can see, there's only one choice here.

 

[Astronuc]

Astro, what did they do to you?

Well, I usually got a tetanus booster, and made sure the wound was clean. I then just monitored the wound area, and the foot or arm which got punctured. Monitor your leg and foot for swelling, redness and tenderness - which can happen if you have an infection. If pain persists, then definitely see a doctor.

Dirty nails might have bacteria one them, but there are bacteria living on the skin, and those do not belong in deep tissue.

If you have a family doctor, I would recommend contacting the doctor's office directly and at least informing him/her that you've received a puncture wound.

Heartless, when did you last have a tetanus shot? If more than 5 years, you very likely need one now!

 

[arildno]

heartless:
At the very least:
Go into Astronuc's second link.
Is your foot tender, swollen, red, and the other symptoms of infections?

Also remember that very likely, you know have extremely dirty rust particles lodged within your foot. Only a doctor can get these out.

 

[DaveC426913]

Heartless, we are not kidding around here. By the time you decide you need to go to the hospital because your symptoms worsen, you may already be in a much worse situation.

And Wiki "lockjaw" while you're at it.

This is not like sticking yourself with a tack. This is a DEEP wound. It has completely bypassed your dermis and gone right to your flesh where the infection can DIRECTLY enter your larger blood vesselsand effortlessly be transported around your body. The pain and swelling is your body's desperate uphill battle to stop the infection from spreading to your heart and central organs, where it may KILL you.

You need to go to the hospital. Not after a few days, you need to go now.

I can't believe your parents won't take you. Go in a cab if you must.

 

[Rach3]

heartless:
At the very least:
Go into Astronuc's second link.

I disagree. This guy should not be sitting around trying to self-diagnose his own symptoms, while an infection might be rapidly progressing. Let's not make him complacent - he should be in an ER, and anything else is foolhardy.

 

[Bystander]

You are also very probably looking at 3 days to a week recovery time for every hour you delay in getting this treated --- takes that kind of time for your body to handle the dead meat from within the wound and rebuild.

I spent an hour a year ago getting someone convinced to get a nicked finger to the emergency room. It was three hours "old." It was a "coin toss" situation between amputation and trying antibiotics at that time (cellulitis).

Move it!

 

[arildno]

I disagree. This guy should not be sitting around trying to self-diagnose his own symptoms, while an infection might be rapidly progressing. Let's not make him complacent - he should be in an ER, and anything else is foolhardy.

Well, since he evidently won't come to his senses and get the fastest he can to a hospital, I felt it imperative that he did something constructive, at the very least.

 

[Evo]

Heartless, a wound like this is not just going to get better. You will not be able to work Monday, if you're still alive and still have a foot.

Do you have any neighbors that would take you?

 

[arildno]

Anyone else than me who is apalled that an employer let's a 16 year old CONTINUE WORKING for him after he has gotten a deep puncture wound?

Although we cannot assume that all families understand the gravity of such a wound, EVERY EMPLOYER SHOULD KNOW IT!
He should have driven heartless to the doctor immediately, in his own car if need be.

 

[arildno]

Your pain has grown expontentially. That means your foot IS infected. 100% certain.

 

[Evo]

Anyone else than me who is apalled that an employer let's a 16 year old CONTINUE WORKING for him after he has gotten a deep puncture wound?

Although we cannot assume that all families understand the gravity of such a wound, EVERY EMPLOYER SHOULD KNOW IT!
He should have driven heartless to the doctor immediately, in his own car if need be.

I was just thinking that. Heartless, if you tell the doctors it was a work related injury, they will file workman's compensation forms to your employer, your family will not have to pay.

 

[wolram]

Anyone else than me who is apalled that an employer let's a 16 year old CONTINUE WORKING for him after he has gotten a deep puncture wound?

Although we cannot assume that all families understand the gravity of such a wound, EVERY EMPLOYER SHOULD KNOW IT!
He should have driven heartless to the doctor immediately, in his own car if need be.

Over here the employer is liable, at the factory where i work trained first aiders first look at an injury, if they think it neccesary the injured person is taken to hospital, for an injury such as this there would be no question,
it would be hospital ASAP.

 

[Evo]

Heartless, call the hospital ER and describe your injury, have them talk to your parents.