If you have got a foreign body stuck in some body part the best way to treat this is by coming into Liberty Urgent Care. Our team will be able to remove the foreign body in a safe manner and prevent causing any further damage. Book a same-day appointment online today.
Foreign Body Removal
What does it mean to get a Foreign Body Removal?
A foreign body is an external object, such as a shard of glass or a splinter, that gets lodged in the soft tissue beneath the skin. You may accidentally inhale or swallow a foreign body, or you may get one from an injury to almost any part of your body. Foreign body removal is most common among children, who sometimes stick things in their mouths, ears, and noses, but it is not uncommon among adults. If left in place or improperly removed, a foreign body can sometimes cause infection or damage surrounding tissues.
How will Liberty Urgent Care help?
- First, we’ll perform an examination to evaluate the location and size of the foreign body. If necessary, all of our urgent care centers are equipped to provide an x-ray on-site to identify the foreign body.
- The foreign body removal process can vary significantly depending upon where the object is located and how deeply lodged into the body it is. Often, the foreign body is gently removed with a special tool, such as a tweezer or scalpel.
- If the removal process creates a break in the skin, we will apply a topical antibiotic and provide instructions on how to keep the area clean and dry as it heals. In some cases, our doctors will prescribe an oral antibiotic or provide a tetanus shot to prevent infection.
What Are the Different Types of Foreign Bodies?
There are several types of foreign bodies that can enter your skin to cause a wound. The removal of foreign bodies is essential to reduce the chances of infection and to avoid having the foreign body enter the vital tissues. Here are some of the most common types of foreign bodies:
- Graphite – this is the material in pencils
- Broken glass – from damaged windowpanes or drinking glasses
- Fishhooks – occurs while fishing
- Thorns or spines – from plants at home or in the woods
- Nails – typically from a battery-operated or electrically-charged nail gun
- Wood splinters – from fences, doors or other wooden objects
Removing Foreign Bodies on Your Own
Many types of foreign bodies are easy to remove on your own, including wooden splinters. In some cases, you can also remove a fishhook, but if it is in a delicate area of the body, then visit an urgent care center for professional removal. It is a good idea to have a first-aid kit at your home so that you can remove most foreign objects with tweezers.
For minor bleeding, you can wash the wound with warm water and soap along with applying a disinfectant several times a day. When the wound is larger, you should cover it with an adhesive bandage. If you have a puncture wound, then you may need stitches to repair the skin and underlying tissues.