How to Get Rid of Pain from a Puncture Wound

A puncture wound is an injury caused by the penetration of a pointed object into the skin. Usually, puncture wounds do not bleed much, but can easily make you cringe with pain. To get rid of pain from a puncture wound, treat it immediately as there is always the risk of infection.  Puncture wound may also aggravate the condition as, sometimes, the objects may diffuse through and puncture the organs and arteries within.

[Read: Aches and Wound Care during Pregnancy]

Mentioned below are ways in which you can minimise or get rid of the pain caused by a punctured wound.

Treating Pain caused by a Puncture Wound

1. Clean the puncture thoroughly. If the object that caused the wound can’t be found, it may be stuck in the wound. Make sure you remove it.
2. Apply pressure to the wound with cotton to stop bleeding. If you don’t have cotton at the time, you may apply pressure with your hand but make sure it is clean.
3. Whoever cleans the wound should first wash his/her hands and wear sterile gloves as the bacteria may spread and diffuse further into the wound. Get the dirt or debris out and clean the wound with an antiseptic solution.
4. Apply an antibiotic ointment gently on and around your wound. The ointment keeps air from the wound, preventing pain that emanates from the surface area of the puncture.
5. Cover the wound with a bandage on top of it.
6. Place an ice pack on the wound covered with a bandage for 15 or 20 minutes. You must keep cleansing and redressing your wound, especially if it is severe. This should be done every day until you don’t feel the pain subside. The ice controls pain by limiting blood flow, which can occur because of broken blood vessels from the puncture wound. Application of ice in the right manner is important to reduce initial swelling and inflammation.

[Read: Tips to Prevent Pain]

What to do for immediate pain relief: If you are experiencing severe pain, soak the particular part of the body in warm water. Don’t let the wound be open as not protecting it will only make it more susceptible to further injury or infection. Wrap a bandage around the punctured area soon after you take it out of water.

If your punctured wound is caused by frostbite, you will need professional help to treat it. Also, if the pain caused by the punctured wound continues to increase along with redness and swelling, there is a possibility of infection. If there are any signs of an infection, see a doctor.

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