Puncture Wound
- Puncture Wound Overview
- Puncture Wound Causes
- Puncture Wound Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Puncture Wound Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
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- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Puncture Wound Overview
A puncture wound is caused by an object piercing the skin and creating a small hole. Some punctures are just on the surface. Others can be very deep, depending on the source and cause.
A puncture wound does not usually result in excessive bleeding. Usually, these wounds close fairly quickly on their own. Treatment may be necessary to prevent infection. A puncture wound from a cause such as stepping on a nail can become infected because the object that caused the wound may carry bacteria or spores of tetanus into the skin and tissue.
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Puncture Wound
Stingray Injury Overview
Stingrays do not actually attack. Injuries from these sharklike creatures are usually defensive actions. Once disturbed, their venomous stinger (spine) near the base of their tails lashes out and can cause punctures or lacerations (cuts). Their mouth parts do not cause injury, but a hickey can occur if they try to suck you.
Stingrays are aquatic, cartilaginous vertebrates who are members of the shark family. They have flat bodies and winglike fins. Stingrays are nonassertive and can be found lying in the sand in shallow water at the beach or swimming free in open waters. Most are saltwater creatures, but a few live in fresh water.
- In 1608, Captain John Smith, the explorer who founded the Jamestown settlement, was injured by a stingray in the Chesapeake Bay.
- Annually, about 1,500 stingray-induced injuries occur in the United States.
Stingray Injury Causes
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