Hey Doc

Got any home remedies?

Sliver attack the other day, and evidently I didn't get all of this one out. Now an infection has set in and I'm too stubborn as well as poor & uninsured to go to the doctors office. I'm figuring it's not an allergic reaction as the middle fingertip received the sliver first{see photo} before it continued into my ring finger, and there seems to be no problem with healing there. Open to all suggestions other than amputation :D

Walnut culprit if it matters...

Thanks in advance!Ouch.JPG
 
got the same problem ken, only mine is autumun olive thorn.. i am gonna cut it out with exacto knife and then use bag balm to help heal it back up.. sometimes you can just open it up so the balm can draw it out on its own..
 
Been there , and done that. Wood is diffenatly infectious and all of it has to come out. If you don't get it out the infection will only get worse and spread and then you will have real problems. At least it doesn't hurt as much digging around in an infected area. If you can't get it out and wait long enough the cost will blow your mind and if gang green sets in, amputation will not be out of the question.

If you can't get it out bite, the bullet and go.

Tom
 
Ken, this is not a matter of being poor and/or stubborn. If you don't get it out right now whether self surgery or a visit to the doc, it is bordering on candidacy for a Darwin award. How much is your finger worth? Not to mention the rest of your life? Seriously, not kidding. Get it taken care of pronto. This is one of those things that can go a whole lot further south faster than you can imagine.

BTDT!
 
Being right on the joint could further complicate matters. If it was just a slight sliver in the flesh & accessible with a good set of tweezers or sharp blade, I would recommend "go for it" & use a triple-antibiotic initially, and then afterwards Bag Balm as Larry recommended above (really good stuff for the skin). However, since it's on the joint I think you should see a doctor to get it taken care of. If it should get infected & affect the bone in the joint, the infection can spread via the bone marrow throughout the body. Don't mess with it yourself. The doc will no doubt prescribe an antibiotic, perhaps Amoxicillin (???)
 
I would do the self surgery. DO NOT - blow compressed air in the open wound.

After that a VERY thorough wash with water only. Pat dry - paper towel - gauze - anything clean.

After that one day on and one day off, with a bandaid and an anti bacterial, antiseptic ointment, store brand is OK (very inexpensive).

I do one day on and one day off, because it needs to get air and dry as well as to get the ointment.
 
I just had a one similar. Thought I got it out he first time then found out it was deeper then I thought and it healed over the initial point of entry. Had to do self surgery after it was open and i got the thing out I used neosporen (sp?) and a band aid all better after a few days.
 
I remember in the old days we would put iodine on the area and it would dye the sliver dark colored, so we could see to get it out with a needle. Yours is walnut and should show up. Can you see anything there, or is it just infected?
 
Rather than water, pour fresh hydrogen peroxide into it and over it and around it. Who knows what in water these days?!? That will kill germs and help with the inflection and certainly add the antibiotic cream I usually take the bandage off at night so it can get air. Back on during the day to help keep it clean and of course, additional cream.
 
Thanks everybody, picked up a pack of fresh exacto blades and will proceed with surgery after dinner...I can't see anything that even comes close to being the varmit. I've been soaking it in peroxide since the beginning, the wife is stopping on the way home to pick up some drawing salve. I've been using a baking soda slurry with a bandaid and every night when I take it off some of that gooey stuff{pus lol} does come out. Maybe I've already gotten it out and am just going thru an infection??? :dunno: .......we'll see after some exploration.....it's my ring finger so if I lose it, my wife will finish me off :rofl:
 
ICE IT! ICE IT!! ICE IT!!! What ever else you do, get some ice on it now. Use a cold pack or ice in a wash cloth. 20 minutes. Do not get "ice burn" from excessive cold.

Ice will help fight the infection and give your meds, home surgery or whatever else you do, a much better chance of succeeding. Remember, home surgery is fantastically good way to get infected. The pic looks like you should have gone to the doc. Since it is Friday and all normal docs are heading out to the ole fishing hole, go to a doc-in-the-box. DO NOT lose a finger.

Dare I say, "Enjoy?"
JimB
 
So went on a fishing trip with my dad and brother many years ago. I think I might have still been in college at the time.

Anyhow, We were out fishing and I forget exactly how it happend, but I managed to get one of the hooks on a treble hook on a lure embedded pretty deeply in the palm of my hand. Deep enough that it was past the barb and it was not going to come out.

So we went back to the cabin, and I got out 3 beers and one of my dads super duper ultra sharp filet knives. Drank the beers in quick succession and used the filet knife to cut the barb out.

We had a decent first aid kit with peroxide, so washed it out good with that, slapped on a bandaid and some triple anti biotic and all was well!

You can do it!
 
Well it's all over cept'n for the fat lady singing....dug & sliced a bunch of junk out, but no idea if it was the sliver or something my body requires :eek::D Bled good and foamed like crazy with the peroxide, got some drawing salve under a bandaid on it, gonna give it a day or two{all willing ;)}....

*And your a braver man than I Brent, I usually snip the eyelet off and push/pull the hook thru...I'd rather burn it out than even think about using a fillet knife :bow:
 
Congrats!

The hook in my situation was buried pretty much straight in. Would have had to go through a lot-o-meat to get it out that way, LOL.

Well it's all over cept'n for the fat lady singing....dug & sliced a bunch of junk out, but no idea if it was the sliver or something my body requires :eek::D Bled good and foamed like crazy with the peroxide, got some drawing salve under a bandaid on it, gonna give it a day or two{all willing ;)}....

*And your a braver man than I Brent, I usually snip the eyelet off and push/pull the hook thru...I'd rather burn it out than even think about using a fillet knife :bow:
 
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