# Have any of you ever had a problem after stepping on a rusty nail?



## Ark (Oct 5, 2004)

:grump: 

I have a REAL problem with wearing "real" shoes. They make my feet hurt so bad. So, I dont wear them unless going to town. 

We keep things fairly neat around here - shouldnt have been any boards laying around with rusty nails sticking up! BUT, the goats broke the lid off of a small wooden chest by jumping on it so repeatedly. I didnt pick it up right away when I saw what they had done. The lid was trimmed with 1x2's, which had nails sticking out. I stepped on it this morning and it went right thru the cheap sandal and into my foot in two places. Couldnt hold onto the wall and pull it out with one hand so my DD pulled one end of the board while I pulled the other and we got it out. 

One nail hole bled profusely, the other one not so much. 

Now, an hour or so later, the foot really hurts. 

I'm not one for rushing off to the doc. Would rather stay home and see if I get lock-jaw. LOL  DH didnt think that was too funny, and said I better at least do some research.... so, here I am!! heh.


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Obviously people have had problems, hence the teanus shot. Go get one, certainly beats the alternative.


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

I was a kid and yes I had a problem.
My mom made me go get a tetanus shot.
And my foot was real sore.
And then it got better.

I suggest the same course of action for you.
Call me "Mom" if it helps


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

If you haven't had an antitetetnus vaccine in the last 10 years, you should be rushing to visit the doctor. You could lose a leg, or worse if it happens to get infected, especially with the bacteria that could cause lockjaw or gangrene.


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## Ark (Oct 5, 2004)

I can find all sorts of horror stories on the internet...  

I was wondering if any of *YALL * had *personally * gotten tetanus from *NOT * going to get the shot after stepping on something rusty. Apparently you can get it from deep wounds getting infected - doesnt have to involve rust.

I know I havent had any anti tetanus vaccine in the last 10 years. Maybe when I was a kid.....? :shrug:


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## littlebird (Mar 30, 2007)

Jeez, you're asking if any of us has any experience dying from tetanus?

Go Get A Shot.


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## peacebaker (Dec 30, 2005)

Yowch! I'd get a tetanus to be on the safe side, plus there's a chance for other infections and they can give you a look over while you're in the office. 

That being said, I had a foot puncture earlier this summer (a stick, not a nail, and I HAVE had a tetanus shot in the last few years). It hurt like the dickens! I kept an eye on it for infection, but I think what made it hurt so bad was all the muscles running down the base of your foot--must of hit one. The first couple of days were pretty bad, but it did heal fairly fast after that.

T-shots are a pain but it's only once every 7-10 years!


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## Ark (Oct 5, 2004)

LOL!

Not everyone dies from tetanus you know. Only 11% -25%. Heh. OKAY, I know, DH is going to insist, and I cant just think about myself anymore. Got kids and DH to consider too. Personally I would be of the opinion "it wont happen to me" but I know I cant take the risk for their sake. Like my mom just said, "if it had been one of the kids you'd be on your way to town already!"

Might need to get boosters for the kids while I am at it.


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## jynxt (Apr 5, 2004)

Years ago my dh stepped on a nail when we were roofing our house. It went through his shoe but not completely through his foot, he was up to date on his tetanus shot so we just went inside and soaked his foot for awhile thinking all would be well. By the next morning he had a red line running up his leg and the pain was unbearable. As soon as I found someone to sit with our kids I took him to the clinic in the nearest town, they immediately admitted him to the hospital for IV antibiotics and "possible" surgical intervention. 

Turns out that a nail going through a really hard sole, like a work boot is much less likely to cause a problem than a nail going through a really soft sole where it actually carries in parts of the shoe sole and loads upon loads of bacteria. The absolute worst thing you can do is ignore this or take a wait and see attitude! We aren't the kind who run to the doctor either, in fact my dh hasn't been to see a doctor since 2001!! But in cases like this it's better to go in and get the thing taken care of, dh would have lost his foot and been in really bad shape if we had waited another day. The way it stood, we ended up paying for the initial clinic visit, 3 days and nights in the hospital on IV antibiotics and some pain meds, then the follow up clinic visit.... we aren't complaining since we know it could have been much worse but still, we would rather have only had to pay the clinic visit.

So.... tetanus shot or not get to a doctor and get it taken care of, especially since it did not bleed much and is on your foot!!!


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

Ark said:


> I was wondering if any of *YALL * had *personally * gotten tetanus from *NOT * going to get the shot after stepping on something rusty.


