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Original poster

Ok, so a rose thorn pierced my hand this afternoon and went in about 5 mm - hand is now numb and painful- should I be worried???

39 replies

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 14/04/2009 20:09

Can barely type, the whole top of my hand is hurting, finding it difficult to bend one finger. There was no blood earlier (very weird)

OP posts:
lellow · 14/04/2009 20:14

I really don't mean to scare you, but i have heard that this type of injury can be quite dangerous. Get it checked out at a&e tonight if poss.

BecauseImWorthIt · 14/04/2009 20:18

Yes. Risk of infection, tetanus - go to A & E.

BecauseImWorthIt · 14/04/2009 20:20

Have a horror story I don't want to tell you. Please go to A&E.

Original poster
LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 14/04/2009 20:21

I looked up tetanus on the internet but it just went on about lockjaw (which I don't have) and it also said that symptoms develop at least 3 days later (not 5 hours).

However I haven't had a tetanus jab for at least 20 years.

OP posts:
mrsturnip · 14/04/2009 20:23

If there was no blood a tetanus booster might be advisable. They won't give it if you've had one in the last 10 years, but it sounds as if your gap has been longer. I'd ring NHS direct anyway and ask advice.

liath · 14/04/2009 20:25

Erm, i have a horror story too & I'd get it checked. Doesn't sound like tetanus but you can very very rarely get serious infections from this sort of injury.

mehgalegs · 14/04/2009 20:26

A friend of ours who is a tree surgeon like my DH had a nasty infection after getting a thorn in his elbow. (Think it was synovitus from googling) He was v.poorly and he can't straighten his arm.

There can be bacteria on the thorns, if it is very painful and swollen you should get it checked out.

BecauseImWorthIt · 14/04/2009 20:29

Please, please go

Shambolic · 14/04/2009 20:30

I googled tetanus the other day and it seemed to say that there was nothing to worry about if you had had the full course - is that wrong (nasty hand scrape in garage the other day)...

here is this all wrong?

mehgalegs · 14/04/2009 20:31

It isn't tetanus that you need to woory about here though. It is an infection from bacteria on the thorn that can cause problems.

mrsturnip · 14/04/2009 20:34

scrape should be fine tetanus wise anyway. It's puncture wounds that you need to worry about. Agree with megha though.

paolosgirl · 14/04/2009 20:35

Another horror story here - please go.

Original poster
LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 14/04/2009 20:42

I can't go to a&e anyway - dh out at meeting in car, dd in bed.

Hoping it clears up a bit by morning.

Thanks for all your help. Has made me interested in all your horror stories

OP posts:
BecauseImWorthIt · 14/04/2009 20:44

When will dh be back? Seriously?

OK - neighbour over the road died this way.

Now will you to to A&E when DH is back? Please.

liath · 14/04/2009 20:46

Hope it settles for you .

My horror story was necrotising fasciitis. It killed a fit & healthy woman in hours. It can occasionally happen after thorn injuries like this. Seriously, if the pain gets substantially worse and is spreading up your arm go to A&E.

andirobo · 14/04/2009 20:47

I agree with all others - my mum had this same thing, and her whole arm went numb and she needed two courses of antibiotics to get rid.

Get DD up out of bed and get a taxi to A&E or at least a walk in centre - please!!

GentleOtter · 14/04/2009 20:47

Lockjaw and tetanus are the same thing.
Please listen to the others and go to A&E once Dh gets back.

paolosgirl · 14/04/2009 20:48

My friend had months of treatment to save her fingers after a similar accident in the garden - fortunately she didn't lose any of them, but it was incredibly painful and she was unable to do anything with that hand. She did what you're doing - laughed it off, and the consultant said she should have gone to hospital much earlier.

At least ring NHS24 for pete's sake...

mrsturnip · 14/04/2009 20:49

The problem with a puncture wound is that you can get anaerobic bacteria entering and doing the sort of damage liath describes. Wounds which don't bleed are at particular risk. I would seriously ring NHS Direct at the very least - if they are concerned they will get you an ambulance.

Stretch · 14/04/2009 20:50

Get a taxi and go. Grab some sweets, blanket and mags for DD. Please.

Original poster
LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 14/04/2009 20:50

I'm definitely not laughing it off, just can't go to the doctors yet as dh out til about 10.

I'm going to ring nhsdirect now.

OP posts:
anniebear · 14/04/2009 20:56

let us know what they say

ABetaDad · 14/04/2009 20:57

GentleOtter - others are right about lockjaw/tetanus.

Also blood poisoning can be an issue. My Dad (a farmer) once rather stupidly put his thumb on a hole in a hydraulic hose that was under pressure to stop the oil leaking out. He got a tiny tiny piece of metal forced into his hand and got blood poisoning. His s arm swelled up, went very hard and painful. You do need to watch out.

That said, a thorn stab from a rose can be very painful on its own.

paolosgirl · 14/04/2009 21:11

Hope everything is OK - let us know how you got on

Original poster
LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 14/04/2009 21:27

feel a tiny bit of a twonk now. The recorded message said they were terribly busy and only to stay on if it was an emergency.

So I stayed on and the operator said I could wait til morning (as apparently thorn injuries alone can really hurt) or if I was really worried to go to a&e.

OP posts: