Why do puncture wounds swell

High Priority Alert. Close alert. Informational Alert. Puncture Wound. Is this your child's symptom? The skin is punctured by a pointed narrow object Causes of Puncture Wounds Metal: nail, sewing needle, pin, tack Pencil: pencil lead is actually graphite harmless. It is not poisonous lead. Even colored leads are not toxic. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

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Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Topic Overview Causes of puncture wounds A puncture wound is a forceful injury caused by a sharp, pointed object that penetrates the skin. What to do if you get a puncture wound? When you have a puncture wound: Determine if any part of the object that caused the wound is still in the wound, such as a splinter or lead graphite from a pencil.

A pencil lead puncture wound is less worrisome, so it is not necessary to check blood levels for lead or worry about lead toxicity or poisoning. Determine if underlying tissues, such as blood vessels, nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, or internal organs, have been injured by the object. Clean the wound and remove any dirt or debris to prevent infections, both bacterial skin infections and tetanus "lockjaw".

Determine whether you need a tetanus shot. Check Your Symptoms Do you have a puncture wound? This is a wound caused by a sharp, pointed object going through the skin. Puncture wounds are deeper and narrower than cuts. How old are you? Less than 12 years. Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have. If you are transgender or non-binary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.

If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice once as "male" and once as "female". This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you. Do you have an eye injury? Do you have an injury caused by a fish hook?

Is the wound bleeding? Would you describe the bleeding as severe, moderate, or mild? Do you have a deep wound in your head, neck, chest, or belly?

A deep puncture wound in any of these areas could damage the internal organs. Are you having trouble breathing more than a stuffy nose? Is there any pain? How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine? Signs of pain in an adult or child are different than signs of pain in a baby or toddler. Has the pain lasted for more than 8 hours? Is the pain getting worse?

Have you been injected with something under high pressure, like oil or paint from a sprayer? Is there a deep puncture in or over a joint? Do you have a wound on your arm, leg, hand, or foot that is more than just a scratch?

For an arm or leg wound, is the skin below the wound farther down the limb blue, pale, or cold to the touch and different from the other arm or leg? This may mean that a major blood vessel was damaged and that blood is not reaching the rest of the arm or leg. Can you move the area below the injury normally, even though it may hurt? For an arm or leg wound, is there any numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling around the wound or below the wound farther down the arm or leg?

Numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling around or below an arm or leg injury. Are there any symptoms of infection? Do you think you may have a fever? Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it?

Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system , peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area? Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area.

Have you been stuck with a used or dirty needle? Is there an object stuck in the wound, and you can't get it out? You may not be able to remove it because of where or how deep the wound is or because it causes severe pain. Is the object large or small?

Large means things like a nail or piece of wood that is at least 5. Small means things like a pencil tip or a small splinter or sliver. Did you have swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of the injury? Has the swelling or bruising raised a lump that's more than about 4 cm 1. This would be bigger than a golf ball or Ping-Pong ball.

Do you have a puncture wound in your foot? Did the object go through a shoe or boot? An object that has enough force behind it to go through a shoe can cause serious injury to the foot. Puncture wounds in the sole of the foot also have a high risk of infection. Do you think you may need a tetanus shot? These include: Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.

Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.

Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners anticoagulants , medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse. Recent health events , such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious. Your health habits and lifestyle , such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel. Try Home Treatment You have answered all the questions.

Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms. Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect.

You may need care sooner. Symptoms of infection may include: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area. Red streaks leading from the area. If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed.

Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: You have new pain, or your pain gets worse. The wound starts to bleed, and blood soaks through the bandage. Oozing small amounts of blood is normal. The skin near the wound is cold or pale or changes colour.

You have tingling, weakness, or numbness near the wound. You have trouble moving the area near the wound. You have symptoms of infection, such as: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the wound. Red streaks leading from the wound. Pus draining from the wound. A fever. Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if: The wound is not closing getting smaller.

You do not get better as expected. Current as of: October 19, Home About MyHealth. Include Images Large Print.