Puncture Wounds Treatment

Puncture wounds are skin injuries characterized by narrow openings that often seem to close soon after injury occurs. Certain treatment steps are necessary to stop infection from developing in these sorts of wounds.

The Facts

• The Mayo Clinic and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford cite potential sources of puncture wounds that come from animal bites, sewing needles, nails, pencils and toothpicks. Wounds produced by animals or located on the foot pose particular risks for infection.

Medical Attention

• The Mayo Clinic reports that individuals with puncture wounds that produce persistent bleeding should seek a doctor's care. Those with wounds that stop bleeding may begin treatment with first aid.

First Aid Treatment

• First aid steps for a puncture wound include cleaning the wound, applying antibiotic creams or ointments, covering the wound, changing wet or dirty dressing and staying alert for any signs of infection, notes the Mayo Clinic.

Rabies

• Individuals who receive puncture wounds from animal bites may receive treatment for rabies in addition to antibiotics, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Considerations

• The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that you should make sure to wash wounds even when they appear clean to the eye.