Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with GoogleGet your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
What Causes Pain And Swelling On Finger Due To Thorn/splinter?
Cutting down brambles in garden yesterday and got a small splinter/thorn. Finger was red, swollen and painful last night. Managed to remove the splinter and put on antiseptic cream. 12 hrs later and finger not as swollen but still a bit, hard to bend and stiff and painful. Oozing clear fluid if I press (looked to see if any small part behind and cannot see anything though hard when swollen (and on left hand which is my strong hand so needle wobbles!!!)
Fri, 31 Jul 2015
Hi there and thank you for your question.
I appreciate your concern here and I shall try and help where I can.
Bramble thorns break off quite easily and can lodge under the skin due to their size and sharpness. The issue though is that the tips of the thorns tend to break off and embed themselves under the skin.
In effect, the body regards this splinter as a foreign body under the skin and an inflammatory reaction occurs. Blood rushes to the site of the wound in order to get white cells in the area so as to try and destroy the foreign body. That is why the finger would swell and become red and tender.
The swelling then came down as you removed the splinter and the healing process can continue without there being a foreign body in the way to complicate matters. The clear fluid would be plasma that escapes which was formed as part of the initial foreign body reaction.
You can continue applying the antiseptic cream for a couple more days just to help prevent an infection from occurring. The issue should then resolve on its own with the swelling decreasing on a daily basis.
If the swelling, tenderness and redness starts to worsen then I would suggest seeing your doctor to assess the situation. Either there's then a secondary infection or there still is a foreign body stuck at the site of the wound.
I hope this helps and good luck.
I appreciate your concern here and I shall try and help where I can.
Bramble thorns break off quite easily and can lodge under the skin due to their size and sharpness. The issue though is that the tips of the thorns tend to break off and embed themselves under the skin.
In effect, the body regards this splinter as a foreign body under the skin and an inflammatory reaction occurs. Blood rushes to the site of the wound in order to get white cells in the area so as to try and destroy the foreign body. That is why the finger would swell and become red and tender.
The swelling then came down as you removed the splinter and the healing process can continue without there being a foreign body in the way to complicate matters. The clear fluid would be plasma that escapes which was formed as part of the initial foreign body reaction.
You can continue applying the antiseptic cream for a couple more days just to help prevent an infection from occurring. The issue should then resolve on its own with the swelling decreasing on a daily basis.
If the swelling, tenderness and redness starts to worsen then I would suggest seeing your doctor to assess the situation. Either there's then a secondary infection or there still is a foreign body stuck at the site of the wound.
I hope this helps and good luck.
I find this answer helpful
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer.
For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service
[Sample answer]
Related questions you may be interested in
Loading Online Doctors....