We all know how annoying and downright uncomfortable a splinter buried in and under the skin can feel. Splinters on the bottom of the feet have the added issue of your weight putting all that pressure on it every step you take. A splinter that is not removed in a timely manner may lead to infection and further complications. It may also force the person to change the way they are walking and lead to other parts of the body reacting negatively. Any change in our gait often results in knee, hip or back pain, as the stresses are no longer going through our spine in a balanced manner. So what is the best way to remove a splinter? If you can grab the end of the splinter with a forceps and slowly pull it out in the direction it entered you are lucky. The splinter will break if your angle is not the same as it entered the skin making removal much more difficult. Home treatments often leave pieces of the splinter behind leading to more lengthy issues. No one can say Dr. Lonnie Resnick has not had experience removing splinters. I have had plenty of opportunities both on patients and my kids. With the proper instruments, we can clear off dead skin in the area and work out the splinter. Most of the time anesthesia is not necessary, but we do administer local anesthesia as needed to avoid discomfort. Topical or oral antibiotics are prescribed. Do not let a small problem become a big one; call East Avenue Podiatry for quick relief and to allow you to continue the activities you love and need to do.
