I was outside in the yard and I stepped on a rusty nail. I looked at my foot and the nail was barely penetrating the skin, and by barely, I mean not past the tip of the nail. None of the shaft of the nail was in my foot. It immediately bled and I immediately went to the bathroom, cleaned it with water and then hydrogen peroxide. I do not know when the last time I had a tetanus shot was, and based on what I'm reading, tetanus only thrives in DEEP puncture wounds. This is a shallow wound. It's so shallow it doesn't even hurt. Do I need to be worried?
I wouldn't be worried, but I would get a tetanus shot if the nail was definitely rusty, and especially if it was out in the dirt. Since only about fifty percent of tetanus victims survive, I wouldn't fuck around with it, you know?
I just don't know where to go for a tetanus shot nor do I have any money. If I had the money I'd just go do it...
Just go to your general practitioner. Do you have insurance? It should be covered under your plan I'd think if you do.
Don't have a GP and I do have insurance but it's not a co-pay. Upon further examination, It's more of a cut or scratch than a puncture wound. Theres a small flap of skin that sticks up. I poured rubbing alcohol into it. ---------- Post added 28th Feb 2013 at 05:32 PM ---------- I think I'm alright. The wound has been cleaned.
Having gone through the same thing recently, you are fine. The doctor told me to get a shot anyway since I'm a teacher but he said the likelihood of getting tetanus was equivalent to winning the lottery.
I'm relatively new to the area and I'm not aware of any clinics. Thanks for the reassurance! I've cleaned it multiples times, I read online that the bigger problem is when people don't keep their wounds clean. ---------- Post added 28th Feb 2013 at 09:03 PM ---------- I'll get a booster shot as soon as I can.
someonelost: Texas, like several other states, does not require a doctor's prescription for you to get immunizations. The law was recently changed so that pharmacists can administer immunizations at retail pharmacies, so you can check with your local CVS, Walgreen's or other retail pharmacy to see what immunizations they offer to walk-in customers. Your other option is to check with your local urgent care or public health clinic about pricing. Usually the immunization and administration fee is about $20-35. For Tetanus in low-risk occupations, we recommend a booster every 10 years or immediately after a potential exposure. I think we're all told about "rusty nails" but the Tetanus bacteria are found in soils, so it's really more about dirt getting into a wound and being allowed to fester. For any deep wound, we recommend a good rinse with either sterile saline or warm soapy water as first aid. This first aid in combination with Tetanus immunization is why we see very few cases of tetanus in North America.
