A:
There are three concerns if you have a puncture wound, like the one you can get from a rusty nail:
- Foreign body
The wound may not fully heal if a piece of glass, metal, or other material remains inside the puncture wound. An x-ray can sometimes reveal a foreign body inside the wound. Puncture wounds are difficult to rinse clean. - Bacterial infection
A wound can be contaminated with bacteria from the skin surface, such as Staphylococcus aureus (also called a Staph infection). You may need antibiotics and your doctor may need to drain an abscess. - Tetanus
Tetanus infection (also called "lockjaw,") results in spasms of the chewing and breathing muscles. This can be fatal. This infection is uncommon in the United States because most people are vaccinated against it. The bacteria that cause tetanus infections are present in our environment. A significant number of tetanus cases were seen in Haiti, after the recent earthquake caused injuries. Ask your doctor to check your wound if:
- Your wound was deeper than about a quarter inch
- You have numbness in the foot or toes
- You think there may be dirt or other material left inside the wound
- Your wound has redness all around it
- Your wound has pus within it
- You had your last tetanus shot more than ten years ago
