In our daily life, accidents often happen, causing some injuries. In order to take proper treatment for the injury, you need to observe the cause and your degree of pain. Some wounds can be taken care at home with the help of your first aid kit, while some others might need some serious medical helps. Around the house, for instance, you can accidentally cut your finger during cooking, spill hot water and cause scald on your skin, or get a puncture wound from stepping on a rusty nail. While finger cut and minor scald can be treated at home, puncture wound from a rusty nail might be more serious, as it can cause more complicated disease.
What is a puncture wound?
A puncture wound is a skin trauma caused by an object piercing it. Puncture wounds mostly cause small holes or wider streak. Some puncture wounds only pierce the skin on its surface, while the rest can cause trauma through the deeper skin layer. As it is not always accompanied by bleeding, a small puncture wound is often initially unnoticed. When get a puncture wound, be sure to remove any remaining object in the wound using a sterilized tweezers. Puncture wounds can be harmless and heal itself. However, a puncture wound caused by rusty or substance-filled objects, such as a nail, a pen, and a pencil have to get proper care because it can lead to a bigger issue.
What is the danger of a rusty nail wound?
Rust is iron oxidation which happens when it is exposed to water and air. An oxidized iron usually has some kind of orange-colored powder on or around it. Rust has some effects to the iron, such as making it weaker by changing some of its structure into the orange powder, making the iron’s surface rough, promotes smell, causes holes on iron’s surface, causes metals to stuck, and eliminating iron’s magnetic power. Certain bacteria lying on the soil, hard objects, or air can stuck on this rust. This is the reason why a rusty nail, for instance, is a dangerous agent of tetanus disease. Tetanus is a bacterial infection which causes muscle spasms or cramps. This disease is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. This bacterium spore lies on the soil, dust or rust, and can enter your body through a punctured wound or other skin break caused by rusty objects. It produces toxin which causes muscle spasms, jaw and neck stiffness, and nervous system disturbance. The hard surface of a rusty nail is an ideal environment for this bacterium—which has been around on the soil or other objects around the rusty nail.
How to treat and clean a rusty nail wound?
A possible tetanus infection has made a rusty nail wound a scary issue. People often get panicked when get incidentally punctured with a rusty element. In fact, not all puncture wounds are likely to cause tetanus. However, thorough cleaning is required to minimize the worst. When wounded by a rusty nails, you should:
- Treat the wound immediately. If there is an object or debris left inside the wound, use a sterilized tweezers to pull it out. Wash your hands thoroughly before perform the act.
- Clean the wound with clean water. Running tap water is advised. Use lukewarm or cool water. Wash your wound from all dirt and blood. Do not clean the wound with iodine, alcohol, or other solution as it might induce infection. Stop the bleeding by putting pressure with sterilized cotton.
- After washing, dry the wound with a clean towel. Rub it carefully, not to make the puncture wider.
- Apply a topical antibiotic ointment to soothe the wounded area.
- Cover the wound with sterile dressing or a bandage. This will keep your wound clean and prevent bacterial infection.
- Go to the nearest clinic to see whether you need a tetanus shot, as a rusty nail wound usually triggers tetanus infection.
A rusty nail wound can be serious because it can lead to tetanus. Keeping the wound clean and seek for medical help will be wise to avoid this, as tetanus can be very harmful to your health.