Heavens no, Ark! :nono: 
We're all MUCH to intelligent to avoid getting a tetanus shot when at risk. :hobbyhors


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## tinda (Jun 11, 2005)

Ark said:


> I can find all sorts of horror stories on the internet...
> 
> I was wondering if any of *YALL * had *personally * gotten tetanus from *NOT * going to get the shot after stepping on something rusty. Apparently you can get it from deep wounds getting infected - doesnt have to involve rust.
> 
> I know I havent had any anti tetanus vaccine in the last 10 years. Maybe when I was a kid.....? :shrug:


Quit being such a wimp and go get your tetanus shot!
You aren't being a shining example for your kids. :nono: 

Please go.
tinda


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

So, you get poked by a nail, go to the doctor and his treatment is to poke you with a needle?


What happens if you bump your head? Would he smack you with a ball peen hammer?


Why worry about lock jaw? 

Think about all the weight you would lose. And it would be a great opportunity to practice your growling.


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## littlebird (Mar 30, 2007)

Oggie said:


> And it would be a great opportunity to practice your growling.


Good Grief! Coffee spit out everywhere!

I'm not sure that Oggie's up to date with his shots, either.


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## moopups (May 12, 2002)

I stepped on a roofing nail back in 1981, it penetrated the big toe socket, left foot. 34 days later I got out of the VA hospital after an IV every 4 hours for Ostyo mylitus, the big toe socket had to be surgically removed due to the infection. Gangrene was next in line, after the Ostyo.

Your an adult, use your own judgement.


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## momlaffsalot (Sep 9, 2004)

Yes, a puncture wound like that is dangerous. My STBX stepped on a nail, ignored it for two days and ended up spening a week and a half on the couch taking strong anti-biotics. You can lose a foot that way, if you play around with the seriousness of it....go to a doctor!


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

When was your last tetanus shot?

Sadly, that's not all you have to worry about. The infamous 'flesh eating bacteria' is actually a mixed-bacterial infection of bugs most commonly found in *soil*.

Plus, how deep? Any chance you cut a muscle or ruptured a tendon? Any loss of function? If you struck bone, bone infections are particularly nasty...

I'd check into an urgent care clinic and see if you can get a tetanus booster and a depot shot of an antibiotic effective against anaerobic bacteria (that is, one shot that lasts several days instead of having to remember pills each day).


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Blood poisoning and lockjaw do come to mind. If your tetanus shot is not up to date, I'd definitely get a booster and watch for any signs of infection.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Rachel slap some pine tar on it and a dressing and go to the doc's office for the shot. My mother's cousin died of lock jaw. Wasn't pretty.


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## wolfwalkerpa (May 24, 2007)

Now, an hour or so later, the foot really hurts. thats the way my foot felt for a day used porters liniment salve to draw out the hurt. the shot didn't make it hurt any less but get the Shot.


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## RockyGlen (Jan 19, 2007)

The year before last dh stepped on a rusty nail, pretty deep. We took him in because it had been about 20 years since his last tetanus, as best could be remembered. THey would NOT give him a tetanus shot They said supply was limited and shots were only given to babies now... They sent us home with a list of what to watch for and said if symptoms appeared, come in and they would give him one...

this keyboard is driving me nuts! Half the time the period key won't work and the other half I hit it once and it makes a whole line of periods. It needs a tetanus shot!


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## Ark (Oct 5, 2004)

STUPIDEST waste of 4 hours.... grrrrrrrr..... :grump: dont they think they coulda just given me the shot in 5 minutes? Why wait behind all the sickies who needed to see the doc for 30 minutes EACH. . Hmmmph. Anyway, it's done, for a mere $115 that I cant afford. Guess I cant afford to die either. They told me AFTERWARDS that I coulda got it cheaper and faster and the Health Dept. 

*It better save my life or I want my $115 back!!* 

It hurts like heck and is red all up around to the top of my foot. They acted surprised that I even came in for a shot. "What's the big deal?" 

Thanks for all the stories and laughs. At least you kept me entertained.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

We tagged and bagged a patient about 9 months ago...death (tetanus) from barb wire fence, of all things...


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## Lawbag (May 10, 2005)

It's not just lockjaw that you have to worry about.
I once stepped on a sewing needle in the house, not rusted, and ended up with an infection - had to have my foot cut open TWICE and was on crutches for a month. 
Puncture wounds that don't bleed can be serious stuff. If it's red and swollen, you should be on antibiotics and it might need to be irrigated.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Rachel, pine tar WILL draw that infection and ease the pain.


