Medical Treatment

The best treatment for a splinter is to remove it.

• Deep splinters may require the physician to make an incision with a scalpel in order to remove the splinter. The doctor, however, numbs the area first.

• The doctor attempts to remove all fragments of the foreign body and cleans the area as best as possible.

• If the splinter is underneath the fingernail, the physician may have to remove a portion of your fingernail to allow removal of the entire splinter.

• If you have an infection, the doctor will clean the area and explore the infected area to remove the splinter.

• If signs of inflammation are present, the doctor will either explore the area or just remove the inflamed area with a scalpel. This ensures removal of the splinter.

• The doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

• If the doctor feels that your wound is too large to leave open, he or she may use one of several methods (such as stitches) to close it. If your wound is infected, the doctor probably won't close it.

• Depending on whether your vaccinations are current, you may require a tetanus shot.