Home Remedies To Remove Glass From Foot: How To Remove Glass From Your Foot?
Many of us have seen shows and acts performed by magicians and other similar professionals, where they walk barefoot, across a pile of broken glass pieces, yet come out unscathed. However, the reality is very different from such tricks and shows, as most of us will get cut even if we walk over a few small pieces of glass. What is even worse is that it is very easy for small pieces of glass to get stuck and embedded into the foot and getting such small pieces of glass out of the foot can be a challenge for just about anybody.
It is very common for people and especially children, to get a piece of glass stuck in the foot. This is a lot more likely to occur in those people who have the habit of walking around barefoot; however, at times, people who wear slippers, sandals and open shoes may also get tiny pieces of glass in between the foot and the sole of their footwear. This too could lead to serious glass in foot problems. Even though this is a common occurrence, getting a piece of glass embedded in the foot could lead to a lot of pain and discomfort. In most cases, people regard a glass shard in the foot as a troublesome and annoying problem. This is because removing glass from the foot can be a bit of a challenge for most people. However, what many of us do not even realize or bear in mind, is that having a piece of glass deep in the foot is not just troublesome and painful, but it can also be quite risky.
Is glass in foot the dangerous?
Some people have a very high threshold of pain and can actually tolerate the presence of a glass sliver in the foot, for a couple of hours, or even days, without really doing about it. However, getting glass out of foot should be priority for everyone, as leaving the piece of glass where it is could make matters much worse. In case it is a child, who gets into a minor accident and gets a piece of glass in the foot, then removing it could be very difficult for the parent. Unfortunately, many parents are in the habit of just leaving the piece of glass in the foot, because their children scream and shout, when attempts are made to remove it. What some parents also do is have their children soak their feet in a tub of warm water. However a “glass in the foot soak” is not always an effective remedy which will definitely get rid of the problem. In fact, in some cases, it could actually worse the situation, by putting the piece of glass in deeper. Therefore, almost all of us have no option, but to consult our doctors for options on how to get glass out of the foot. Leaving the problem unchecked could lead to some severe reactions, which include glass in the foot infection, swelling, inflammation and redness.
How to remove glass from your foot?
There are some people who rush to a medical health care provider, in case they have a glass splinter in the foot. While this is probably the best course of action, doctor’s visits may not be the most feasible option for all people, due to time and financial constraints. Moreover, getting a doctor’s appointment on a short notice is not usually possible, which leaves people with the option of visiting the emergency room.
Fortunately, in such cases, it is possible to use a home remedy to help remove glass from the foot too. The most common glass in the foot remedy applied by people, after soaking the affected foot, is to use a pair of tweezers, for prying the shards of glass out of the foot. This can be extremely painful, but it is also one of the most wide recommended options on how to get glass out of your foot. Given below are certain tips can be used by people who are suffering from the problem of glass in foot.
• Before anything else, the area should be cleaned, preferably with some warm water and soap
• All the instruments that are used for pulling a glass shard out of the foot should be cleaned and sterilized. Some people use rubbing alcohol, not just to disinfect the tweezers or other such equipment, but also in order to keep the affected area of the skin, around the wound clean
• Even after getting the piece of glass out of the foot, it is important to continue using an antiseptic ointment or cream, to avoid any infections
• Certain products like Aloe Vera extracts and tea tree oil can also help in relieving the pain.
• The wound should never be covered by bandage or a plaster, till the piece of glass is stuck within. However once the glass piece is out of the foot, it is advisable to put on some gauze or a plaster, to keep the area covered and protected from germs.
• While making an attempt to remove the glass from the foot, you need to sure that there is a lot of light in the area, so that you can check the wound more clearly.
While the options on how to remove glass from the foot mentioned above are quite safe if they are used correctly, it is best to check with a doctor, before trying any of them. In case none of the home remedies prove to be very effective in dealing with the problem, then again, it is important to visit the doctor or least speak to one for information on glass in foot and what to do. Though it is rare, in case a piece of glass stays in the foot for a long period of time, without responding to any glass removal remedies, it may be necessary for the doctor to get the glass piece surgically removed. In case surgery is required, it should not be delayed.
How To Remove Glass From Your Foot
Getting a piece of glass embedded in the foot is truly a painful exercise and getting it out can sometimes be equally troublesome. A couple of things that you need to remember at this point: do not use unsterilized objects to remove the glass from your foot and apply some disinfectant after extricating the glass piece.
Home Remedies To Remove Glass From Foot
First, ensure that you do not cover the wound with a plaster while the glass piece is still in the body, as this will prolong the period of wound inflammation and invite infection. While trying to get rid of the glass from your foot, you need to be careful that you do not push the piece further inside the skin. Start by washing the area with water and soap. After an hour, if the piece of glass is visible, you can pinch the piece of glass out or pull it out using a pair of tweezers. You will need to ensure that the tweezers are sterilized before doing this. To sterilize the tweezers, dip them in some alcohol. If the piece of glass is too small to grip, you can consider using tape to remove the glass. Apply a piece of tape on the area where the piece of glass is embedded, leave the tape on for some time and rub the area from over the tape gently. This will help ensure that the glass piece gets stuck on to the tape. After a while, you will need to pull off the tape slowly to remove the piece of glass. You might consider repeating this exercise a couple of times before the glass shards get extracted. In case the wound and the surrounding area are yellowish and swollen, immediately consult a doctor and take medical help. Once you have extricated the offending piece of glass, apply an antiseptic ointment or freshly ground turmeric and let it stay for some time.
In many cases, in the process of extricating small pieces of glass from the body, you can end up embedding it further in your body. In case this happens, do not panic, as the body will naturally push the offending foreign body out of the skin. Note that this process will take some days. In this time, all you need to do is to keep the wound clean by applying tea tree oil and aloe vera on the wound. Lay a warm towel on the area or dip your foot in warm water daily to speed up this process. Curious to note, this is the same process that doctors sometimes follow with bullet wounds that are embedded in areas that cannot be surgically accessed.