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## lsulenes (Dec 19, 2006)

Puncture wounds are very painful because they go deep and seal off so that any infection stays inside. They can become very, very painful ..to the point of not being able to walk. Around the age of 8 (I'm 38 now), I was running in the cow lot, chasing my brother, and I stepped on a board with an old rusty nail that went completely through my foot except for the layer of skin on top where it left any impression of the point. Of course my parents got me a tetanus shot, but I was in pain for quite awhile. The shot will only keep you from getting tetanus, not from an infection. 

Mecuraclear  (spelling). I don't know if any of you use this, but we swear by it for just about everything that is wound oriented, especially puncture wounds. It comes in a bottle that looks like an Iodine bottle with an applicator in the cap. I have also found it sometimes packaged in a small pump spray bottle. It really doesn't look like much, but a couple of applications of it works miracles. DD ran barefoot all evening through pond mud (nasty muck) during a youth activity on a Sat evening back in June and then didn't tell me anything about a cut she received until Sun. night when she couldn't bear to put her foot down. She showed me her foot and there was already a red streak about 4" long stretching from the cut & going up her ankle. Started applications immediately and by Monday AM the streak was gone and by Mon evening she was able to put a shoe on and walk without pain. 

Another medicine we keep on hand is Betadine. This is that brown medicine that is used during surgeries or to clean up wounds that are being closed with stitches or staples. It is used as an antiseptic and analgesic. This is not only good to put directly on the wound, but it is great to put in a container of water to soak the wound in. It works awesome for in-grown toenails that have become infected. Having either of these medicines on hand has saved us trips to the doctor in situations that could easily have been very costly or become life-threatening.

Just make sure that you take care of the wound so that no surprises creep up. Good luck and our prayers are with you.

~Lisa~


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## patnewmex (Aug 11, 2006)

littlebird said:


> Jeez, you're asking if any of us has any experience dying from tetanus?
> 
> Go Get A Shot.


AMEN! :baby04:


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## gleanerl (Apr 11, 2003)

soak that foot in epsom salts!!!
in the hottest water you can stand and do it 3x/day.... at least.
you want a puncture wound to heal from the inside out, not outside first.
so keep it open, so to speak and soak, soak, soak!!
had kids with nail holes, i farted off the first one.... that ended up costing a fortune... and he had his shots up to date.
the others i just soaked, soaked, soaked and they healed up fine.


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## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Been there done that, did what so many others have suggested and got the tetanus shot. My foot hurt for days, but I felt a lot more at ease knowing I had one less infection to worry about.


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Ark said:


> I can find all sorts of horror stories on the internet...
> 
> I was wondering if any of *YALL * had *personally * gotten tetanus from *NOT * going to get the shot after stepping on something rusty. Apparently you can get it from deep wounds getting infected - doesnt have to involve rust.
> 
> I know I havent had any anti tetanus vaccine in the last 10 years. Maybe when I was a kid.....? :shrug:


I haven't personally had tetanus, but my mom did.
When she was 12 she stepped on a nail and got tetanus...Lock Jaw.
The end result was epilepsy, she was tormented by it her whole life.
I'd get the shot if it was me.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Funny you should ask this question right now. I stepped on a nail about a week or so ago. It bled a LOT. I went to the local doc and got a tetanus shot. Yep, tetanus scares me and I want to be as protected as I can when it comes to that particular ailment. 

While I was in the office, the nurse cleaned the wound and put some gauze on it. I came home, took the gauze off and soaked it in Epsom salts water. Everything seemed to be ok. I talked to my dad who was a medic in WWII and ask him what I should do. He said to soak in the salts, then soak in vinegar water, then put some iodine on it. So I did. It was healing up nicely until this weekend. It festered up and is so swollen that I can barely hobble around. 

I went to town today to buy some activated charcoal for it. None to be found ANYWHERE. I wish I would have stocked up on it back when it was .88 a box and you could buy it all over the place. 

Needless to say I had to call the local doc for an appointment. I can't get in for a full week. In the meantime, I'm setting here with a foot that hurts like h*ll and can't get around to do my chores. Dang this makes me mad. If I just would have let the kids do the chores and not gone walking around the barn area, it probably would have healed up very nicely. 

The festering part is on the top where the nail came out. The bottom where the nail went in healed up fairly well.


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

Ark, I can't believe they would act like it was nothing serious. If you are not up on your tentanus shots it can be very serious...

But even if you were up on your shots, deep puncture wounds can be very serious and cause blood poisoning.

