Stepped on framing nail right into foot archived

You know I don't like the ER...

Gee, that's awful. If it doesn't start getting better in an hour, you better go. How much does it hurt?

Even if not rusty, this can be dangerous, especially if you have not had a tetanus shot recently (do you know?) I would have it checked, although I don't think it rises to ER status. My suggestion would be to call your doctor tomorrow and follow their advice.

shanabana,
I just sent you a whisper

DoulaMomma

sac is correct. Have you had a tetanus shot within the last 5 years (I think that's the number)? If not, call your local doctor up. Maybe he/she can give you one.

Letters is correct: From some website that seemed sensible (I think from a college) "Tetanus shots last up to 10 years, but if there is a dirty wound or particularly risky wound, we recommend a booster after 5 years."

Ouch!!
At least squeeze it and make it bleed to try to flush it out.

Squeeze it? You're killing me!!

It was fairly clean--recently used and apparently just planted in my driveway by my dear husband for me or some other inocent soul to impale themselves on. (perils of the carpenter's wife)

It's a steel ribbed nail, too. NOT for her pleasure, I might add.

It's swollen so now it's more difficult to move my toes. Not sharp pain. Sore pain. Went into the ball of my foot in the middle. It was probably very clean, since it was kinda recently left there and also went through the sole of my Nike, then my sock, then my foot...how much dirt could be on there after that?

Do they give you Tetanus shots when you're pregnant? I haven't gone to the doctor really for any shots unless I've been pregnant in the last decade...I'm going to look up Tetanus now.

Ouch! I had that happen to me. Had to get a tetanus shot, unfortunately. But, since you are pregnant, call the doctor as soon as you can. You don't want to mess around.

No, NOT pregnant (I HOPE!!!) I'm just saying that when I WAS preggers they stuck needles in me and I'm hoping that one of them delivered a Tetanus shot...just hoping.

OK, found this when I looked up Tetanus. YIPES!!!!

OK, now I'm less worried:

sorry - you likely were not given a tetanus shot while pregnant, at least I don't believe it's routine...maybe a physical before becoming pregnant? :smile:

:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:
Shanabana, ice your foot and go to a medimerge or someplace. You need to get a tetanus shot and you probably need some antibiotics in case there is infection.

Posted By: shanabana
It's a steel ribbed nail, too. NOT for her pleasure, I might add.
.

:rolling::rolling::rolling::rolling:Too funny!

We know best shana, your epidemiology excerpt notwithstanding. You should note however that even the above quoted excerpt states that most incidences of tetanus here are due to "individuals who have allowed their inoculations to lapse." That's why we keep asking you when you had the shot!

I try not to be an alarmist, but if it went though your nike and sock, how do you know a piece of either (or both) didn't wind up in the wound?

If you are not going to the ER, take it as easy as possible, ice your foot, and keep it up. I would also suggest you take some ibuprophen (advil, etc) and then, esp. if it's still bad tomorrow, get thee to a doctor.

If I had a nickle for every time that happened to me I would have alot of nickles.

You should really, really, really check in with a doctor. Better to be safe than sorry, every time!

Soak it in hot soapy water to keep it clean, above all else! Dirt is the devil's playground!

LOL! Sorry about that. I misunderstood when you asked if they give tetanus shots when you are pregnant. :rolling:

All I can tell you is that I did the same thing about 10 years ago. Stepped on a nail in the yard leftover from deck construction. I got the shot. The foot can be a tough place to keep clean and it can be a moist environment. Bacteria just love that.

How's the foot Shanabana??? I REALLY hope you went to the ER.

Just got out of bed. :bigsmile:

Swelling went down quite a bit so I can bend my toes almost normally. Put bacitracin on it. I guess I should NOT go to work today? It would involve meeting my students for a guided tour at the National Museum of the American Indian. I have the guide's phone number, and can contact the students. I am hobbling around and can't put full weight on it--or at least I feel I can't. Just the thought of the thought of Train, to the Path, to the Subway, to and abut the museum makes my foot throb.

Hey, if I don't go, I might even get to a doctor today!

Michael, I think you might be a contactor (I might be wrong on that...). You seem have the same attitude as my husband: been there, done that. No big deal. I'm kinda with ya, but no one else is. I've seen hubby with wounds lots worse than this and they healed fine. I guess I could use a Tetanus shot anyway, however.

Get that looked at!!!
Not to alarm you but I know a person who did the same thing (except he did not realize he had done it since he did not have very good feeling in his feet) He ended up with a bad infection and needed to be hospitalized.

I would definitely skp the museum/train/etc. for a day or two!

You should routinely have a tetanus shot at least once every ten years. As noted above, when there is an accident like this, some physicians go ahead and give the shot if it has been more than five or so. And, even if there was no rust, there were bound to be germs of some sort or other and the problem with puncture wounds is that they close up quickly on the surface, closing the bad stuff inside where it can cause an infection. (A bloodier wound often means that the germs are washed out with the blood.) Although it may well be that nothing is amiss, you should definitely speak to your doctor's office at least and follow their recommendations.

If you can't reach your doctor go to the ER!! Years ago, when I was in Junior High, I stepped on an embroidery needed. I thought I had pulled the whole thing out. Later the next day, my foot and leg were red and swollen. Off to the ER I went. Not only did I need a tetanus shot, there was a piece of the needed embedded in the heel bone. Took surgery to get it out.

Back in 2000 I stepped on a toothpick. Went right into the big toe. Again we thought we got it all out. When my foot started to swell within the hour it was off to the ER. Again I had to get a tetanus shot and again, because we didn't get it all out like we thought, the ER tried to lance it. A few days later we learned it didn't work so again it took surgery to remove what got left behind.

Right before Christmas 2006 I tripped over a basket of ornaments and fell into a display rack at Treasure Island. One of those hook things they hung the ornaments on went through my knew. It took a dozen or so stitches to close the wound. And again a tetanus shot.

jta, I'm surprised you even leave the house anymore, sounds like you're an accident waiting to happen!

shanabana - pls do not delay or procrastinate on this. get to a doctor or to the ER and get it looked at. DO NOT MESS around w/ the possiblity of tetanus. PLS!!!

Oh, man, JTA, you're really making me cringe!

Well, I admit I don't have a doctor. Well, I do, in the city, but I've never met the person and I'm sure she would never advise me of anything without seeing me; last time I tried to make an appointment the receptionist told me it would be 6 weeks!!! So, I guess I'll go to the ER, unless anyone has a local doctor they want to recommend.

Soulman,

I didn't want to be the one to say it. She's an ER's best customer. The have her file sitting on the counter waiting for her to walk (limp?) in.

LOL! Tell me about it! But the funny thing is, I stepped on the needle and tooth pick in my house! I think I need to learn not to walk around the house in just my socks.:shamed:

Sometimes I think I'm a total spaz.(sorry for the thread drift)

Sha-
How does your foot look today? I think since the nail went through a shoe you should get it checked out anyway. You can't be to careful with puncture wounds.