Injuries involving splinters and multiple foreign bodies are incredibly common. It is possible to experience large and deep splinters, which are considerably more painful to remove at home. Splinters of this sort often surface as a foreign body which is amongst softer tissues of the skin. These soft tissues are also known as the superficial or subcutaneous tissues. Thorns, wood, and spines, are all reactive objects. These objects should be removed immediately. This is important because they need to be removed before the occurrence of inflammation or infection. If you have a splinter and need medical attention, visit one of our urgent care locations, or you can call us to schedule your appointment: 858-554-1212

Splinters that are visible with inspection are known as superficial and horizontal splinters. They can also be easily palpated. The action of incising the skin will entirely expose the splinter. The incision should occur over the length of the longer side of the splinter. You should then remove it by lifting it out. A subungual splinter can also be removed. You can do so by cutting the v-shaped piece of the nail out of the skin. The point of the V is at at the top of splinter. Grasp this area and remove it. Be careful so as not to push the splinter into the nail bed even further.

Elusive splinters are challenging to remove. Deeper splinters can be located close to nerves, tendons, blood vessels, or vital organs. These should be removed by a health care provider. Children and adults will find this injury quite common. Wood, glass, and metallic splinters are considered foreign bodies which most commonly affect both children and adults. Patients are capable of removing splinters themselves. Physicians should only be consulted if the splinter is deeply rooted or considerably large, or if the removal of a splinter has failed and resulted in the breakdown of the splinter into tiny pieces. If these are not removed entirely, problems will occur. Inflammation, infection, toxic reactions, and granuloma formation are a few issues that are likely to surface if the splinter is not completely removed. Even if your physician has removed the splinter and any remnants, they should be cautious that there might be other pieces still left and should examine a second time to ensure that each piece is removed. There is always a slight chance that smaller pieces of the splinter are present but are just undetectable at that given time. If you are still experiencing pain, consult with the physician again.