I have a feeling the clinic was just following your lead on how ridiculous you were thinking this was. Trying to make you feel better or not worry.

Please...if you see red lines on your foot and leg...please don't wait for people here to pressure you to get treatment for blood poisoning.


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## Ark (Oct 5, 2004)

Spinner said:


> The festering part is on the top where the nail came out. The bottom where the nail went in healed up fairly well.


Oh my goodness!!! That is *WAY * worse than mine was. I am _so sorry _ - keep soaking that foot! I cant believe they are going to make you wait a week. :nono: 

I stepped on two nails at once - when I felt the first one hit the middle of my foot, I twisted my foot on the outer edge, and that is what made the second nail go in deeper. NOT deep enough to go through though! I'm shuddering at the pain of pulling yours out. :help: 

The nail holes arent even big enough to try all the suggestions I was given. I dont have any pine tar Kim, or I would try it! The bottom of my foot is so tough that I doubt any medication could actually get into the wound anyway. 

I can soak it in salt water though again today.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Puncture wounds need to be kept open. They shouldn't be left to form a scab for several days. 

Spinner, can you open the wound and drain the infection out? Sounds gross I know but that is the best thing you can do while you wait for your appt.

I recently got jabbed in the side of my foot by a piece of seriously rusty baling wire. Kept the wound open, did have to squeeze it once to get it to drain, but it healed right up with no other problems.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Danaus29 said:


> Spinner, can you open the wound and drain the infection out? Sounds gross I know but that is the best thing you can do while you wait for your appt.
> 
> I recently got jabbed in the side of my foot by a piece of seriously rusty baling wire. Kept the wound open, did have to squeeze it once to get it to drain, but it healed right up with no other problems.


It isn't forming a scab, it's more of a thin white coating that closes over it. The white coating peals right off and it drains. I do that every night and soak it again. Yes it is gross, but it has to be done. The swelling has gone down a little, but I still can't get my foot into a shoe. 

Glad yours healed up ok.


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## Ark (Oct 5, 2004)

Spinner - no improvement yet? 

I'm so sorry!! I hope you have good helpers to get things done.

Let us know how it goes.


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## ninny (Dec 12, 2005)

Ark said:


> LOL!
> 
> Not everyone dies from tetanus you know. Only 11% -25%. Heh. OKAY, I know, DH is going to insist, and I cant just think about myself anymore. Got kids and DH to consider too. Personally I would be of the opinion "it wont happen to me" but I know I cant take the risk for their sake. Like my mom just said, "if it had been one of the kids you'd be on your way to town already!"
> 
> Might need to get boosters for the kids while I am at it.



I stepped on a nail when I was a boy and about 5 yrs. later a knot started forming around the place the nail had punctured. Went to the doctor and he cut out a small growth. He said it was gristle forming around a foreign substance, probably rust or dirt. He cut it out and I didn't have any more problems. 

You're right about not everyone dying from tetanus. I had a cousin that had "lockjaw" and he went through a tough time but finally recovered and was okay. 

.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

KEROSENE......The miracle cure for nail punctures. One soaking the day it happens and back to normal living the next day. No pain, no swelling, no tenderness.

Tetanus shots should still be kept up to date, tho.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Sounds like there might be something else still in the wound. There has to be something that is keeping it from healing. Try irrigating the wound with peroxide. Even though it kills some healthy cells it does seem to help flush out foreign particles.


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## elliemaeg (May 1, 2005)

Spinner
I haven't read all the posts but it sounds like you need to get that looked at pretty quick. If it is swelling then you probably need an antibiotic. It will probably be all right but myself, I would want an antibiotic so I could go back to business as usual.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

spinner couldn't get into the doctor yet, tried but no appts. 

Even with antibiotics, if there is something in the wound the infection can remain or come back. Happened with some internal stitches dh had. Once we got the stitch material out the infection drained and healed quickly. That I irrigated with peroxide and covered with a bandage 2x a day. Took 2 weeks and 2 rounds of pcn, but it healed within days of getting the junk out.


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## Gercarson (Nov 2, 2003)

Actually, I HAVE had a problem caused by stepping on a very rusty nail. First, it went through my shoe sole and embedded into my foot at least an inch - I know this because it went flat against the shoe sole. Problems: pulling the sucker out (eeeeewwwww) and then taking off the shoe and sock - then the real hard part - rather have the nail in the shoe - I had to go get an update on my tetanus shot!!!! Other than that - no problem and I understand the shot does not need an update for quite some time - so...yaaaa!!!


