Getting Under Your Skin

posted 09/27/2008
As I was stacking some firewood the other day, I was painfully reminded about the one drawback, splinters. Of course, had I worn some protecting thick gloves, I would have prevented the next 5 minute ordeal. Splinters are slivers of foreign material into the epidermal (top) layers of your skin. They can be quite painful, are a nuisance, but can also cause a major infection, if not taken care of properly.

Splinter removal is necessary to prevent infection.

Clean and scrub the area around the splinter. Do NOT soak the splinter, as wood will swell, be harder to remove and become soft.
Use a topic anesthetic or ice to dull the pain at the site if needed.
Attempt to squeeze the splinter out of the hole through which it entered. If it does not easily come out, you'll need a few supplies.
Clean a small needle, pair of nail clippers, and pointed tweezers with rubbing alcohol and allow to air dry.
Use the needle to open the hole a bit bigger closer to the surface.
Squeeze the splinter to the top.
Use the tweezers to grab the object as far into the hole as possible. If you grab too close to the end, it may break off and leave the majority of the splinter in your finger.
If this still does not work, you might need to use the tweezers to cut into the dead skin about the splinter to get better access to it.
Once the splinter is removed, wash hands thoroughly and cover the wound. Consider using some antibiotic ointment.
Assess the wound for signs of infection. See your doctor if infection develops.

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Chief Jim Cole from San Juan Island EMS has been a Nationally Registered Paramedic for more than 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health and a Master of Art Degree in Higher Education. He is designated as a Chief Medical Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a Senior Wilderness Medicine Instructor with the SOLO School of Wilderness and Emergency Medicine. Suggestions for future topics can be sent to chief@sanjuanems.org.