FOREIGN BODIES IN THE SKIN
Small foreign bodies like shards of glass and wood splinters usually cause small puncture wounds with little or no bleeding. But they are quite painful. Hence they have to be removed early. If a portion of the foreign body is found to be sticking out of the skin, it can be grasped with nails or a small forceps and pulled out. If it is deeply embedded in a wound, attempts at its removal may drive it deeper into the tissues. Such patients should be sent to a doctor. Foreign bodies are often contaminated with dirt and can cause infections including tetanus.
First-Aid
1. Reassure the victim.
2. Clean the area around the foreign body with an antiseptic solution gently, without driving the foreign body into deeper tissues.
3. Pull the foreign body out, if its end is found to be projecting outside the skin surface.
4. Squeeze around the wound to cause loss of a little amount of blood, which drives out dirt too.
5. Put a dressing over the wound.
6. If it is deep, send him to a doctor immediately.
7. Removal of a fish hook from the skin is difficult. It gets driven in further if an attempt is made to just pull it out. Its projecting portion has to be cut before pulling out the rest of the hood. There is no urgency of removing it. The victim should be sent to a doctor for removal of the hook.
□ FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EAR
Foreign bodies can enter the ear either accidentally (insects) or may be inserted by children during play (peas, buttons, pencils, pins etc.) The condition is diagnosed by the following features.
1. History of insertion of the foreign body may or may not be available. A child may not admit it due to fear.
2. There is pain in the ear.
3. There may be discharge from the ear.
4. On inspection of the ear using a torch light for illumination, the foreign body may be seen in the ear canal.
First-aid
1. Do not try to hook out the foreign body with a hook or any other object, as it may damage the ear drum.
2. If there is an insect in the ear, put olive oil or 2% sodium bicarbonate solution in lukewarm water into the ear.
3. Send him to a doctor’s clinic.
□ FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EYE
Foreign bodies can enter the eye accidentally when there is a strong wind blowing or when one is traveling without protection to the eye, e.g. on a motor cycle. Various foreign bodies that can enter the eye are dust, sand particles, coal particles, small pieces of glass, etc. They are either under the eyelids or in the eyeball. The condition is diagnosed by the following features.
1. History of sudden onset of acute pain in the eye is available.
2. The eye is angry red.
3. There is profuse watering of the eye.
4. On examining the eye by gently retracting the eyelids, the foreign body may be seen in the eye.
First-aid
1. Tell the victim not to rub the eye as that may cause further damage to the eye by the foreign body.
2. Remove a foreign body under the eyelid with the pointed end of a soft handkerchief or a piece of cotton. It is necessary to wash the hands well before removing the foreign body. An alternative method is to wash the eye with clean water.
3. Pad the eye and send him to a doctor.
4. Shift him to a hospital immediately.
5. Do not try to remove a foreign body on the surface of the eyeball, especially the cornea, as it may cause corneal abrasions, which later get converted into corneal opacities that impair vision.
FOREIGN BODIES IN THE NOSE
A child may insert a foreign body like a seed or a piece of pencil into the nose either accidentally or during play. When it tries to remove it, it gets driven in further. Foreign bodies like seeds absorb water and swell up. Then their removal becomes even more difficult. The condition is diagnosed by the following features.
1. History of insertion of the foreign body may or may not be available. A child may not admit it due to fear.
2. There is pain in the nose.
3. There may be discharge from the nose.
4. On examination of the nose under illumination (by torch etc.) the foreign body may be seem.
First-aid
1. Instruct the victim not to try to sneeze or blow air out of the nose to expel the foreign body.
2. If the end of the foreign body is found sticking out of the nose, grab it and pull it out gently.
3 Shift all other cases to a hospital.