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## ladybug (Aug 18, 2002)

I just had the same thing happen to me yesterday, had the tetanus shot less than 3 years ago though. Stepped on a board the goats had knocked down and didn't realize the nail was there. Went in til it hit bone, bled a little, and I cleaned it with soap and water, alcohol, peroxide, and then dressed it with neosporin. I wouldn't be worried about it but it was in the barnyard which is really dusty and has a dirt floor. It's so swollen I can barely walk on it today and sore!! It's barely red around the site but so swollen that it hurts to move my toes, almost feels like they're frozen lol. Anyways hubby is in the army and isn't here to drive me in to be seen until saturday night so I'm just sitting back trying to keep it clean and elevated. I can't put my shoe on it either. I don't have any lines or anything, just sore and a little red-this is gonna sound funny but does regular table salt work like epsom, we don't have any epsom salt in the cabinet?


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I grew up shedding my shoes because they made my feet hurt.

I eventually discovered the sneakers at sears and k-mart. They are so thin that they mould to the shape of my feet, instead of trying to make my feet mould to the shoes. They do not hurt even if I wear them all day long!

And, how long has it been since you had a tetnus shot? After stepping on a rusty nail, you need to get one if it has been more than 7 or 10 years: I forget how many.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

ladybug said:


> .... does regular table salt work like epsom, we don't have any epsom salt in the cabinet?


:nono: they are not the same, not even close... Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate, Salt is sodium chloride.


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## JBourne76 (Jun 5, 2003)

Haven't read the whole thread yet, FYI.

My dad stepped on a rusty nail before I can remember...(evidently I was a small child.) He ended up with Osteo Myleytus (did I spell that right?) It was a BAD scene. There was hospitilization, multiple surgeries and MUCH "stay away from my foot!" from my dad...my whole childhood, in fact. Please, if you stepped on a rusty nail, go get a freaking tetnus shot.

And, by the way, he soaked his foot in Epsom Salts A LOT! Wasn't a cure, just something to help.


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## Dahc (Feb 14, 2006)

Ark said:


> I can find all sorts of horror stories on the internet...
> 
> I was wondering if any of *YALL * had *personally * gotten tetanus from *NOT * going to get the shot after stepping on something rusty. Apparently you can get it from deep wounds getting infected - doesnt have to involve rust.
> 
> I know I havent had any anti tetanus vaccine in the last 10 years. Maybe when I was a kid.....? :shrug:


I haven't had one in 20 years. I stepped on a nail last year. I cleaned it up and just started walking on it. The next day it barely hurt. It never dawned on me I hadn't had a tetanus shot. lol.


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## KimMM (Feb 8, 2021)

Ark said:


> I can find all sorts of horror stories on the internet...
> 
> I was wondering if any of *YALL * had *personally * gotten tetanus from *NOT * going to get the shot after stepping on something rusty. Apparently you can get it from deep wounds getting infected - doesnt have to involve rust.
> 
> I know I havent had any anti tetanus vaccine in the last 10 years. Maybe when I was a kid.....? 🤷


Well, you may want to take it seriously for sure! My 44-year-old brother stepped on a rusty nail that the roofers had left behind, after putting a new roof on our parents house. He was wearing a pair of crocs, when he was walking outside of their home and stepped on the Rusty nail. After it happened, he went and cleaned it out with soap and water, peroxide, and then put a Band-Aid on it. He said he really didn't think much more about it, until three days later when he noticed a line of infection going up his foot and leg. Actually, I had went over to see him and was the first to notice the line. I told him that was septic and that he needed to get to the hospital right away. He did go to the hospital immediately, but then they made him wait for something like 12 hours! During the time that he waited the infection spread further up his leg. The hospital triaged him, but apparently they did not find it necessary to do anything else during that 12 hours! To make a long story short, he almost lost his life. Thank God he is still here, but he did lose his leg. This has been a long hard road for him both physically and especially mentally! He is stuck, unless someone goes to pick him up and take him somewhere. He has a vehicle, but he can't drive it because it doesn't accommodate his disability. I hate that he has went through all of this!


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Hey first poster Kim and other folk - this thread is from *2007. *The poster has either resolved his issue or died from infection by now.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

why does this seem to happen so often ? new poster bringing up way old posts..... seems to be common lately....


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Feb 8, 2021

It's been a looong time since I got poked by that piece of wire. I still have a funky looking brown lump where it went it.

KimMM, I'm sorry your brother lost his leg because of an incompetent hospital. Puncture wounds are deadly serious.


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