Would you go to A&E with this?

[YouFilthyAnimal]

DD is 12 and had her ears pierced 6 weeks ago
One of them has become infected and basically the entire crystal on her stud has disappeared into her earlobe
Theres a lot of pus and some blood coming out and I can’t loosen it at all because I can’t get a grip on the front of it
I can get her in the GP in the morning but I can’t see that a GP will actually be able to get it out

Should I wait till the morning or would you take her to A&E?

This happened to me as a teen, the GP removed it with some numbing cream and a small scalpel. If you can get a GP appointment I would go there instead

I had this with an ear piercing. I went to minors and they gave me gas and air until they could get it out. Instant relief. I hope they get it sorted today.

I hear what you say @Leftoverssandwich but if we are to retain an NHS at all we need to be cautious about how we use it. A broken leg is an accident whether purchasing fruit or chocolate. Pierced ears do not happen by chance. They happen at a booked appointment and people need to be aware of the potential consequences and to pay the bill arising from their conscious decision. Can you really not see the difference?

Hope they gave her some antibiotics. They will reduce the infection and swelling, so by the time you see ENT it’ll come out more easily.

Your comment is unnecessary and not very helpful. I'm sure you are perfect.

I second the suggestion to see a reputable piercer.

The patient is a child. If this was the case some parents wouldn't pay leaving a child who cannot pay herself to get sicker.

Stupid comment.

I have never managed to get a different piercer to take a look, always been told to go back to the original.

If there was a clear expectation of what the NHS covered @IDontWantToBeAPie, perhaps the parents would not have their child's ears pierced in the first place.

Why, in such circumstances, if the parents can afford it, shouldn't they be expected to pay.

Frankly, no. I think you would find it extremely difficult to draw lines between what is essential and what is not. An infection can result from a multitude of things but the majority of ear piercings are entirely uneventful - the balance of odds is that this is not an activity that will end up requiring medical treatment. Most sport on the other hand has much higher odds of requiring medical treatment but according to you is acceptable because it's physical exercise. How on earth do you unpick lifestyle/benefits/risks to create the sort of taxonomy you have in your head?

What criteria do you create to make someone's conscious decision optional enough to merit them paying for any medical treatment that might result, however unlikely it is? What is genuinely optional in life? How does your moral judgement play out into public policy?

I had to take DD3 to A&E for this once. The nurse had false nails (no idea why!) and she just dug her nails in and pulled. I had tried and tried at home but didn't have false nails!

Do you have a set of tweezers? If you could get them around the butterfly, then push the earring forward so you can grab the ball, it might help.

I had this a few years ago. Went to minor injuries and a nurse numbed the earlobe and then cut the stud out with a scalpel.