Okay, I dont need any "smart" answers.
I live in a rural area, going to the doctor with three kids in tow is a lot of work. I just would like some advice.
Last night I punctured my knee with a toothpick - it was imbedded in the couch and my knee went straight down onto it. It is only a small hole, there was very little blood. At first, the whole knee and down to my ankle hurt, then it seemed to get better. When I woke up, it was on fire. I have had to limp around all day. No redness, no swelling, you can't even see that anything happened, but my whole knee hurts. Every once in a while it gives out and I have to catch myself. If I call the doctor, they will automatically say to come in, but I am hoping it will just get better on its own.
Any ideas as to whether or not this will resolve itself? :)
2006-10-30 08:41:37 · 20 answers · asked by Christine D 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
My advice would be to do the old fashioned ice and hot water packs, stay off it as much as humanly possible, since you do have children that may be difficult. Take some advil or tylenol. It is possible that you may have punctured the nerve or muscle. How deep did it go in? Infection is possible, was it is an used toothpick? You may need to take an antibiotic. The burning sensation may be a sign of infection...if you have fevers, chills or unbearable pain, you need to go to the doctor....no excuses. Can't be good to your children if you end up even worse due to an infection.
2006-10-30 08:50:31 · answer #1 · answered by Suzy Q 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well, the fact that there is no swelling might not mean anything if you are swollen within your joint capsule...if might not be enough for it to show bc it is deep to your knee...did u poke it on the knee cap or into the soft spots around the knee?? how are did it go in? is it still in there? does it hurt deep in your ankle or knee? or on the surface? when you woke up, what was on fire? you really need to answer some of these quesions for us to help... there isnt a main nerve near the top of your kneecap so there is just some pain receptors and, thus, very small nerve fibers that you might have hit...so i dont think it is nerve related... it sounds like an infection or cellulitis (burning)... but since there is no redness or swelling it wouldnt be cellulitis... so if it does end up being swollen, red and burning and it is up and down your leg, i would lean towards cellulitis... if this doesnt happen, then i cant figure out why your ankle hurts except...if you hit a nerve, it can make both the lower leg/ankel hurt too as well as pain in your hip area... if you cant function, go to doc...if you can, wait a day or two and see how it goes...but if swelling goes up, or the pain intensifies, go to doc
2006-10-30 09:21:03 · answer #2 · answered by derek s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, I'm an EMT, so I am speaking from the POV of a health care professional.
Go to the emergency room or your doctor. Now. The longer you wait, the more likely it is to get worse. Besides, you have no idea what germs were on that toothpick. Just because there is no surface indication of infection doesn't mean there isn't one.
2006-10-30 08:52:58 · answer #3 · answered by Uther Aurelianus 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Did you get the complete toothpick out of your knee? That's what I'm wondering. Try putting a hot and cold compress on it for 20 minutes at a time. Do this for one hour only. If it doesn't start getting better, you might have an infection and need your leg amputated.
2006-10-30 08:45:42 · answer #4 · answered by JB 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is a big splinter. I would use Bacitracin on it, take some antiinflammatory, keep it up and if it hurt the next day I would go in. See, if you can't stand the pain you can't watch the kids. So you will be forced to go. I suppose it could get infected. I am glad it ws you adn not the kids. What a freak accident. No more toothpicks in the house forever!
2006-10-30 08:45:25 · answer #5 · answered by Valerie 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
OK, you don't know what kind of bacteria could have been on that toothpick, now do you? Do you know if you got all of it out? Even the microscopic slivers that sometimes get shed by toothpicks? Have you had a tetanus shot in the last five years?
If you don't take care of yourself, who will take care of those kids when you can't? Don't be stupid, go see the doctor.
2006-10-30 08:46:25 · answer #6 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Sara. It may very well resolve on its own but it's a puncture wound and you really don't know what damage has been done. Like Sara said, suck it up and take the kids. All 3 of us nurses and an EMT agree. What does that tell you?
2006-10-30 09:08:36 · answer #7 · answered by TweetyBird 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would give it a day 0r 2 because the toothpick might have just hit a sinsitive spot its happend to me in the past only not a toothpick it might take just a few days to a week for it to get better wait a few then see
2006-10-30 08:44:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If it got better over night I'd say you're fine. But it sounds like it just got worse. I think you may want to find a babysitter, like your mother or mother in law and go see your doctor asap! You don't want to wait on something like that because it will just end up getting worse over time until you have permanent damage. Believe me, I left enough injuries untreated to know the negative effects of doing so.
Good luck with everything and go get help quick! :)
2006-10-30 08:51:32 · answer #9 · answered by Lilel 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
well, it could very well resolve itself..but why wait and make it worse?? For your own health and peace of mind, I would suck it up and take the kids or leave them at a friend's house...get to the doctor, just to have a look.
2006-10-30 08:43:50 · answer #10 · answered by Sara S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